But the work won’t be done until fall, when grass has a chance of survival, said Velda Roberts, council president.

Bill Mikijanis, 108 N. Village Terrace, complained to the council that the city cut down a tree that he didn’t think was a necessary move. The city paid him $500 for the tree, a price Mikijanis said wasn’t fair. And he said top soil was removed and not replaced.

“It’s rocky, it’s clay,” he said.

Mayor Dave Taylor said he was sympathetic.

“The city is willing to put the top soil back onto your properties and put the grass seed down,” he said.

City Administrator Mike Yanez and Ron Cranor, council member, said the city was under no legal obligation to pay Mikijanis anything for the tree because it was in city right of way.

Mikijanis had other complaints about the effect of the project on his property, and he said he would submit those in writing to Yanez. Raymond Ward, 114 N. Village Terrace, said he would submit a list of complaints in writing, too.

Council seeks more facts on Fourth Street

The city again will seek information from Westar Energy concerning a proposed project on East Fourth Street.

The project includes widening Fourth Street from the Tonganoxie Creek bridge east to the South Park subdivision. In addition, sidewalks, curbs and gutters would be constructed, and a water line would be installed.

City council members said they want more information about the cost of moving or burying overhead electric lines.

The water line construction is important, so it can serve the city’s new water tower near the middle school that is under construction southeast of Pleasant and Washington streets. The water tower must be complete before the school can be occupied, city officials said.

Paula Crook, 1403 E. Fourth, suggested the electric lines be moved to the south side of Fourth Street.

Area property owners are concerned about the project because the city is asking to increase the amount of right of way along that stretch of the street.

The council will discuss the issue at its next meeting, set for Aug. 14.

City tracking progress of property cleanup

Council members on Monday said they wanted an update in October on progress on a cleanup project on the south side of U.S. Highway 24-40 at Laming Road.

Wanda Bjorgarrd said her husband has been working to clean up the property, which includes semitrailers, metal and wood piles and a large brush pile.

“He’s been doing a lot of work up there,” she said. “He’s been working hard on it.”

If the property isn’t cleaned up to the council’s satisfaction, the city could take the issue to court. The council asked for an update at its Oct. 23 meeting.

In other matters Monday night, council members:

• Tabled until the Aug. 14 meeting action on employee promotions proposed by police Chief Kenny Carpenter. The chief is recommending that the city create an additional lieutenant position who would serve as patrol supervisor and be third in command. Carpenter is asking that Sgt. Tony Hernandez fill that job at an annual salary of $35,747. Hernandez has been third in command at the department since May 2005. Carpenter also recommends that Billy Adcox, deputy chief/investigator since May 2005, be promoted to lieutenant/deputy police chief, at a salary of $36,641 annually.

Mayor Dave Taylor said he wanted to table action on the promotions, to give the city attorney a chance to review the job descriptions.

“I just got it Thursday,” he said after Monday night’s meeting. “And I never really had time to really study the promotions. … I have no trouble with the promotions.”

• Approved a planning commission recommendation for a special-use permit for an in-home day care at 521 E. Fifth, requested by Christy Lindsay.
• Agreed to extend building permits for local schools and waive the building permit fees. The permits for the local school construction and remodeling projects will expire before the work is complete.
• Set a public hearing on the city’s 2007 budget for 7 p.m. Aug. 14.
• Met in executive session to discuss with the city attorney acquisition of real estate. After the 10-minute session, council members took no action.
• Heard a reminder from City Administrator Mike Yanez that the council has a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday to discuss Leavenworth County’s request for funds to help upgrade County Road 1 between Tonganoxie and Kansas Highway 32. The upgrade is necessary because the Kansas Turnpike Authority has agreed to build a turnpike interchange on County Road 1.