The odd taste and odor emanating from Hillsboro’s residential water supply should be about gone by now—at least according to water department projections.

Dan Mount, of the water department staff, told the Hills­boro City Council at its Sept. 4 meeting that he expected the taste and smell to be back to normal within a week to 10 days of the meeting.

Mount said the musty effect in the water the past couple of weeks has been the result of a new maintenance requirement, in which the city exchanges combined chlorine for free chlorine as a way to “burn out” the distribution system.

The process does not compromise the safety of the water, Mount said, just its aesthetic appeal.

Mount said the department thought the problem would have cleared up sooner, but with the sheer volume of water in the system—about 1 million gallons in the lines and another half million in the storage towers—it takes a while to work its way through.

In other business, the council:

n discussed the wording of a policy that would define what kind of inserts would be allowed in the monthly mailing of city utility bills. The council affirmed the notion that the privilege should be reserved for entities “related to municipal work or activities.” The council took no action.

n appointed Mayor Delores Dalke and City Administrator Larry Paine as voting delegates for the city at the Kansas League of Municipalities convention in October. Councilor Shelby Dirks was selected as an alternate.

n approved resolutions 2007-12 and 2007-13 that declares a nuisance exists at the locations of 310 S. Ash and 301 N. Madison regarding uncut grass.

The owner of the properties, David B. Green­burg of Tecum­seh, and Alvin Kroupa of Marion, respectively, have up to 20 days from the publication of the resolution to cut the grass, which exceeds the stated limit of 12 inches.

If an owner doesn’t cut the grass, the city will cut it and bill the owner at the rate of $50 an hour with a minimum charge of $50.

Paine said he sent out three other letters warning of the same violations. The owners of those properties responded appropriately.

n approved a bid of $13,200 from Ranson Consultants Inc. to serve as administrator of a Community Development Block Grant for which the city has applied to help cover the cost of replacing water lines along Cedar and Birch streets.

n approved a combined job description for the positions of building inspector and code-enforcement officer.

n approved paying an invoice from Burbach Aquatics Inc. of $2,38.19 for basic services provided at the Hillsboro Family Aquatic Center.

n approved Ordinance 1152 and Resolution 2007-11 authorizing the issuance of $78,358 in general obligation bonds for Phase 1 street and utility improvements made at the site of the new Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church building. The church has paid $175,264 of the total cost of $253,622 in cash. Cooper Malone McClain Inc. of Andover submitted the winning bid of 5.12 percent to finance the bonds.

n approved the routine adoption of the Uniform Public Offense Code and Standard Traffic Ordinance for Kansas Cities.

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