HOISINGTON — At its meeting on Monday, the Hoisington City Council discussed nuisance abatement and will look into adding fees for cleanup.
Resident Bill Eppley was present, and he said that he has seen a rat at a property on south Vine Street. Eppley researched how Great Bend handles nuisance properties and would like Hoisington to start charging fees for property clean up.
"I think this is a problem that does need to be addressed and addressed soon," he said.
The city will look into this and establish a policy.
New sanitation routes will be redrawn to allow for more efficient collection since staffing has been reduced from three to two employees. Those residents that have changes in their pickup day will be notified with a note on their door.
The cost of ambulance patient fees have been updated and approved. The city has never charged a separate fee for extrication or advanced lifesaving -2, but will begin. The changes are consistent with those charged in the area.
A transient guest tax has been approved for the new hotel and any other lodging facilities in Hoisington including motels and bed and breakfasts. The council approved moving forward with a charter ordinance with the level of tax not to exceed 8 percent. The council will retain control of usage of the funds.
The Ministerial Alliance has approached the city about using a city lot for a community garden with water spigots installed by the city. They would like a renewable two year lease on the property. The alliance has looked into grant funding for seed and supplies.
The produce would to be used to supply the local food Bank with a target date of May 1, 2011 for planting.
The city signed 40 year bonds for permanent financing to the water treatment plant upgrades and radio read meters. The total amount financed will be $879,000.
Upgrades to the plant cost were paid for by a grant and the above amount. The repayment schedule calls for one annual payment of $38,000 to $39,000.
The water treatment plant, built in 1936, has a build up of calcium in the filter room under drain system. The city will move forward with acidization to remove the blockages.
The council approved the purchase of a 2011 Ford Explorer for the police department which will be ordered the first of January. A second vehicle, a Caprice, will be purchased when it becomes available in 2011. The expected delivery date for that vehicle is June 2011.
In final business:
•Mike Alyward was reappointed to the Clara Barton Hospital Board of Directors.
•The EMS director’s job description was updated.
•The council will hold a joint meeting with the USD 431 on Jan. 3, 2011 to discuss the high Barton County teen drinking from the communities that care data.
