Jones said a group that’s formed to work on a bicycle and skate park has secured donations of about half the concrete needed for a park.

“We’re forming an association, so we can collect money,” Jones said.

But Jones and Lloyd Hale said they were hopeful the city would help with the project.

“We hope you stand behind us and do what we’d like to do,” Jones said.

And while the city council has taken no votes on support for the park, Mayor Dave Taylor and council members spoke positively about a bicycle and skate park.

And City Administrator Mike Yanez said the council had discussed putting a funding question for a skate park on the April 4 city ballot — along with a funding question for a new city swimming pool.

That isn’t necessarily good news, Hale said.

“I would request that it not be put on with the swimming pool,” Hale said. ”… We don’t want to go out here and spend a lot of our resources and get it shot down because it’s with the pool.”

Currently, the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission is working with the skate/bicycle park group on designs, cost estimates and potential sites.

Administrator given 6 percent pay hike

After meeting in executive session with the city attorney for about 40 minutes, council members voted unanimously to increase City Administrator Mike Yanez’s salary to $70,000, effective Friday.

The administrator’s current salary is $65,920 annually.

In addition to giving Yanez a 6.2 percent salary hike, they increased his car allowance by 10 percent, from $250 a month to $275 a month.

They took no other action on the administrator’s employment contract.

City planning to amend budget

The Tonganoxie City Council will conduct a public hearing on Dec. 11 on an amendment the city is making to its 2006 budget.

The public hearing will be held during the council’s regular meeting, at Council Chambers, 321 S. Delaware.

According to information provided by the city, the city has increased spending in some funds since the 2006 budget was set in August 2005.

The amended budget would cover up to $353,000 in additional expenditures.

Kathy Bard, assistant city administrator, said that doesn’t mean the city will spend that much over its original budget by the end of the year.

Local woman to work on city’s Web site

It’s possible the city’s Web site soon will have a new look.

On Monday, city council members approved a one-year agreement with Tonganoxie resident Cheryl Hanback to provide Web site services for the city. Hanback will be paid $50 an hour.

In 2005, the city paid $3,174 to Jim Morey, Tonganoxie, who previously handled the city’s Web site.

Council member Velda Roberts asked that Hanback attend an upcoming council meeting to discuss any changes that are being proposed for the city’s site, www.tongie.org.

New police officer joins the force

The city of Tonganoxie has a new police officer.

On Monday, the city council unanimously approved the hiring of David Duvall as a full-time police officer, at a salary of $12.17.

Duvall’s hiring brings the city’s full-time force to nine officers, according to Lt. Billy Adcox.