Staff writer
Florence city superintendent Phil Baldwin shared his frustration Monday night at citizens of the Florence community who defied the city’s attempts to limit traffic in certain areas during the heavy rains of the past week.
“For some reason, as soon as we put up the barricades it is like an invitation for some people to just drive around them or move them altogether,” he said. “They assume the barricades are there for other people, but they don’t think it is necessary for them to obey them.”
Baldwin presented a report to Florence Mayor Greg Winn and council members about the effect of the rain on the city infrastructure.
Problems arose with pumps at city springs, at the sewer ponds, and in the sewer pipes themselves as the storms dumped enough rain to overwhelm the systems.
Baldwin noted that while city employees wrestled with those problems, a number of citizens created additional issues by moving barricades and driving where they weren’t supposed to.
The city systems were back on-line after the rain subsided.
After discussion, council members agreed the barricades are necessary to protect the city from liability.
Councilman Trayce Warner also noted the east bank of the Cottonwood River south of the Fifth Street bridge is badly eroded. After discussion, Winn agreed to contact the property owners and a Marion County conservation group to review the area and see what can be done.
In other business, the council:
- approved warrant 2008-18 for $5, 038.41.
- heard from Baldwin that city crews are playing catch-up on mowing and that a leak in the hot water heater at the gymnasium had been repaired.
- heard from acting fire chief Mark Slater that a number of volunteer firefighters have signed up for a defensive driving class, the firemen will be reviewing safety issues involved in pulling electrical meters at structure fires, and that an amended application is being prepared to request permission to spend the remaining $9,700 of grant money issued for bunker gear.
- instructed Slater to conduct a controlled burn this week of the bulldozed trees at the former football field.
- heard a well at Veteran’s Park will be filled after Marion County sanitation officer Bobbi Strait approves the project. Guidelines from Kansas Department of Health and Environment will be followed.
- discussed an ordinance regulating the use of motorized scooters, ATVs, utility work vehicles, and other miscellaneous means of conveyance in the city limits. After discussion, approval of the ordinance was tabled to include a requirement for completion of a safety class in order to operate the vehicles in question.
- determined an ordinance regulating parking of large trucks in the city limits is enforceable as written.