Hillsboro receives public power award

By FINN HARTNETT

Staff writer

“No big check?” Mayor Lou Thurston joked.

The city of Hillsboro received $500 Tuesday for winning Kansas’s annual Public Power Week trophy. Unfortunately for Thurston, the prize money came in the form of a normal-size check.

Leslie Atherton and James Ging of KPP Energy presented the prize at Hillsboro’s city council meeting. Atherton praised the city’s “creative, active, and engaging staff.”

Hillsboro recognized Matt Hein, who has spent a decade with the street department, and Morgan Marler, who celebrated 25 years with the water and sewer department.

Marler then gave an annual report on her department.

She reviewed things her team accomplished, such as getting sludge out of a backwash pit at the city’s swimming pool, and discussed future improvements to Hillsboro’s water pumps.

Hillsboro also accepted a proposal to rekey the city locks from Smallwood Locksmiths. The project will cost $14,577.