By Lucky Kidd
LYONS, Kan. — The Lyons City Council agreed Monday to proceed with a contract with Kore Services to continue the process of replacing natural gas meters with automatic reading meters. Following a lengthy discussion, the Council agreed to allot up to $100,000 for this phase of the project, which will replace another 500 meters that are mostly on hand.
The total cost of the replacement for the remaining 1,000 meters would be around $200,000, which most of the council was reluctant to proceed with due to fears of another extreme gas usage event this winter. Council President Fred Long and member Mary Kendrick voted against the motion.
The Council approved a request for payment of Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation funds for one home project and for inspection and administrative service, combined cost coming to $48.029.
The Council was informed by interim City Administrator Tanner Foust the city will receive a just over $12,000 grant from the Rice County Community Foundation for equipment purchases for the Fire and Police Departments. Foust also announced Southern Star Pipeline is donating to the Fire Department a utility vehicle, and introduced new City Inspector Steve Thomas, who comes to Lyons from Garden City.
The Council approved this year’s Lyons Veterans Day Parade and related street closings, the route for which will be different than in past years. Chamber of Commerce Director Kala Oden said in her request staging and lineup for the parade will begin at 9 a.m. at the corner of Commercial and Reed and go west to Workman Street.
The parade itself will proceed west on Commercial from Park Elementary to the Gathering Place at the southwest corner of the Square where the program will be held following the parade. Grand Avenue or K-14 at Commercial will be blocked off during the parade, and West Avenue between Main and Commercial will also be blocked off to veterans traveling in the parade will be able to have an exclusive parking area prior to walking to the ceremony.
Prior to adjournment the council held an executive session to discuss applicants for the City Administrator position.
