Council wrestles with water, sewer service
Jim and Peggy Unruh addressed the Peabody City Council Monday night about getting water and sewer to the former Palmer property on the north side of 60th Street. The Unruhs demolished the turn-of-the-century home that once stood there and now would like to develop the corner. Their plans are at a standstill because of lack of water and sewer service.
Harvey County Rural Water District serves the homes on the south side of 60th Street in what is commonly known as the Mayesville community. Unruh is willing to pay the expense of having the property on the north side of the road hooked on to rural water.
But that land is in the city limits (Mayesville is not), and the people at HCRWD will not even offer an estimate for Unruh's consideration without approval from the city. Currently, the city has an ordinance that forbids water from any other source to go into its sewer. Sewer service to the property would have to come from the city.
The cost of hooking up Unruh's property to city water would be expensive because of the distance and the need to bore under Doyle Creek. It is the city's policy to split such a cost with the home owner 60-40 with the city picking up 60% of the cost.
Unruh said he is not opposed to paying his share or paying to hook onto rural water, he just is frustrated by being unable to get started on developing that area.
"We have had some interest in the corner," he said. "But we never get any farther than initial discussions with people because of the lack of water and sewer. I could put in a lagoon, but hate to tie up that much of this land for that kind of thing."
The council agreed that if the city did run water and sewer service to Unruh's property, it would be prudent to look to future development and fire prevention for the area. They concluded that they should run a large enough line to provide for a fire hydrant and future residential development.
City clerk Cindy Harms passed out a bid the council had received two years ago for services to be run to that property and the home of Vic Strotkamp, which also is in the city limits. Due to the age of the bid, the council agreed to contact Reiss and Goodness Engineers for an updated estimate, and to have Unruh's return to a future meeting to decide on a course of action.
The council reviewed the amended contract between the city of Peabody and Rural Water District 5. They approved the contract and the addendum on a 5-0 vote.
Broken curbing at Indian Guide was discussed. The curbing was damaged a year ago when a fire hydrant was installed. The Peabody Housing Authority understood at the time that the city would make repairs to the curb, while the council can find no reference to such an agreement.
Mayor Kevin Ensminger will contact Donna Windsor, administrator at Indian Guide, with a compromise plan to split the cost as the city has done with home owners in the past.
The building permit revisions were approved; a renewal permit will cost $25 for main structures and $12.50 for accessory structures. It will be valid for six months.
Reduction of hours and overtime pay for city employees was discussed at length, but no decision was reached. The council will research the pay scales in other communities and try to reach an agreement with employees at the next meeting.
In other business, they agreed to make a donation to the after-prom committee, purchase flags for the council room, fund a new Peabody web site, and allow the swimming pool manager to hire an assistant manager. They also accepted two bids from McNaulty Construction to repair the swimming pool deck and replace the grate in front of the fire department building.
