Tuesday, September 08, 2009

City to exercise option to purchase Section 6

Tuesday, September 08, 2009 - Posted 8:02:46 PM

Mayor Koos announced at the normal Monday night City Council meeting the City intends to exercise its option to purchase Section 6 from Waste Management and then sell it through sealed bids.  Koos said the City is not in the business of being a developer and the profit from the sale will be used to upgrade Minonk's infrastructure. 

The Mayor said 26 acres out of the 600 plus acre parcel north of the City will be kept by the City.  Some of the land will be used for future cemetery expansion and 17 acres will be reserved for expansion of the water sewer plant.  Both parcels are adjacent to Section 6.  In addition, the wooded area leading out to the "Jumbo" will be kept by the City and possibly made into a nature walk.

Koos said the land being sold will still be part of the City and will be included in the TIF district, which makes it more attractive to potential developers.  The Farnsworth Group engineering firm is working on completing the legal description needed for the sale.  Koos said he hopes to have everything completed by November 1.

Wind Turbine Agreement

Council members received the first reading of an ordinance authorizing and approving an agreement with Roanoke Windfarm pertaining to wind turbines to be located within 1.5 mile of the City's boundaries.  Mayor Koos said there will be a minimum of 4 wind turbines that will be located within 1.5 miles of Minonk.  The council is expected to vote on the agreement at the next meeting.

Animal Control Services

The Council approved a new agreement with Woodford County Animal Control Services in which there will be a $50 charge for each call utlilizing their services.   Police Chief Nick Cavera said there were 3 calls last year and that it is cheaper to have the Animal Control Services handle rogue dogs than having to take them to Eureka ourself.

Public Comments

Minonk resident Gene Oncken asked why the City has speed traps set up north of Minonk on Route 251.  He said that the police should spend more of their time in Minonk.  Alderperson Keri Carls said she felt that the monitoring of speeders on Route 251 is beneficial as many high school kids take that road going to Wenona or Toluca.

Oncken also asked if the City was involved in the planned mural to be painted on the wall of Pop's at 6th and Chestnut.  Mayor Koos said the City is not involved at all.  He said the interaction is between the building's owner and the painting contractors.  City Administrator Doug Elder said that the project is elgible for TIF funds but it has to be paid to the owner of the building.

Oncken asked when the concession stand being built at Veterans park is going to be completed.  Mayor Koos said a key person who was involved in the construction has had some health problems which delayed the project.  Alderman Carls said only 5 or 6 volunteers showed up to help with the project less than what was promised.  Mayor Koos said the stand will be completed sometime this fall.

Dean Barth complemented the contractors who did the oil and chipping on City streets this summer.  Barth said it was the best job he has seen in 50 years.

Alderman Comments

Alderman Corey Ruestman asked if the City has made compiled a list of water permit fees collected for the past 2 years as he requested at the last council meeting.  Public Works Supervisor Charlie McGuire said he does not have a list.  He said the permit fees varying based on many conditions.  City Administrator Doug Elder said he would sit down with Ruestman and show him the permit fees collected the past few years.

Alderman John Hill said he has received complaints from his constituents about the battery powered scooters running about town.  Hill said he is concerned that the youthful drivers are not fully aware of the rules of the road.  He said that he has asked the Public Safety Committee to study the need for an ordinance to restrict the use of battery powered scooters on City streets and sidewalks.  Police Nick Cavera that battery powered wheel chairs are the only type of vehicles allowed on the City sidewalks.

City Administrator Comments

City Administrator Doug Elder said that the air conditioning of City Hall is complete and not it has to be fine tuned for variable cooling of the different rooms.  The only bid received for the installation of the Christmas lights on the downtown buildings was from Todd Stalter who came in with a bid of $3600.  Elder said that it was a very reasonable bid and has been accepted.

The Johnson Street extension at the north edge of Minonk has been rebuilt by the developer with a new base and crown.

A sink hole developed in the City Hall parking lot.  The hole has been filled with rock and pressurized water and it will take some time for it to settle before the barricade can be removed.

A group of Minonk businesses are working on a plan to install a "Shop in Minonk" sign at the I-39 interchange to remind out of town visitors that there is more shopping in downtown Minonk.  Various business names will be placed on the sign.

Mayor's Comments

The Mayor thanked Corey Ruestman for donating the concrete poured in the Ambulance building.

The Farnsworth Group will make a presentation on October 1st on the drainage areas that need attention in Minonk and the possible solutions to the problem areas.  The Mayor urged City residents who are concerned about their water drainage to attend the meeting.  Also at the meeting, Farnsworth will discuss the upcoming sale of Section 6.
                        Viewer comments on this article

tihsho wrote on 9/10/2009 at 20:13:28

I hope the mayor is aware of the current state of most peoples finances and is just playing dumb with this talk of developers. Lets get real the only thing going around here is subsidized farming. The business that we have are open only by a thread due to the economy and our present leadership or lack of in DC. I say buy it on the cheap break it up into affordable parcels for the small farmers and let them go after it!!! Is anyone aware of the land the city owns already by I-39 that does not even have a for sale sign !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe the new city manager will address this soon
concerned wrote on 9/10/2009 at 16:37:52

I'm all for keeping speeders in check on 251. If you drive the speed limits you have nothing to worry about. Maybe they should ride with your local Fire and Rescue to a wreck or two. There have been many very bad accidents on that small stretch of road !
Free2Bme wrote on 9/10/2009 at 06:47:21

I personally don't have a problem with them patrolling/setting up speed traps on 251. Some people think they can go as fast as they want through there and it becomes a danger to us coming off the side streets onto 251. I honestly think the speed limit from South Chestnut to North Chestnut on 251 be lowered to 45 mph. There have been several accidents at the intersection of 1st and 251, the only way to prevent more is to slow people down! Why do people need to nit-pick the police dept? The reason for the vandalism is due to lack of parenting and lack of things for the kids to do, not the police dept. No wonder there is no growth here with the crotchety attitudes. The only way to get the money to create constructive, entertaining things for the kids to do is to promote the growth of Minonk. We need to be open to change and stop bickering over something so little as a speed trap on 251. Prospective residents/future tax payers will go elsewhere if all they see is complaints!
knights wrote on 9/9/2009 at 08:44:13

I totally agree with Gene Oncken's comment about the speed traps north of Minonk on 251.  I think it is quite ridiculous that at noon on a saturday until late evening that is where they sat one weekend.  We now pay them to sit out there and stop people? What happened to the police patrolling our community and making sure things were safe inside our town?  When things are vandalized in our town people complain well now its pretty obvious that our police force cares more about a speeders on 251 outside of town than the town itself. I myself would rather see the police patrolling our streets IN TOWN and catching those speeders on our streets in the town and making sure our streets are safe for the children in town.

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