Staff writer
Peabody City Council members heard a recommendation from Peabody Economic Development Council Monday to allow the HUB to receive sewer and water service at no charge from the city.
HUB founders Dale and Doe Ann Hague made a request for financial assistance in December, after an anticipated government grant failed to get approval.
The Hagues asked the city to provide water and sewer to the HUB at no charge. City council members tabled any action on the request until PEDC could review it to be certain it met the criteria of the plan by PEDC for business incentives.
After review by PEDC, director Shane Marler told the city council that the request and information provided by the Hagues met the requirements to be considered for an abatement of the cost of service.
Marler noted the actual amount the city will pay for the water will be about $237.63.
An additional amount of $723.00 is revenue the city will sacrifice by not charging the HUB for water and sewer. This is what the city earns on the water and sewer service it provides to its customers.
It also was the recommendation of PEDC that the city not look at this abatement as a permanent discount for the HUB. The committee recommends the council review the HUB’s needs on an annual basis before offering the abatement in the future.
Peabody City Council members approved both recommendations from the economic development group.
In other business:
- The council approved spending $3,500 for a telephone system for the police department in the new building. The system will include five telephones. Daytech Communications of Wichita will provide the system and service it.
- The purchase of a half-page color ad in the Peabody-Burns High School yearbook at a cost of $160 was approved.
- Council members agreed to send the after-prom committee a donation of $50 in Peabody bucks.
- City Administrator Mac Manning noted the city has had two cases of “theft of service,” both of which are under investigation by the police department. The cases involve individuals siphoning water and not paying for it.
- Manning has received a copy of the 2006 uniform national building codes to update requirements to build or remodel commercial and residential properties. The city formerly had been using a 1997 version of the codes. Manning will present a copy of the codes to the planning and zoning board. Board members will review it and make a recommendation to the city council. Once approved, the city’s codes will be current.
- Council members approved a $500 expenditure for Brad Cady to put an epoxy surface on the floor of several rooms and public areas in the city shop.
- A request by White Buffalo Environmental of Tulsa, Okla., to install a 340-foot cell phone tower east of Peabody between Old Mill and Pawnee roads was forwarded to the planning and zoning committee.
- Council members heard the Fifth Street bridge project is almost complete with work on the rails to be completed this week.
- During committee reports, comments about streets and alleys brought attention to a Dumpster behind the bowling alley that needs to be re-positioned to allow for better access by the trash truck. And a request to blade the alley and add some rock from Third to Fourth between Sycamore and Maple was granted.
- Councilman Tom Schmidt asked Manning to have Police Chief Bruce Burke prepared at the next meeting to discuss case procedure for county cases as opposed to municipal cases.
- Peabody Main Street and Economic Development Director Shane Marler gave a report on the activities of both groups. He reported the Main Street benefit auction on Saturday brought in nearly $10,000. Operation Celebration is on the calendar for Memorial Day weekend once again and PEDC will host a legislative coffee with Legacy Park at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
- Marler told the council that IMG Film Company, which shot much of the footage for its documentary “Small Town, U.S.A.” in Peabody, was back during the past week to film the PBHS hot rod program. They will come again next month to report about PEDC’s project to recruit Pixiux high speed Internet.
- Marler told council members that on March 22 he will move the Main Street/Economic Development office into the space now occupied by the police department. The city office will expand into the room he now occupies.