Weekly News – Main Breaks and Golf Course

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The City crew has been busy with water main breaks.  We want to thank the citizens for their patience while they were being repaired.  We also want to thank the Sheriff’s Department for their help in keeping the public notified via their Facebook page.

Work continues to be on schedule for the street project and the power plant engine project.  Feel free to observe the work on these projects but respect their boundaries and stay well behind their marked work-zone area.

The recent rains have been very beneficial to the golf course.  The fairways and greens are really plush and the water hazards actually have water!  There are both men’s and ladies’ golf nights.  The second session of men’s league will start on July 15th and run through September.  Starting time is 6:00 p.m.  League night will occur every Wednesday with the exception of the second Wednesday of the month.  Entry fee is $30 with cash payouts at the end of the session.  Scores are figured on a handicap system so a golfer who shoots higher scores can compete against a lower score golfer.  If you haven’t established your handicap yet, play 4 nine-hole rounds between now and July 15th and keep your scorecard so they can determine your handicap.  If you can’t commit to the entire season your name can be added to a substitution list.  For questions, call Vaughn Harms at 620-339-5347.  The ladies meet on Thursdays anytime after 5:00 p.m. and welcome players of any age or experience level!  After golfing the ladies eat together.  Bring any meat you would like to grill and a hostess will provide salad, bread and dessert. Memberships are $300 Family; $250 Single; $75 Student and $100 Social.  Through the end of 2015, all first time Family or Single memberships are half price.  Single time green fees are $10 on week days and $15 on weekends.  There are two golf carts for rent; $10 per person (limit 2 persons) for 18 holes.  A new token dispenser has been installed in the clubhouse.  It will accept $1 and $5 bills and each $1 token will get you approximately 15 balls.   Come check it out!

Weekly News – Summer Energy Savings

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Work continues on the power plant and we are still on schedule for an August completion date. We look forward to having the back-up power source available again.

Even though the calendar doesn’t say it is officially summer, the thermometer does!  We would like to offer a few simple suggestions to help you conserve energy and lower your energy costs:

* Set your air conditioner thermostat as high as comfortable – possibly 78 degrees or higher when you’re home and 85 degrees when you are gone.  Make sure air vents are not blocked.  Tune your air conditioner in the spring and replace filters often for more efficient operation.

*Minimize indoor heat:  run the dryer and dishwasher at night and let your dishes air dry.  Line dry laundry if possible.  Avoid heat-generating incandescent lighting and use a microwave, toaster oven or outdoor grill instead of the oven.  It’s best to avoid the use of major appliances between 2 and 8 p.m.  Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use.  Plug home electronics into power strips and turn off the power strips when the equipment is not in use. Set your water heater to 120 degrees.  Wash clothes in cold water and clean the lint filter in the dryer after every use.

*Keep the blinds and windows closed during the day and open at night.  Window, ceiling and whole-house fans are also low cost ways to keep your home a little cooler.

There are many other energy conserving ideas, but these are a few quick and inexpensive ideas.

Stay cool and enjoy your summer!

 

Weekly News – Moisture and Mosquitoes

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The rains have stopped, so the street project is back on in full force.  The storm drains are in place and the next phase will be the replacement of the water lines.

Along with the rains come the mosquitoes!  The city crew sprayed the first time on June 5th.  However…we would like to ask the citizens to help us out.  Mosquitoes require water to breed.  Adult mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant or slow moving water.  By eliminating these water sources, you can keep new generations of mosquitoes from taking up residence in your yard. You may need to reroute your downspouts or add extensions to carry water away.  Walk your property after a rain and look for areas that are holding water. Dump anything that holds water twice per week if it rains.  Birdbaths, wading pools and pottery will all attract breeding mosquitoes. Keep your property clean of any items that can hold water, including discarded aluminum cans and old tires.

The crews have been busy grading alleys and roads.  The road to the lake is smooth again, so plan a trip out to enjoy the City Lake.  Fishing, boating, a picnic and the new shooting range are a few ways you can enjoy the lake.  Permits are $4.00 per day for a vehicle or a yearly pass is $25.00.  There is no fee for fishing.

Our City Administrator has moved on and the search for a new administrator continues.  Interested applicants can view the job advertisement at http://www.lkm.org/classifieds/jobs/.

 

Weekly News – Rain, GIP, Busy Crews

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The rain continues to come which is indeed great for our agriculture, but please be patient with the City as rain does increase and bog our work down.  The Street Project has been delayed several days due to the rain.  The contractors are at key points in connecting the storm water lines and if not done in dry conditions, it could undermine the underlying foundations.  So until a few dry days come back to back, the work will continue to be slow.

The sewer contractors finished their work Friday, May 15th but there are still a number of manholes that need to be raised by the City crew.  These manholes had previously been buried beneath inches (and in some instances feet) of dirt or asphalt.  The crews will install collar risers to raise the lids.  But due to the rainy conditions, the crews are busy trying to keep up with much needed (and required) mowing at the lagoon, airport, lake, and around town.  In addition, the rain has deteriorated several heavily used alleys.  The city crew is attempting to get to these as well.

The crews are also hard at work installing new padmount transformers at the power plant to maintain low voltage power in the building and keep the work flowing to the next phase of construction with the electric contractors.  The power plant project continues to hum along and take shape.

In addition to the needed power plant work, the City crew is also making immediate plans to replace a couple broken valves just east of Main Street along Highway Street.  Before the contractors can begin working on the water mains under Main Street, the City crew will need to successfully shut the water off to these lines which will require a couple of days of valve replacements.

All in all, it’s a very busy time for the much stretched city crew.  The City has reached out to a couple of communities for assistance, but they are busy as well with their own projects.  So please be patient with the City as this is a very busy time.

For anyone interested in the City Administrator position, an advertisement has been listed on the League of Kansas Municipalities website: http://www.lkm.org/classifieds/jobs/.  Please pass the word along to anyone qualified who is interested.