City council rejects repair proposal
Florence City Council members instructed Mayor John Lehman Monday night to write a letter to its engineering firm, Straub Eaton, saying the city is not willing to accept the terms of the firm's plan for repairing the deck of the clear well.
The sticking point for the council is the engineer and the contractor are unwilling to guarantee that additional cracks won't develop. Council members are concerned problems with the concrete will tie up future councils in a never-ending cycle of repair work.
"This really shouldn't be our problem," said council member Randy Mills. "(Stuart) Porter told us there was a problem with the 'curing' because of the weather or something in the cement. It should be the contractor's responsibility to come up with a solution that gives us what we are paying for," said Mills. "It's the contractor's job to find out what the city needs."
Several issues that will impact the city were tabled until a future meeting:
A proposal for a range covering salaries of the top three city employees and a review of hourly-wage employee compensation was presented.
The need for an ordinance to determine the division of duties and liabilities between the city and library was introduced.
The committee charged with selecting a new police chief furnished a brief report and will return with final suggestions for the council's approval in July.
The Fifth Street bridge continues to cause log jams that threaten its usefulness and safety. The council will have the county engineer look at it and make a recommendation.
Florence council will address salaries, the library building, Fifth Street bridge, and selection of police chief candidates at the next meeting.
The council also:
— agreed to raise the rates for trash pickup in public areas at Marion County Lake. The amount the county pays to have the Dumpsters emptied has been the same since 1982. The city will contact county commission about its plan before the contract year begins July 1.
— approved warrants totaling $14,264.15.
— agreed to check with the state about putting street signs at the junction of highways and intercepting city streets. Chamber of commerce is interested in pursuing the project with the city's approval.
— instructed Ken Hoffman to seek information from Kansas University, Kansas State, or Westar Energy about what is needed to prevent lightning from interrupting service at the water plant.
— appointed council member Bryan Harper to contact Burlington-Northern Railroad about repairs at the Eighth Street intersection. The council also asked that he get information about installing crossing arms due to the increase in train traffic through Florence.
— approved an advertisement for a new police chief that will be placed in area newspapers.
— heard a report that the benefit hog roast held Saturday night raised about $1,200 for the swimming pool.
— agreed to rescind the city resolution providing for monetary compensation for mayor and city council members. Funds ordinarily paid to members of the governing body will remain in the city's general fund.
— agreed to reinstate regular office hours for the city building effective immediately.
— appointed Trayce Warner chairman of emergency preparedness for the city.
— heard the nursing home will sell at absolute auction on July 7.
— heard from Scott Zogelman that Florence Ambulance and Florence Fire Department each received two radios paid for by county 911 funds. Florence Police Department also will receive one when a police chief is hired. The radios eventually will be programmed to pull together all emergency services in Marion County.
— gave fire chief Tony Leeds permission to sell by sealed bid the department's 1971 one-ton equipment truck.
— agreed to get prices for replacement flag poles and establish a calendar for flying the flags downtown.
— agreed to inventory the police department before a new police chief is hired.
