By Lucky Kidd
McPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson City Commission has approved a 2025 budget that will generate just over $330,000 in additional property tax revenue, exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate, with the estimated mill levy rate just over a half mill less than 2024, final rate.
To keep property tax revenue the same as for 2024 the levy would have to be cut by not quite 1.6 mills.
Before the vote to approve the budget and a separate action to exceed RNR, several residents addressed Commissioners, several asking the Commission to look at trimming spending for next year on the basis of the struggles many people have making ends meet.
Mayor Tom Brown said in response to one inquiry inflationary pressure related to cost of labor and material is a driving factor in that, with Commissioner Gary Mehl noting they are trying to keep up what they had now.
One topic that was brought up at length during the about one-hour discussion, was the issue of communication which a number of speakers and the Commission agreed there is an issue in terms of getting information out.
The Commission approved the second contract amendment with Hutton Corporation for the Fire Station 2 project, covering a number of contingency items including additional items and a credit for crushed concrete the city supplied. It also approved payment of an invoice for recent work on the new station project.
Commissioners approved purchase of grass seed and fertilizer that will be applied when aerification work is performed on the course and a payment for additional golf carts for the Pipeliners, CHS and Mac Concrete golf tournaments. Two of those events are this weekend and will have more golfers than in previous years.
The Commission approved the award of bids opened last week for rehabilitation of two homes through a Community Development Block Grant. The bids were awarded for 1115 South Chestnut to S&A Construction and to Arambula Construction for 1208 South Walnut. As part of the approval, the commission approved waiver of building permit fees and sales tax exemptions for building materials, along with authorization of future payments associated with the bids.
One more nuisance abatement and additional payment on two others were approved. Commissioners approved a $1,500 payment to Green Thumb Lawn and Landscaping for cleanup of tall grass, weeds, trash and other junk and additional payment for work done to abate a nuisance at 920 North Maple and 914 South Main.
The Commission also approved the final plat for the McPherson College Baseball and Softball subdivision on South Centennial, and an on-premises consumption beer license renewal at Pizza Hut.
