Hillsboro Council OKs payments to end South Washington project

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF
The Hillsboro City Council put the wraps on the South Washington Street project Tuesday by approving final payment to the contractor and the engineers.

The cost of essentially rebuilding the southern-most three-block stretch of South Washington with new curbs and hard surface was $98,968. The old street was torn up in order to replace the sanitary sewer outfall line beneath it. The contractor’s portion of the total project, including the sewer line and the new street, was $459,095.

In addition to approving the final payment of $55,784 to the contractor, APAC-Kansas (Shears Division), the council also approved final payments to Reiss & Goodness Engineers of $2,600 for engineering and $4,358 for inspection. The total engineering fee for the project was $13,000.

The council also authorized Mayor Delores Dalke to sign the forms necessary for reimbursement from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment revolving fund.

The revolving fund will cover all but $19,086 of the entire project, which totaled $508,585 with the addition of related fees and services. The $19,086 is the city’s share.

In other matters, the council:

approved written job descriptions for the roles of building inspector and code-enforcement officer. The city currently is looking for someone to fill both roles in one full-time assignment.

approved the mayor’s appointment of Walt Kleinsasser to another term on the Hillsboro Housing Authority, which oversees Grand Oaks Apartments, as well as the reappointment of Mark Brown and the appointment of Wendell Dirks to the board of directors for Hillsboro Community Medical Center.

approved a resolution reconfirming support for the strategic plan adopted by the Marion County Board of Commissioners in January 1992 and updated in 1997. Formal approval was necessary for the county to be designated as part of the “Kansas Enterprise Zone.” Such a designation qualifies businesses for economic incentives for expansion through the Kansas Department of Commerce & Housing.

put the city on record as agreeing to reduce the width of its easement along the south boundary of the Hillsboro Industrial Park to 25 feet, which is the width of the easements elsewhere in the park.

heard from city engineer Bob Previtera that he has begun putting the airport-lighting project in motion, and has tentatively scheduled bid-letting for Nov. 5.

heard from City Administrator Steven Garrett that the Hillsboro Planning Commission will be distributing its city-wide survey about local services and amenities this week. The surveys are to be returned by Oct. 11. (That deadline has been extended to Oct. 14.)

heard from Garrett that city staff have been trained to use the new hand-held meter recording devices. He said the devices will not reduce the time needed in the field to record usage data, but will greatly reduce the time needed in the office to transfer that data into the billing system

heard from Garrett that Hi-Plains Sand was expected to be in town Wednesday (Oct. 1) to begin sealing designated streets. If weather allows, the project could be completed by the end of the week.

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