Engineering & project updates
 Water tank walls being placed
- Work on the first new First Street Water Tank is progressing. The contractor poured floors on Oct. 6, all precast concrete wall panels were set with a 550-ton crane by Tuesday, and shotcrete was placed between the concrete wall panels on Thursday. The first tank is expected to be complete in about seven weeks. Once that tank is brought into service, the old tank will be taken down and a second tank will be built where the old one is.
- Permits: Koerner Heights Church is doing a kitchen/bathroom remodel, valuation $225,000, permit fees $1,427. NMC Health is expanding their pharmacy area and drive-through, valuation $1.37 million, permit fees $5,638.
- The Kansas Department of Health & Environment performed a municipal stormwater audit on the City of Newton on Monday. KDHE staff said that our program and operations look very good. A report will be sent out in a month or two with formal results.
- We continue to respond to citizen complaints about Ideatek's work in the right-of-way.
Newton Public Library
 Inside the children's area
Construction of the new library continues on schedule. Sheetrock hanging will be done by the end of next week, with taping and finishing ongoing. Exterior glass and glazing is nearly done. Stonework has begun on the exterior of the building. Phase 1 of the parking lot curb and gutter is also nearing completion.
 Stonework placement on front of library
Domestic Violence Awareness
 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The City of Newton and the Newton Police Department take this cause seriously and realize that domestic violence is an issue in every community, including ours. Pictured are employees from City Hall and Newton Police Department wearing purple in support of #PurpleThursday.
If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, resources are available. Please reach out to any of the following resources for help:
- Harvey County 911
- Newton Police Department, 316-284-6030
- Safehope, 316-283-0350
- National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255
Fire/EMS
 U.S. 50 Fire
As you no doubt saw in the news, our first responders were busy last week with an injury crash and large fire on U.S. 50 at Old Main. The incident began when a minivan traveling east on U.S. 50 blew out a tire, lost control, crossed the median and hit a westbound semi. The semi then left the road and struck an RV storage facility, starting the fire. The fire also spread to the grass on the north side of U.S. 50.
The drivers of the minivan and the semi thankfully escaped with just minor injuries. Multiple RVs burned in the fire, and the building structure was seriously damaged. The loss was estimated at $800,000-$1 million. About 25 acres on the north side of U.S. 50 burned, but crews were able to keep the fire from jumping SW 14th Street toward the residential neighborhood.
Our sincere thanks to Halstead Fire/EMS, Hesston Fire/EMS, and Sedgwick Fire-Rescue for their assistance. Kansas Highway Patrol handled the crash investigation.
Retiree Luncheon
On Friday, Oct. 13, we hosted the 13th annual retiree luncheon at Station 3. We had a great turnout, and as always, a great time catching up and sharing stories. Fire/EMS employee Mike Southern with Taco Mike's provided the meal.
 Front row, left to right: Lt. Faber Porter, Capt. Wayne Porter, Capt. Bob Hiebert, Capt. Rob Hiebert. Middle row, left to right: Mike Budde, Chief Gary Denny, Bat. Chief Jerry Conyers, Chief Mark Willis, Dep. Chief Dean Davis, Mark Sauerwein, Dep. Chief Dennis Quiring, Shawn Ashcraft, Treva Brunner. Back row, left to right: Brian Reimer, Div. Chief Phil Beebe, Rick Schill, Fred Schroeder, Bat. Chief Steve Brackeen, Greg Johnson, Capt. Roger Fleming, Dennis Siemens, Capt. Barry Lehman, Bat. Chief Roger Perkins, Phil Baldwin, Capt. Rod Wedel, Fire Marshal Randall McBee, Chief Jim Jackson.
Fire Prevention Week
Last week we finished up Fire Prevention Week. The team talked about fire safety with over 1,500 kids. They presented a fire prevention skit at six elementary schools and two preschools. The team also provided materials and a presence at the Taste of Newton and the Health Ministries Family Fun Day.
 Fire/EMS booth at Health Ministries Family Fun Day
Ambulance replacement
We had an update this week that our ambulance remount is well underway in Linn, Missouri, at the Osage Ambulance plant. Several weeks ago, we delivered one of our oldest ambulances to the plant. They will remove the box, recondition it, and remount it to a new chassis. This is significantly more affordable than a brand-new ambulance and a way to extend the life of the box even when the chassis becomes worn out. We expect this unit back this year yet.
Meridian Center
The Meridian Center held four corporate events this week, during which 400 menu items were served to 200 total guests. Center staff also booked seven future events with planned attendance of 1,049 guests.
Street & Sanitation
This week, our crews:
- Swept streets in Maintenance Area 2.
- Continued making and replacing wayfinding signs.
- Repaired curb & gutter and did crack sealing.
- Continued repairing several IdeaTek and Kansas Gas Service utility repairs.
Bulky Item Tagging Program
From Oct. 9-13: Our inspector tagged 11 locations; five were charged the $20 fee, and six scheduled a pickup and were charged the $10 fee.
Recycling program update
Recycling contractor Nisly Brothers reports there are 481 current customers in Newton. Approximately 52 tons of recyclables were collected July-September 2023, with no major problems reported.
Water/Wastewater
- We responded to five after-hours calls this week.
- Repaired a leak in the 100 block of Duncan Terrace.
- We began checking fire hydrant caps on the north end of town moving south.
- Installed the new 2-inch PVC line on SE Sixth St. from Allison east to the dead end.
- We put out sewer notices and “Don’t Flush Wipes” flyers to residents from Northridge to Terrace, and Plum to Berry. Also, on the west side of Plum from Brookside to SE 11th St. in the Cherry Hills Apartments area.
- Lead & Copper Rule task update: We have received 2,520 plumbing surveys to date.
- Crews shut off 46 water meters for non-payment.
Parks & Cemeteries
This week, our staff:
- Mowed rights-of-way and edged several park routes for the last time this season.
- Cleaned up after the Health Ministries Family Fun Day.
- Cleaned restrooms, dumped trash and picked up litter. Park restrooms will closed for the season after Halloween.
- Winterized the splash park.
- Mowed an extra pass width on the bike path and the islands on Sand Creek with the remote mower last week.
- Attended to four services at the cemetery last weekend.
Upcoming Events
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Candy Scramble & Costume Contest, Oct. 25, 7-9 p.m., Fischer Field in Athletic Park. Grab your flashlights and head to Fischer Field, where there will be thousands of candies scattered on the field. Free for kids under 12.
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Dia de los Muertos Festival, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Athletic Park. Celebrate "Day of the Dead" by enjoying some music, food and craft vendors, lowriders, and dance troupes. Bring the kids to enjoy some crafts and games in this free event presented by the Latino Vision Association.
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Warkentin House Hymn Sing & Faspa, Oct. 29, 4 p.m. Reservations required. The Hymn Sing leader and accompanist will be Drs. William Eash and Karen Bauman Schlabaugh.
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Halloween Walk, Oct. 31, 5:30-7 p.m., downtown Newton. Bring the kids for free trick-or-treating in a safe and trusted environment. Sponsored by Newton Lions Club.
See all of the upcoming events at our Community Events listing on Choose-Newton.com.
Meetings & Reminders:
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