The Lindsborg City Council Tuesday evening approved pay-down of leases on six vehicles it acquired under a 2022 fleet management agreement with Enterprise, and “flipping,” or trading in six other vehicles it acquired in the original agreement. The total cost of these transactions will come to just over $415,000 which will be funded on a one-time basis from electric system reserves. Going forward, the annual lease costs will be incorporated in the annual budgets of the departments involved.
The pay-down is expected to save the city of Lindsborg around $25,000 a year. The Council had discussed this transaction during a study session prior to the meeting, which had been moved from May 18th due to threatening weather that night.
Action on a bid for abatement mowing in Lindsborg was passed over by the Council. Community Development Coordinator Milton Cross said only one bid was received from Total Turf Care of Salina, at an hourly rate of $185. This would only be used as a very last resort in cases where grass and weeds exceed 12 inches in height.
Council members expressed concerns about the cost, and circumstances that may be present in such cases, such as person not being able to cut their grass themselves. Staff was asked to look into local alternatives that might be available in such situations. It was noted many mowers are not able to easily handle grass of this height
Changes to zoning codes in the C-2 retail district in Lindsborg, basically the downtown area, were approved. One of the changes would remove a limitation on residential usages in that district. City Administrator Tanner Faust said it would eliminate a restriction on first floor residential uses limiting it to the owner of the property or the manager of a business in the front of the building. The revision, which the Planning Board supported, also makes changes to a small number of uses that will now require a special use permit.
The Council also approved a revision to a water rights agreement with Greg Peterson that will auto-renew at the end of the year for another five-year period. The revision makes an adjustment to the factor that is utilized to value the cost of water Peterson purchases from the city by utilizing more current data that was in the initial contract.
The Council approved purchase of a mini-excavator from White Star Equipment of Wichita. Public Works Director Denny Walker said this unit can be used by several departments on projects where a full-sized unit would not be usable. The just over $66,000 purchase price was slightly over what was budgeted. The Council also approved the first phase of a window replacement project at City Hall. The $45,000 bid from Pella with an allowance of up to an additional $5,000 for frame repair covers replacement of windows on the second floor of the west side of City Hall and part of the north side first floor. The State Historic Preservation Office has signed off on the project, which will be eligible for tax credits due to City Hall’s historic register status.
