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City Council briefs

By Staff | Apr 9, 2008

After giving his pitch to Basehor for an interlocal agreement supporting the Kansas Department of Transportation’s U.S. Highway 24-40 corridor study, it was now Tonganoxie’s turn.

David Gurss, transportation and land use planning coordinator for KDOT, came to talk about the study and to take any questions from council members.

Council members Tom Putthoff and Jason Ward had concerns with the intersections of U.S. Highway 24-40 at Washington Street and at Ridge Street.

“If you are going to do it you need to do it right. That is the bottom line,” said Council President Jason Ward, who took a non-voting leadership role in the mayor’s absence. “Sometimes you will be a little late to the party but you need to think it through and make the right decisions. I don’t want to commit ourselves to something that may be looked upon negatively.”

Although City Attorney Mike Kelly said changes to the study would not affect the interlocal agreement, Ward wanted Gurss to speak with KDOT officials to make the changes – three-quarter turn lanes at those intersections – before the city would agree.

Gurss was asked to return for the April 21 council meeting.

In other business the council:

¢ Voted 3-1 to pay $52,153.96 to Meadows Construction for pay request number two. Council Member Paula Crook was the dissenting vote.

¢ Unanimously voted to promote two Tonganoxie Police Officers up a step after their six-month probationary period. Jeff Stoker received an increase from range 7, step D to range 7, step E at $16.73 per hour. Tom Wiles received an increase from range 7, step B to range 7, step C at $15.93 per hour.

¢ Unanimously voted to increase the water rate by $.10 per 1,000 gallons to adjust for the rate increase from Rural Water District No. 6. Currently the rate for the initial 1,000 gallons is $6.36 with $4.07 for an additional 1,000 gallons. The new rate will be $6.46 for the initial 1,000 gallons with $4.17 for an additional 1,000 gallons.

“We are getting a 10-cent additional increase and we hate to pass it along to the customers,” said Council Member Steve Gumm. “I hate to charge it but we don’t have another choice.”

The council wasn’t sure what the water rates would be with the completion of the BPU waterline.

For more on what happened at Monday night’s meeting visit www.tonganoxiemirror.com.