McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson City Commissioners Tuesday approved purchase for the Police Department of LeadsOnline, a program that they can use to help locate stolen items. With it, they are able to quickly locate suspects and recover items before they are melted down or sold through such places as pawn shops and scrap metal dealers. Cost of an annual contract for the program is just over $4,600.
Commissioners also approved a facility use and educational collaboration agreement between the Police Department and Central Christian College of Kansas for police training and student development for the college’s Criminal Justice Program.
Police Chief Mikel Golden told Commissioners an audit was conducted on April 1 of the department’s connections to the Kansas Criminal Justice Information System, which it passed with “flying colors.”
In another Public Safety matter Commissioners approved a nearly $72,000 purchase of 18 portable radios for EMS through KA-COMM of Salina, which was budgeted for 2026.
Purchase of eight sets of bunker gear for the Fire Department was approved. The gear firefighters use has a ten-year life span specified under national guidelines, and the department budgets for purchase of five sets of gear annually. This allows each full-time firefighter to have two sets available that meet the requirement.
This year, they are also purchasing three additional sets to outfit new paid-call firefighters, most of the cost for which is being covered by a grant from the Kansas State Firefighters Association. With the grant and the 2026 budget allocation, the additional cost of the three added sets will be just under $900. Commissioners also approved an updated agreement with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office to be part of the statewide Search and Rescue Response System. The McPherson Fire Department has been part of this group since 2021.
As the 2026 growing season starts, Commissioners approved annual purchases of various chemicals for the Public Lands and Facilities Department. These chemicals are purchased as needed from four different suppliers, with a total authorized spending budget of up to $25,000.
A contract was approved with PLI for contract mowing and spraying of non-park areas, specifically the area along US 56 from the east side of the northbound I-135 interchange to the east side of the railroad overpass. The 2026 cost, including spraying, is just over $20,000.
Commissioners also approved the purchase of just over $30,000 in new folding chairs for the Community Building to replace existing chairs that are no longer in good condition.
The Commission approved a promissory note with McPherson College covering part of the cost of paving Eshelman Street last year, The College is paying 40 percent of the project cost, or nearly 65 thousand dollars. This will be paid over five years, with the first payment due in July 2027. It also approved a contract with PEC for bridge inspections that have to be done every two years, with a cost of just over $22,000.
Updates were provided on current projects, with the final walk-through of the Northview Trail east section done last week and completion of joint sealing on the West 1st project. Temporary striping will be put down in advance of permanent striping to be done by McPherson County later this year.
Easement acquisition discussions are ongoing for the Tulip Street sewer replacement and drainage projects, and utility relocation is ongoing for the Hickory Street project along with design work on Hayes Street connected with this project. On the Hickory Street reconstruction project, a public meeting will be held Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Center to provide an overview of it.
Multiple event requests were approved, including a street closing connected with the McPherson High School Prom Promenade Saturday night at the Community Building. Other event approvals included the Mac-Town Race Day on April 25 for which part of Hickory Street will be closed, closure of Main Street and parts of Euclid and Marlin Streets Friday evening for the McPherson College CARS Club cruise-in on May 1, and closing Euclid from Maxwell to Lakeside Drive for the block party on May 2.
Also approved was the McPherson Community First Responders Night on Sept. 22, Praise in the Park at the Lakeside Park bandshell on May 16, ThriftFest on Oct. 3 at The Ark, involving closing of Sutherland Street from Main to Oak, and street closings and related requests for the United Way of McPherson County Triathlon on July 25.
