Instead, he and the other two council members present, Stacey Collett and Jerry Kline, decided to delay a decision for two weeks so the remaining two council members could participate. The two are Mayor Mary Olson and Councilor Gene Winkler.
When there was no second, Holdeman said the council should approve when truck drivers find acceptable places to park away from where they might disturb most residential areas. He said truck drivers are important to the business of the community.
?We?re killing our truck drivers? businesses one by one by not taking care of this,? he said.
City Attorney Dan Baldwin seemed to agree. At the end of the discussion, Baldwin said the original ordinance impeding truck and trailer parking in town was created to control damage from a rock truck driver who was ?smashing curbs,? and creating a disturbance.
Baldwin said, ?Let?s get this set up (for the drivers). Tuesday morning we have staff meeting where we can discuss this. Let?s come up with doing it right, so we can have big trucks parked where they need to be.?
Steele said the decision was OK with him although he expressed frustration at the process taking weeks to complete.
He had said earlier in the meeting that he would be pulling in from a state highway, and then only a short distance on Santa Fe Street before pulling into his property. He said 90 percent of the time the trailer he pulled would be empty so it wouldn?t have the weight to wear Santa Fe prematurely.
Police Chief Josh Whitwell suggested Steele only be allowed to bring the trailer in empty.
Roger Schwab, of the city planning and zoning commission, said that since the city provides parking for cars and light trucks, it would seem logical to assure legal parking for the city?s 15 semi drivers.
Baldwin said Steele already had gone to the trouble of seeking signed approval for his parking from neighbors.
In other matters, Jerry Dieter came to the council to ask for annexation of property he will develop for housing along Lake Road.
Baldwin said he would draw up a resolution for the annexation. He said it would be a routine action with Dieter request?ing the annexation and the council?s acceptance.
The council gave 60 days to avoid property condemnation for Sherry Hess to bring a manufactured home located at 321 S. First St. to habitable status. Building Inspector Marty Fredrickson showed pictures of the home with broken and capped off pipes, and missing flooring.
A public hearing was called before regular business for public commentary on a Community Development Block Grant for street improvements to Eisenhower and North Cedar streets. When no comments were offered, Collett, as acting mayor, closed the hearing.
The council approved several items related to the grant, including statement of assurances and certifications, project cost estimate, request for proposal, residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan, and a CDBG disclosure report.
They also approved resolutions certifying legal authority to apply for the grant, and assuring the Kansas Department of Commerce that improvements to streets from the grant will be maintained.
The council approved a petition for street paving in Country Club Heights Addition and a resolution for street improvements there to change wording in earlier resolutions from property owners to residents.
The council agreed to allow a payment plan of three months for tenants at 520 W. Santa Fe to pay a water bill for $626.50 after a leak totalled 242,000 lost gallons, according to Utilities Clerk Becky Makovec.
Kline made the motion after a discussing an alternate idea from Collett of selling the water to them at cost.
Fredrickson, who also is street superintendent, said that the county has scheduled a presurfacing meeting with contractors on Sunflower Road, which enters the city as Third Street.
Third Street is included in county resurfacing plans with partial state funding for use of the road as a detour route during U.S. Highway 77 reconstruction.
Fredrickson said the resurfacing will begin at U.S. Highway 50, so Third Street will be done toward the end, probably next spring.
Fredrickson outlined final steps on water plant rebuilding, and said Marion residents should begin noticing a change for the better in water quality.
