Governing body hears plans for U.S.-50 in 2010 years ago
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
Peabody City Council heard a presentation May 29 by Newton mayor Willis Heck. Heck is a member of a statewide committee known as "Highway 50 Association" made up of community representatives from Emporia to Pueblo, Colo.
The committee works with legislators, U.S.-50 communities, and Kansas Department of Transportation to stay on top of developments or changes that will affect the highway and adjoining towns.
Heck told the council that current projects on U.S.-50 will end in 2009. The Kansas legislature has allocated no additional funds for highway projects in this area.
However, there is preliminary planning for changes to occur on U.S.-50 between 2010 and 2019. The plans are in their infancy now, but the Highway 50 Association is trying to inform all of the communities along the highway of possible changes.
Heck stressed that they are a long way from any firm commitment to change. He even noted the possibility exists that any formulated plan could be put off by the legislature until the following round of projects in 2020. But he said that his group needs to proceed as if the U.S.-50 improvements really will begin in 2010, just to be ready.
A meeting will take place in October in Kinsley and more information will be available at that time. Mayor Ed Slocombe will attend.
Heck's group would like a resolution of support from the council. He said he would send additional information about the resolution to city administrator Jeff Benbrook.
Peabody city council tabled approval of the resolution until the June 11 meeting, pending additional information from Heck.
In other business the council:
— heard from Peabody Sausage House owner Mike Berger, that a culvert on the north side of his business property at Ninth and Newell has filled with dirt and debris. Water now stands in the ditch and overflows onto Newell and Berger's property. Council agreed to have public works director Darren Pickens review the situation.
— tabled a request from Middlecreek Corp. to have street lights installed at Ninth and Newell to illuminate the corner previously occupied by the Dari Creme building and Newell Street to the north. Slocombe advised the city will have police officers review the area and, depending on budget restraints for the coming year, submit a work order to Westar Energy for several additional street lights in the community.
— heard an update on the costs associated with the lift station failure. Council also was informed the damaged pump had not yet been repaired, but Pickens was hoping to have it in the following week.
— approved a plan by Main Street director Kristen Hooper to represent Peabody June 6 at a cleanup day in Greensburg. Following a rather aggressive monologue by Mayor Slocombe detailing his objections to the plan, council members voted 5-0 to grant Hooper permission to make the trip. Hooper's plan had included a request for two public works employees (with the city paying their wages for an eight-hour day), permission to transport and use the city's skid loader operated by a city employee, city to be responsible for repair of any damage to tires and/or hydraulic hoses for a second skid loader belonging to Neil Hett as well as any damage to tires of Hett's transport trailer. A fourth part of the proposal called for the city to donate $250 to cover gas for the skid loaders and transportation to and from Greensburg. Council approved everything in the proposal except the guarantee of repairs for Hett's equipment.
— tabled until the budget is approved a donation to Communities in Schools in the amount of $1,000,
— was introduced to new full-time Peabody police officer Michael French. French formerly served in Clark County. A report from Peabody Police Chief Bruce Burke followed and council approved training requests for French, Travis Wilson, and Burke.
— reviewed a list of items completed by city employees and presented by Pickens.
— voted to hire Tammy Whiteside as health and safety officer at a pay rate of $8/hour for a maximum of 40 hours per month.
— reviewed a list of properties in violation of mowing regulations.
— went into executive session for 15 minutes to review a title change for the job description of Stephanie Ax. A previous council had given Ax the title of "deputy clerk" in 2003 after she assumed additional duties between the resignation of city clerk Cindy Harms and Benbrook's employment. The title designation also allowed her to get additional training to become certified as a city clerk. Following this year's performance review the "deputy clerk" designation was removed from her job description because "there are no specific tasks associated with it." Ax addressed the council, asking the title be re-instated. After some discussion, the council went into executive session to deliberate. Upon return to open meeting, Delbert Mellott made a motion, which passed unanimously, for the title for Ax's position to read, "City Treasurer/Utility Billing Clerk," and her salary remain at $13.50 per hour, falling within the $10 to $15/hour salary range for the position.
— heard from building committee members Slocombe and Mellott that no additional work would be done on the new city shop until funding for its completion has been clarified.
— heard that councilman Tim Peterson has had a preliminary meeting with the parks beautification committee and will bring additional information to the council at the next meeting.
