Building, Development, Engineering, and Code Enforcement
- Planning Commission meeting will be on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. due to the New Year’s holiday on Jan. 2. It looks to be a full agenda, and we are pleased to see development continue to accelerate in the community.
- 'Tis the season for contractor license renewals. We’ve received multiple renewals and payments for licenses this week.
- City Commission approved the bids this week for the new Public Library building. Staff is preparing contracts and will begin scheduling kick-off meetings with the contractor in January.
- Staff is reviewing petitions and estimates for proposed water, sewer, and streets in the Fox Ridge Addition for improvements on the east side of the property, off of South 14th Street Connector. These will be coming before the City Commission for approval in January.
- Construction is underway on the paving improvements at Autumn Glen 3rd Addition located southeast of the S. Kansas and SE 26th Street intersection. Winter weather has slowed progress.
- Contractor Alfred’s Tree Service will being work in January for tree trimming in the rights-of-way in Maintenance Area 6. This project is funded through the Sanitation operating budget.
- We remain one position short in Engineering.
New Year's holiday
City facilities will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday. The closure will also affect trash pickup schedules. Trash normally picked up on Monday will be picked up Tuesday, Jan. 3. Trash normally picked up on Tuesday will be picked up Wednesday, Jan. 4. Thursday and Friday routes will run as usual.
|
Christmas tree pickup
Street crews will collect and recycle real Christmas trees Jan. 3, 9 and 23. Trees must be placed at the curb with all lights and ornaments removed. Trees can also be taken directly to the Harvey County Rodeo Grounds, 700 W. First St. Free mulch will be available beginning Jan. 28 at the Rodeo Grounds. You must bring your own containers to transport the mulch. The service is free through Jan. 23. Any trees placed after that date will require a $10 bulky-item pickup.
Grocery sales tax
Starting on Jan. 1, the State sales tax on groceries will drop from 6.5% to 4%. In 2024, it will decrease to 2%, and to zero in 2025. Governor Kelly signed the legislation authorizing the decrease in May 2022. Food excluded from the exemption is prepared food, such as deli items. It is expected that the Governor will renew her call to the Legislature to pass a companion bill during the 2023 session that immediately eliminates the State sales tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products. Governor Kelly has previously stated that the phase out of the State’s grocery tax will save Kansans about $740 million over three years. A family spending $200 a week on groceries will save an estimated $208 in 2023. The exemption applies to State taxes only; local taxes (2% in Harvey County) remain in place.
Meridian Center
After averaging nearly one event per day in December leading up to the holiday break, the Meridian Center hosted no events this week. Staff used the few days of down time to clean and organize event equipment, make numerous repairs to the facility, complete an internal construction project, and complete a minor remodel, which included new paint on accent walls and updated furniture and decor throughout the facility. As the paint work was done in-house by City maintenance staff, and the furniture and decor was purchased slightly used from another venue, the facility received a fresh new look for much less than was budgeted.
Parks & Cemeteries
Our team prepared for one service last week and two this week at the cemetery; removed snow and ice at City facilities; removed trees with Dutch elm disease, a dead pine, and large hackberry on City properties; and prepared the Tree City USA application. We are pleased to report that we were able to hire a retired former City employee from another division back into the Parks Department, and we look forward to him beginning his tenure in January.
Streets & Sanitation
Our crews have been very busy following the recent winter weather event:
- Assisted law enforcement by placing barricades closing Spencer from 12th to Old Trail due to a semi-truck backing off the road last week.
- Assisted law enforcement and KDOT by placing barricades on the westbound U.S. 50 on-ramp at South Anderson due to a rollover accident last week.
- Worked to treat and clear streets during the holiday storm. The snow route was treated Christmas night. Then the end of this week, crews began sweeping the snow route to collect salt and haydite to keep it from entering the storm sewer/drainage system.
- Made repairs to signs damaged during the winter storm.
- Made repairs to the concrete floor in the pump building at Mission Water Plant.
- Repaired pavement on Southeast 24th Street on the west side of the I-135 overpass.
- Responded to a pothole request on Southeast 14th and the snow route, repaired or backfilled four utility cuts.
- Began point repairs to the stormwater system in the 300 block of Southwest Third.
- Placed signage and prepared for Christmas tree drop-off at the rodeo grounds.
- Bulky Item Tagging Program: The inspector tagged 15 locations for having junk at the curb. Five residents did not contact the City to schedule pickup and were charged the $20; two did contact the City and were charged the regular $10 fee. Eight residents took care of the items on their own.
- Had one new employee start work this week. We remain two positions down in this division. Interviews are pending.
Water/Wastewater
Crews handled 16 after-hours callouts for water leaks, frozen pipes and meters, and emergency locates; made a sewer tap and two sewer repairs; moved old electric poles in the well field and calibrated the chlorine analyzer. Unfortunately, we had another employee give notice this week, and we are now down four staff positions in this division.
Upcoming Meetings & Reminders
Jan. 2: City Facilities Closed: City facilities will be closed on Monday, Jan. 2 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.
- Noon Dec. 27 – City Commission meeting
- Jan. 2 – City facilities closed for New Year’s
- 7:30 a.m. Jan. 5 – City Commission agenda review
- 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10 – City Commission work session (tentative)
- 7 p.m. Jan. 10 – City Commission meeting
- Jan. 16 – City facilities closed for MLK Day holiday
- 7:30 a.m. Jan. 19 – City Commission agenda review
- 7 p.m. Jan. 24 – City Commission meeting
|
