ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JERRY ENGLER
Some Marion residents Sunday morning were too polite about not waking up the city crew to tell them their electricity was out from the overnight storm.
Public Works Director Harvey Sanders told the Marion City Commission Monday somebody could have been killed as a result.
He said a hot wire came down over a transformer, making a utility pole “hot” clear to the ground. The result, Sanders said, if somebody had leaned against the pole, death, or at least serious injury would probably have resulted.
Sanders asked that any city resident who has electricity go out immediately call the city to avoid any such reoccurrence.
He thanked the commissioners again for the city’s new bucket truck, which he said enabled workmen to be lifted to the top of the pole for the repair rather than having to do the more dangerous work of climbing the pole.
City Administrator David Mayfield said more than 51 percent of the residents in the 100 block of Washington Street requested street improvements including curb, guttering and paving.
Mayfield said the city has the funds to do the work, and will recoup the cost from the residents either by full payment or by a portion on the property tax rolls.
The city will advertise for bids from construction companies to do the work, he said.
In checking with Dale Yager, Rural Development grant and loan administrator, Mayfield said he learned Marion’s request for water plant funding has been placed on the agency’s internal funding list memo.
This is regarded as a favorable move, Mayfield said, although any decision on the funding has been long delayed since it was first promised for April. The agency has been behind because many cities are trying to get funds to meet Kansas Department of Health and Environment upgraded requirements.
The commissioners approved the May investment and collateral report and the May financial report.
They approved budgeted transfers from the utility fund to the bond and interest fund for making bond payments in amounts of $15,728, $10,000 and $10,053.55.
