By Lucky Kidd
McPHERSON, Kan. — The bid for this year’s chip and fog seal projects in McPherson was awarded by the City Commission Tuesday to APAC Kansas at $109,054.10. Public Works Director Jeff Woodward said four bids were submitted for this year’s work, with the APAC bid the lowest and the highest over $173,000. The accepted bid was below the engineer estimates.
The Commission also approved a letter of support on behalf of Central Kansas Conservancy for a Transportation Alternatives grant it is seeking for an additional extension of the Santa Fe Trail east of McPherson. This grant would be used to construct a trail along an abandoned rail line in Canton and extending west about two miles. It eventually would be extended to Galva.
Four streets within the Eastlinks Development east of Maxwell and south of Genesis Drive will get new names under an ordinance approved. These streets within the Barnstormer’s West Field Addition replat have not been constructed and as such would only impact the developer.
Commissioners accepted quotes from RockWorks LLC for abatement of nuisances on properties on Eastmoor Drive, South Oak, and East Seitz and an additional payment for an earlier approved abatement on a property on North Walnut which required additional work than had initially been authorized
The Commission approved a purchase of $37,140.80 for new kennel doors and lids for the McPherson Animal Shelter. This is in response to an inspection by the Kansas Department of Agriculture and a directive that all rust be eliminated by the time of their next inspection in 2025. The shelter had been addressing this through other means over the past ten years, but the rust has now caused damage to chain link fencing, and the best course of action is to replace everything affected by rust.
Three items for Wastewater Treatment operations were approved. These include a $1,000 reimbursement for additional work related to a sewer tap for a property on North Elm, purchase of two dissolved oxygen sensors to replace existing inventory to upgrade controllers at a cost of up to $6,400, and a $9,800 contract with Earles Engineering for design work to extend a drive through on a maintenance building to accommodate a sewer truck
The Commission approved replacement of three desktop computers in the Street Department, used for such things as employee clock-in and tracking of various work done by the department. The low quote came from Reach Solutions at $2,847.
Commissioners also approved adjustments to material reimbursement rates for the city’s sidewalk replacement program, and removal of the last seven trees on the Lakeside Park bank restoration project, which Public Works is hoping to be able to begin Phase 4 of yet this year.
The McPherson City Commission Tuesday approved an expenditure of $2,361.48 for repairs and updates to the sprinkler system in the Community Building. During an annual inspection a number of deficiencies were found including items due to replacement including water gauges and back flows, one of which failed testing, and repairs to a flow switch. This also includes a couple of tests that have to be done under NFPA standards. Another payment of $421,147.87 was approved to Hutton Construction for work done on the new Fire Station 2.
Among the personnel items addressed was the naming of Steven Gray as a Police Chaplain, starting May 27. Within the Police Department resignations were accepted from a temporary animal shelter technician who is taking a position in the Fire Department and two crossing guards. Commissioners approved another round of seasonal hirings for the cemetery, Water Park and Turkey Creek Golf Course, and a job description revision for a park maintenance worker to add duties as City Arborist.
