LYONS, Kan. — The Lyons City Council at Monday’s meeting approved a 2026 budget calling for a 2.5 mill increase in the city’s property tax levy. The entirety of the increase is for the general fund, with levies for the Lyons Public Library and the Municipal Equipment Reserve to remain the same. The approved budget will raise an additional $87,746 for the city next year. To be revenue neutral, the levy would have to have been 1,658 mills less to raise the same tax dollars as last year.
One citizen addressed the Council during the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing. Gary Dobbins questioned why the city is seeking more funds after approving a $25 a month increase on sewer bills earlier this year. Council member Metzger, who voted against the resolution to exceed RNR, said many people who spoke with her questioned why the city is not “tightening their belt” as other residents are having to do.
BG Consultants’ Thaniel Monaco provided an update on design options for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, starting out by noting the stream advisory downstream plant has been lifted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Monaco presented a number of options, one of which would be not to use the existing screening equipment for grit removal. and noted some of those options will be very similar in cost.
They are recommending using a variation of a bar screen system similar to that utilized by the city of Maize. A screw screen is also an option, such as Goddard has, though it would probably cost more. Budget wise the project is close to what has been projected. The Council is being asked to make decisions on this at the meeting on Oct. 6.
Following a close-out hearing, the Council authorized staff to sign off on documents and final fund expenditures related to a 2022 Community Development Housing Rehabilitation Block Grant, which was used to rehabilitate homes in an area generally to the northwest of the central business district.
The $300,000 grant was augmented by city funds along with weatherization program funds of the South Central Kansas Economic Development District. Eleven homes were rehabilitated through this grant, benefiting 26 individuals.
The Council approved a contract with SCKEDD to write a $650,000 grant application connected with a sewer replacement project. The cost of the contract is $35,000.
Mayor Alicia Hommon expressed her appreciation for the work of utility billing clerk Pam Effenbeck for the work she did on correcting utility bill errors due to erroneous gas meter readings. City Administrator Troy Houtman noted they did not get a lot of cooperation from the company the meters were purchased from; City Attorney Patrick Hoffman getting involved at one point. Houtman said they will not be doing business with that company in the future.
The Council approved a $48,689.75 payment on the city’s street sweeper, on which there is only one payment left, along with a special event request for the Lyons Rotary Club connected with the Veterans Day Parade it is sponsoring, approved sale of a Land Bank property in the Quivira Heights Subdivision, and deferred once again a proposed appointment to the Lyons Volunteer Fire Department.
The Council will be holding a special meeting Thursday afternoon at 3:30 at City Hall for the purpose of conducting a public hearing on an application to be submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant. $300,000 is being sought for the renovation of the one time Lyons News building at 210 West Commercial, which is proposed to be renovated into two business spaces.
