Marion to pay for shooting video of council sessions
Staff writer
Marion will pay Gene Winkler $25 a meeting to operate new cameras installed last month in the city council’s meeting room.
Previously, meetings were recorded by police. All recordings are posted on a local-access cable channel television and YouTube.
The new system, paid for by Marion Advancement Campaign, will be operated by Winkler during meetings.
“I want you to know I don’t want to do this forever,” Winkler told council members.
He said he had considered asking for $50 a meeting, but decided that was too much.
He said he plans to give a copy of the recording to interim police chief Zach Hudlin so Hudlin can upload the meeting to YouTube.
Winkler said he would train a couple of other people to operate the system for times he won’t be able to attend meetings.
Dilapidated house
Work on a dilapidated house at 202 Miller St., discussed at city meetings since September, might be coming to an end.
City inspector James Masters told council members Monday that improvement had been made and most debris removed, but additional work was needed at the property, owned by Deliliah Belshe.
The property is being rehabilitated by her son, Donald Wilson.
“Are you recommending that you cease actions? Are you happy with it?” Mayor Mike Powers asked.
“I’m not happy with it, no,” Masters said.
“So we’re down to a handful of items?” Powers said.
Masters said yes.
Wilson said he just wanted the project done.
Earlier in discussions between council members and Wilson, demolition bids were sought and opened, Wilson has made progress and received extensions while Masters has, according to Wilson, been tardy about keeping Wilson up to date on expectations.
Solar array
After a public hearing during which no one spoke, city council members voted unanimously to vacate streets and alleys north of the county transfer station so Kansas Power Pool can build a six-acre solar array.
KPP hopes the project will be paid with a forgivable loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
City council members voted to grant an easement to KPP contingent upon KPP getting the forgivable loan.