Staff writer
Peabody City Council members approved a long-term plan for street repairs Monday night. By keeping 2009 repairs at a minimum, a carry-over of $193,933 is available for more extensive repairs in 2010. The city also will add the settlement for damage to Plum Street by Union Pacific and the 1 percent sales tax to the fund.
When the repairs are complete, there still will be about $87,000 to carry over to 2011.
For this year Plum Street; the 400, 500, and 600 blocks of Locust; and Poplar Street will receive the most attention. The curb and gutter from Eighth to Ninth streets on Walnut, the Sycamore and Ninth street approach, and damage from a water leak at Poplar and Third streets will also be repaired.
Jim Ralston from APAC of Kansas was present to discuss the timeline for completing the work. Council members asked that he schedule the repairs so that the streets are not torn up during the July Fourth holiday.
“We would rather have you wait and start in Peabody after (July) Fourth if the work you have already scheduled will prevent you from finishing here before the Fourth,” Mayor Larry Larsen said.
Ralston said he would check with his department heads and get back with City Administrator Mac Manning in a day or two.
The council met with Hank Yoder of Stutzman Refuse Service about the trash truck getting too close to the side of the streets again and causing damage to the asphalt. Yoder said that he was in town for the curbside cleanup and noted that about one-half of the residents are still leaving their trash containers in their yards instead of setting them at the edge of the street. He advised the council that he would talk with his drivers again about staying as close to the middle of the road as possible.
In other business:
- In response to a question about the trash service not allowing construction and demolition materials, Yoder said that the city of Goessel has begun paying a small fee to the trash service to allow its residents to dispose of construction and demolition materials during cleanup week. Manning will research the Goessel program and report to the council at a future meeting.
- Larson signed a proclamation, designating April as Fair Housing Month in Peabody.
- The council unanimously approved the purchase of a New Holland tractor at a cost of $33,500 through a lease-purchase agreement with Peabody State Bank. The tractor will replace the 1996 tractor/loader currently in use.
- Manning reported that some minor cleanup had taken place at the 907 and 909 Vine Street properties belonging to Elmer Carson Jr. He will monitor the progress.
- The revised on-call and emergency coverage schedule proposed by Manning was approved after a technical problem allowed the level of water in the water tower dropped dangerously low on March 20, a Saturday. The new schedule will require an actual physical check of the facilities by the public works employee who is on call.
- Frank Doerrler was in attendance again to discuss his water and sewer billing issue. No action was taken by the council, but Manning was instructed to try and reconstruct a billing history so that Doerrler and all council members would have the same information.
- Kim Brashears asked the council to consider lowering the water rates until the current recession ends. The council members took no action.
- Tom Schmidt reported Partners of Peabody Parks had a workday Saturday and met with Manning and Darren Pickens to review long-term projects for the parks. He also noted that pool manager Beth Peter plans to open the pool May 22. Plumbing in both pool restrooms will be repaired before then.