Estuardo Garcia

The city of Tonganoxie is going to have to find out how much it really costs to heat the new public works building after paying nearly $14,000 for propane.

On Monday night, Kathy Bard, assistant city administrator, told the Tonganoxie City Council that the heating problem at the new public works building had been fixed after councilmember Paula Crook asked why it cost so much to heat the new building for five months.

“That’s a lot of money to be heating that building,” Crook said. “We can’t afford that.”

The new 18,000-square-foot public works building is heated with propane that comes from a 2,000-gallon tank, which is filled by KanGas Corporation.

City Superintendent Butch Rogers said Tuesday the make-up air units installed by the contractor were malfunctioning and the blowers were almost constantly on even when the vehicle bay doors weren’t open.

He said Combes Construction, which built the facility, fixed the units in early January once the problem was discovered.

Councilmember Jason Ward said the city should see if it can get some money from the contractor to reimburse the city for the propane cost, and now that the units are fixed, the city needs to find out how much propane the building actually uses.

The new building was finished in May of 2008 at a cost of $1,854,965.

In other action Monday, the council:

• Unanimously approved a special event application for the 21st annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade to be held at 10 a.m. March 14.

• Unanimously approved a special event application for the Abdallah Shrine Rodeo to be held May 21-23 at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.

• Unanimously approved $4,700 to Huffman Corridor Consulting LLC for services to acquire easements for Fourth Street Phase III.

• Unanimously approved $9,803 to First State Bank for the lease payment of two police vehicles.

• Voted, 4-0, to pay $36,353.11 to First State Bank & Trust for the lease purchase payment for the construction of the ball fields at the Leavenworth County Fairground. Councilmember Steve Gumm abstained.

• Unanimously approved $6,697 to help fund the Leavenworth County Development Corporation for 2009.

• Voted, 4-1, to approve a resolution of support for Garrison development to create income-restricted multi-family housing in the city.

Crook opposed the resolution, stating she wasn’t sure there was a demand for that type of housing in Tonganoxie.

• Amended the ordinance concerning the sales of fireworks. Among the changes is the new days that vendors can sell fireworks. Vendors will be able to sell their wares from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 30, to July 4.

• Gave City Attorney Mike Kelly approval to begin the condemnation process for remaining parcels of land for easement needed for Fourth Street Phase III. The motion for approval also allowed Kelly to come to an agreement with the property owners within the next 14 days.