With dirt and other work on the new Eighth Street between Grant and McKinley underway, the Great Bend City Council Monday night approved authorizing the sale of general obligation temporary notes to pay for the street, sewer and water improvements to the three-block stretch.
“This allows us to sell the bonds,” City Administrator Kendal Francis said. Although the city is footing the costs up front, it will be reimbursed by the property owners along the new street.
The total amount of the notes is $1,149,421.
The total cost of the water works improvements is estimated to be $201,900 for the water lines and $124,000 for the sanitary sewer.
On Aug. 21, Venture Corporation of Great Bend was awarded the bid to pave the street with asphalt at a cost of $426,343.50. Venture has a substantial completion date of Nov. 13 and final completion date of Nov. 20. The Ellsworth engineering firm of Kirkham-Michael is handling the inspection.
Eighth Street is key to the planned improvements to 10th and Grant intersection since it would act as a bypass to help ease traffic during that endeavor.
That is a Kansas Department of Transportation project and it will be bid in October. But, work won’t start until next March.
The street expansion is a petition project, meaning it is paid for by a benefit district made up of businesses and property owners along the stretch of street. Special assessments charged to these owners will cover the cost of the work.
In a related matter, the council approved a change order for the sanitary sewer that will serve the new Tractor Supply Store on the new part of Eighth Street just off Grant.
The original plan was to extend the sewer from the Reserves at Trail Ridge to the store, but an existing sanitary sewer manhole was found under the existing pavement on Eighth.
By incorporating this into the design, the sewer length extension and overall cost of the project will both be reduced. The original petition pegged the cost at $91,850, but now it will be $76,818.
The cost of the work, as with all the work on the street, is being paid via the benefit district.
In addition, Tractor Supply will no longer need a temporary septic system as was first thought. This will save the developer money.
Great Bend City Council meeting at a glance
Here is a quick look at what the Great Bend City Council did Monday night:
• Approved authorizing the sale of general obligation temporary notes to pay for the street, sewer and water improvements to Eighth Street between Grant and McKinley streets. Although the city is footing the costs up front, it will be reimbursed by the property owners along the new street via a benefit district as the costs are assessed to their taxes, City Attorney Bob Suelter said.
The total amount of the notes is $1,149,421.
• Authorized Mayor Joe Andrasek to sign the contracts, bonds and surety with Venture Corporation and Burns and McDonnell for the Federal Aviation Administration’s runway project at the Great Bend Municipal Airport. This allows the project to proceed.
This is the southern 5,500 feet of the runway that falls under the FAA project. The city received a $6,734,361 grant that will cover 90 percent of the work, with the city paying $782,000.
• Approved the 2019 health insurance rates for city personnel. Employee costs were increased 15 percent to offset a rate increase. Rates also went up last year, but employee costs were kept the same.
Human Resource Director Randy Keasling said the rate hike was expected.
Staff have not had a premium increase since the changed to a partially self-funded plan in 2011. In 2013, staff saw a 15 percent decrease.
• Approved a rezoning request from Dray Meredith. He asked that 2547 21st Street be rezoned from C-2 to R-2.
Meredith has entered a contract to sell the real estate, but the lender will not approve a loan on the real estate since it is currently zoned commercial and the use is residential. The real estate has always been used as residential. A public hearing was held before the Planning Commission on Sept. 23, Suelter said.
There were no objections and the commission recommended the change.
• Approved a change order for the sanitary sewer that will serve the new Tractor Supply Store on the new part of Eighth Street just off Grant.
• Approved a correction to the plat for the planned Tractor Supply store at Eighth and Grant streets.
• Approved closing Sherman Street from Broadway to K-96 from 4-1O p.m. Oct. 26, from 3-10:30 p.m. Oct. 27 and from 1O a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 28 for the Church of Nazarene’s “Judgment House.”
• Heard a report from Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes. She focused on the Great Bend Airfest and the Mega Motor Weekend.
• Approved abatements at 805 Morton and 3727 10th, both for accumulation of trash and refuse.
