Staff writer
Melvin Reimer got the go ahead to buy land for a detailing and auto sales business and Fe Yang got approval for a land option purchase Tuesday from Hillsboro City Council.
Hillsboro Economic Director Clint Seibel presented the council with details about both purchases prior to their approval.
Reimer offered $13,500 for Lots 4 and 5, Block 3 in Hillsboro Heights Second Edition. In addition to building a shop for auto detailing and sales, Seibel said Reimer requested permission to add a commercial retail building for rental to a business that might tie in with his own plans, such as a sporting goods store.
Reimer’s planned buildings will be directly across from Sonic and Dollar General, on the corner of Western Heights and Elm streets.
Council member Bob Watson noted an interesting addition to Reimer’s contract with the city requesting control of trash from other businesses in the area.
“This is not a new problem,” Mayor Delores Dalke said. “This happens on the east side of town too. It’s just unusual to see it written up in an official contract like this.”
Seibel explained that the city already has trash ordinances that would cover a problem with blowing food trash, but said the buyer did not want to have to be the one to go around asking to have it cleaned up. It would be the city’s responsibility.
Watson said he did not think it a good idea to be liable for other businesses’ trash.
“I just don’t think it is right for us to come between two businesses,” he said. “Our support should be for all businesses equally. The trash that blows from customers really isn’t under the business’ control.”
The council also discussed details concerning Yang’s proposal to purchase an option to buy just over an acre of land in the Hillsboro business park directly south of Mid-Way Motors and across from Lang Diesel on Ash Street.
Trash was not the problem, but rather the possible fluxuation of price for the prime frontage lots.
“Is there any thoughts on whether the lots along Ash are worth more than those further back?” Watson asked.
Seibel said the price of lots there was $20,000 and pretty much set in stone, as that is what Mid-Way Motors paid when they purchased a building site in the area.
Siebel said Yang offered $2,000 as an option to buy Lot 1, Block 3 for $20,000. That would give him 24 months to decided if he wanted to buy and build there. At any time, he could pay the final $18,000 on the option and the $2,000 would be considered his down payment.
“He would like to go on this tomorrow, but has been advised by his bank to wait and see how things flush out with the restaurant he already owns (Panda Kitchen) in town,” Seibel said.
Yang plans to build a new restaurant on the site in question. He currently leases the building that houses Panda Kitchen downtown.
In other business:
- City employee Mike Duerksen met with council members to discuss aeration options that would reduce odor at the city sewer ponds.
- City Administrator Larry Paine offered information about possible land annexation by the city along U.S. 56 from the Country Haven Inn east to Kanza Road. He advised the city to annex the ground in order to be eligible for a geometric improvement grant from KDOT, as well as to prepare for future building such as a new hospital near industrial park land.
- Council members held a special budget work session in which they set a target of 41 mills for the tax rate. That would be $4.72 per $1,000 of appraised valued on a home. Paine said he would need to take $73,000 out of the budget to get to that level, including reduction from a planned 2 percent raise for employees down to 1.7 percent.
- Paine said he would publish a proposed budget next week in thie newspaper and set a special budget hearing for the public on Aug. 13.