LYONS, Kan. — The Lyons City Council Tuesday evening approved an ordinance accepting a $6.5 million low interest loan from the State Revolving Fund for the Wastewater Treatment Plant repair and upgrade project. The loan will be repaid over 20 years, with an average interest rate including a service fee of 3.09%. The first payment on that loan will be due in January 2027, with semi-annual payments of $219,065.06.
City Administrator Troy Houtman said testing results from the plant remain stable at this time, and they are working on having the pit at the plant vacuumed to remove grit from it. He has asked Thaniel Monaco from BG Consultants to be at their meeting Sept. 15 to provide an update on the design process.
Houtman said the city is looking at the potential of providing some advance funding that would reduce the amount of the loan. The city is already collecting an additional monthly fee to cover costs related to the project.
A presentation was made to the Council on a proposed Community Development Block Grant for commercial rehabilitation. Crystal Hinnen from Ransom Capital said this proposal would involve rehabilitation of the building at 210 West Commercial that for many years was the home of the Lyons News.
The plan is to renovate the building to house two businesses, with one business already committed to the project. Up to $300,000 can be obtained through the grant with a 25% local match, which would come from the property owner and would include design and financing expenses. The city’s only role is to serve as the sponsor for the application and serve as a pass-through entity, as CDBG grants must be applied for by a city or county.
The Council approved several requests connected with Fair on the Square and a related car show Sept. 27. The car show will involve closing of the streets on the south and west sides of the Square along with the half blocks of West Avenue South and West Commercial west of the square. Food trucks will be set up on the east side of West Avenue. Booths will be set up along the sidewalks of the Square. The requests are what are made each year for the event.
The Council approved designation of a permanent route that will be used for all parades in the city. The route would begin at the corner of Pioneer and Lyon with staging to the west of that point to St. John the north to Main. The parade route would go east on Lyon to East Avenue, then north to Main and then west in the three south lanes of Main to West Avenue and south back to Lyon.
As part of the second quarter treasurer’s report, City Treasurer Rebecca Schelcter reviewed investment policies related to idle funds and interest rates, and reported they have resolved some software and other issues that came up regarding APRA funds, for which necessary adjustments are being made to ensure expenditures were credited to the proper fund. GWorks, the city’s current software vendor, assisted staff on this.
Houtman was designated by the Council as the city’s primary representative to the Board of Directors of the Kansas Municipal Gas Agency.
At the Council’s next meeting September 15th, they will conduct the budget and Revenue Neutral Rate hearings, along with consideration of a firefighter appointment that was deferred from Tuesday’s meeting.
