McPHERSON, Kan. — McPherson City Commissioners are taking a new tact in identifying lead water service lines in the city, which federal regulators are requiring the city to identify. To that end, an ordinance was approved Tuesday that will, as of July 1, require a lead service line inventory be conducted any time a plumbing permit is applied for to be done by a qualified contractor, such as a home inspector or licensed plumber.
Those inventory reports will upon completion be submitted in writing to BPU. In response to a question, BPU general manager Josh Bedel said this is just an inventory and is not requiring any line replacement.
Change orders reducing costs of the new Fire Station 2 amounting to over $32,000 were approved by the Commission. One of those involved deletion of one item which purchase had been authorized earlier. Other change orders reflected lower than authorized costs for several purchases, and a lower cost than expected for concrete work done by the city’s Street Department.
The Commission approved replacement of existing Microsoft surface tablets with mobile data terminals in two fire units, part of a plan to keep replacement of units on a five-year replacement cycle. The new terminals are specifically designed for vehicles used in the type of environment fire vehicles operate in.
Commissioners also approved replacement of three computers in the city’s Administrative Department, which will address computers that are overdue for replacement. This will bring the number of computers still needing replacement to two, which will be done next year.
The Commission approved a payment to JP Construction to replace a sidewalk on a property at 301 North Chestnut that has a number of trip hazards and where a code violation had been issued. The owner of the property will be billed the $4,950 cost for the work along with an administrative fee.
Friday was proclaimed as Arbor Day in McPherson, a proclamation adopted annually. The Commission also recognized Eisenhower Elementary School 5th Grader Hadley Fisher as the local winner of the annual Arbor Day Contest. Hadley is also the state Arbor Day poster contest winner, and she’s being recognized Friday by Governor Laura Kelly in Topeka.
Commissioners approved a request from the McPherson Public Library to be able to use the Community Building for three Thursdays in June to host performers as part of their summer program. This would address two things, permitting the library to accommodate a larger audience than they can at the library and get around some weather issues that they have run into previously when it tried to do events in the parks.
A payment was approved to JP Construction to replace a sidewalk on a property at 301 North Chestnut that has a number of trip hazards and where a code violation had been issued. The owner of the property will be billed the $4,950 cost for the work along with an administrative fee. l being the number of computers still needing replacement to two, which will be done next year.
Multiple personnel items were dealt with by Commissioners, including termination of one employee for three consecutive days of unscheduled absence without approval of management, which will be considered a voluntary resignation without notice. It also approved a separation agreement involving another employee.
Commissioners approved another round of seasonal hirings along with hiring of a crossing guard and paid call firefighter and approving a job description and start of the hiring process for an assistant city clerk.
