Staff writer
The announcement that Kansas Department of Transportation will close U. S.-50 for three to four weeks in the spring came as no surprise Monday evening to Florence City Council.
Council members and Mayor Greg Winn were aware of the KDOT plan when City Superintendent Phil Baldwin made the announcement during his report.
City Clerk Janet Robinson said more recent contact from KDOT indicated they might have employees work 24 hours a day for five days, rather than stretching it over several weeks. U.S.-50 will be closed from Newton to the K-150 interchange.
“They have indicated to me that they will be changing the roundabout to a two-lane facility rather than the one lane,” she said.
Other information points to some repair to the western approach to the roundabout.
Another issue of importance to the community was brought up in the mayor’s report.
Winn reminded everyone that his seat and two council positions will come up for election in April. Randy Mills holds a first ward council position and Bryan Harper’s second ward position is one of two. Mills has announced he will not seek re-election.
Winn will run again for the mayoral position. The deadline to be on the ballot is Jan. 27. Prospective candidates may sign up at the Florence City Building.
In other business, the council:
- discussed the recent decision by Marion County Special Education Cooperative to move students to Marion at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Council members agreed to form a committee and host some community meetings to discover how the community wants to use the building.
- approved a request from Baldwin to purchase supplies to clean the equipment at the water plant.
- approved $455 to repair and service the Grasshopper mower.
- approved repairs to the brake system of the trash truck.
- heard from Baldwin that during a recent cold spell he and the other city employees shut off the water to a number of unoccupied homes following a rash of water leaks.
- accepted with regret the resignation of Del Leeds as ADA compliance officer. Janet Robinson will fill in as interim ADA officer while the council seeks a suitable replacement.
- heard a request by Winn to open the gymnasium on Sunday afternoons for supervised “pickup” basketball games for Florence youth. The council approved the request.
