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From roads to sewers, cities at work

By Joshua Roberts - | May 9, 2002

In Linwood, city officials are working toward solving pending lagoon problems.

In Lansing, two road construction projects are on the minds of local leaders.

In Leavenworth, city hall needs remodeling.

And in Bonner Springs, the city is expanding its water system to provide service to new residential housing units.

Across Leavenworth County and beyond, city governments are aligning new and existing projects for 2002.

Some area cities such as Linwood, Lansing and McLouth, have sewer projects in the works that city officials said were important for future growth.

Linwood

Linwood mayor Keith Schellert said his city’s main focus in 2002 would be adding a third sewage lagoon.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has told Linwood city officials the third cell must be added before its sewer license can be renewed in 2003.

“The lagoon project has highest priority at the moment,” Schellert said.

City officials said the addition of the third cell could cost as much as $500,000.

It remains unclear how the third cell will be funded, city officials said.

Also on tap for Linwood this year are the beginning stages of construction for the city’s first housing development in more than 10 years.

Peak Subdivision, an 11-home housing development is slated for construction this spring, city officials said.

A new city park is also under construction in Linwood. Peak Subdivision developer Howard Kastl donated the land for the city park.Construction on the new park is under way.

Linwood is not the only Leavenworth County municipality making additions to a sewer system.

Lansing

Lansing mayor Kenneth Bernard said the city is making progress toward building a new wastewater treatment facility.

Bernard said the project is expected to cost $11 million. The city is outgrowing the old treatment facility, which was built in 1980, Bernard said.

Also on tap for Lansing is the completion of two improvement projects on West Mary and a frontage roads, costing more than $3 million combined, he said.

“West Mary will be done this fall and Frontage this spring,” Bernard said.

Bernard said city officials are hoping the frontage road can become an area new businesses will want to locate.

Leavenworth

Across the line in Leavenworth, Mayor Phil Urban said, in addition to renovating city hall, his city would focus on attracting new businesses and retaining existing ones. Urban is expected to be replaced in coming weeks by current councilman Larry Dedecke.

Regardless of who is mayor, Urban said city officials would concentrate on renovation of city hall.

“I think the biggest thing on the horizon is the renovation,” Urban said.

The renovation project was expected to cost $2.4 million when it was proposed last year.

“I’m sure that’s a little higher now,” Urban said.

Leavenworth city officials said they hope to pare down the project’s cost to around $1.8 million.

Urban said city staff have been meeting with architects and engineers to discuss the renovation plans, which include replacing the heating and cooling system, and updating the electrical and plumbing.

“There will be a lot of replacing and bringing things up to city codes,” Urban said.

The renovation will also most likely include adding an elevator to the building, he said.

McLouth

While elevators are being discussed in Leavenworth, lift stations are being approved in McLouth.

McLouth mayor Glen Wear said final inspections were just made on two new sewer lift stations the city added during the past year.

In addition to the lift stations, Wear said the city has made sewer renovations including the addition of two new lagoons. The project was expected to cost $1.7 million but it is under budget, he said.

“I think we’re at $1.4 million, right now,” he said.

Wear said city officials would also know this year whether they were approved for a $400,000 state grant, which would be used for a new senior housing center.

“So many people wanted it,” Wear said.

Wear said another addition to the city is a day care center currently being built across the street from McLouth City Hall.