Environmental cleanup necessary at Ninth and Walnut
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
Peabody City Council heard a preliminary report Monday night from Doug Mick who is working with Coastal Mart, former owners of the convenience store at 9th and Walnut, to clean up the land and groundwater contaminated by aging underground gas tanks.
Mick, a geologist, was present to make a preliminary request to expel the "cleaned" groundwater into the city's sewer system. The process of cleaning up the soil and groundwater at the site will take from two to five years.
A trailer will be designed by environmental engineers and the entire removal and conversion process will take place within the confines of the trailer. Vapor and water will be pulled from the ground and separated in the remediation system of the trailer.
Mick said he met with Kansas Department of Health and Environment a year ago and depending on specifications for the job, has KDHE's initial approval to clean up the site.
Council indicated a willingness to work with Mick and instructed public works director Darren Pickens to contact Marsha Carpenter at KDHE about discharging the water from the cleaning process into the sewer system.
Mick said his company hopes to get started in 2007.
Another long-term project was discussed when councilmen expressed their displeasure with the work done at the curve at Seventh Street and Pine near the high school track.
Inland Paving is on contract to repair Second Street in front of the post office, repair the corner at Ninth and Walnut, patch some large holes on Walnut, and repair the curve in question.
"I think we are pleased with the job they have done, except for the Pine Street curve," said Mayor Tom Schmidt. "They raised the street about four to six inches and the first time the trash truck or a school bus hits it, it is going to collapse at the edge."
Council agreed the work needed to be reviewed and probably reworked. City administrator Jeff Benbrook noted the city had not yet been billed for the work. Council agreed to withhold payment until the job is completed correctly.
In other business, the council:
— heard that Preferred Health, the city's health care provider, will be increasing premiums for employees 9.5% in 2007.
— heard and tabled until Dec. 26, a decision on the repair and cleaning of the water tower by Cunningham Sandblasting and Painting. Cunningham representative James Brookshire was present to review the painting, repairs, a maintenance schedule, and financing of the project.
— heard from Sergeant Bruce Burke of Peabody Police Department that 45 notices for 69 inoperable vehicles were sent out this year. Burke noted the total number of citations has been steadily decreasing since 2001 when the city served notice for 158 vehicles.
— reviewed with Peabody fire chief Bret O'Dell the city's policy on issuing burn permits. With a recent change in fire department personnel, O'Dell re-vamped the permit and asked that after permission is given by the city administrator, Marion County dispatch be contacted to radio PFD that a controlled burn is scheduled. Council instructed Benbrook to review the ordinance as it currently reads and bring any changes to the next council meeting for approval.
— heard that Pickens has been unable to find any "cold patch" for filling pot holes in the streets. The company that regularly supplies the city won't have any until spring.
— met with swimming pool manager Sarahanne Unruh to review pool issues from the past season and schedule a pre-season meeting in February.
Council noted that $33,000 in pool repairs had been paid for from the 2006 budget and an additional $14,000 would be coming from the 2007 budget.
Unruh mentioned that with the Marion swimming pool out of commission for next summer, there is a possibility that lifeguard training and swimming lessons for Marion students might take place at the Peabody pool.
— heard from Pickens that the alarm system for the water distribution system was reviewed after the failure at Peabody water tower Dec. 4 and additional safeguards were added at Hillsboro.
— heard a progress report on the new city shop and learned that Westar will be installing a new street light at the site. Council discussed installing a backup generator at the new building. The backup unit from the former sewer plant is available.
— went into executive session for the purpose of a performance evaluation for public works superintendent Darren Pickens. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
— heard a request from councilman Ed Slocombe to review and update as necessary, all the city ordinances.
— heard from Benbrook the city's real estate tax obligation had decreased by about half in 2006 because of acquiring tax exempt status on some properties, that Workman's Comp expenses were reduced from 2006, that applications for a public works maintenance worker have been received, and that city attorney Mark Wilkerson has been replaced by Josh Pollack, also an attorney at the Biggs Wilkerson law firm.
— decided no conflict of interest exists for assistant city clerk Stephanie Ax, recently elected on a write-in ballot to the position of Peabody Township Clerk.
— discussed filling the position of health and safety officer recently vacated by Deb Buser. Council will consider making the position more comprehensive by adding animal control, code enforcement, and inoperable vehicle violations.
— heard a review of Peabody Main Street Western Wonderland promotion by Kristen Hooper. Hooper also told council that Vickie Nichols, administrator at Legacy Park, and David Ragland, United Methodist Church minister, are new members of the economic restructuring committee.
