City of Goessel approves trash fee increase
The Goessel City Council met last Thursday at the Goessel Civic Center conference room.
The council voted 5-0 to accept Ordinance No. 179. Anita Goertzen read through the new trash ordinance and highlighted some of the new changes. Cost for a 60-gallon trash cart will be $13.55 per household and a 90-gallon cart will be $14.25 per household. The monthly fees shall increase 25 cents on Jan. 1 or each year hereafter.
Council voted 4-1, with James Wiens opposing, to go ahead with the electrical project for the benefit of the ball diamonds, including the installation of three street lights along Athletic Park Drive.
Harold Stultz requested that the city install electricity to the ball diamonds so that an in-ground sprinkler system can be installed. Arlen Goertzen contacted KGE for a cost estimate and the possibility of installing three street lights along Athletic Park Drive. Dennis Nelson from KGE came out and looked at the ball diamonds and gave an estimate of $1,824 for a transformer pad. The city would be responsible for the cost of trenching and the conduit from the junction box to the transformer pad.
Arlene Goertzen will rent a trencher and purchase the conduit according to KGE specifications.
The Recreation Commission will pay for the water that is used to irrigate the ball diamonds.
Council voted 5-0 to pay for the $65 setup fee for Ratzlaff Draperies to embroider shirts with the blue heart logo and "Small Town - Big Heart." The cost would be $4 each plus the cost of the shirt. The council stipulated that the cost of the shirts would be up to the individuals to pay.
In other business:
— Council approved registration and two nights lodging for Anita Goertzen to attend the City Clerk and Municipal Finance Officers Association spring conference March 5-8 at the Marriott in Wichita.
— Council approved 5-0 to send Arlen and Anita Goertzen to the Kansas Rural Water Association Conference on March 26-28.
The council approved charging $50 per hour for emergency sewer cleaning to be paid by Utility Maintenance Contractors as requested by Arlen Goertzen. UMC will allow Goertzen to take care of the sewer problems that may arise after hours and use the city cleaning machine and then send the bill to them.
— Council voted 5-0 to purchase the $900 salt spreader unit to be paid for with funds from the Special Highway and the Equipment Reserve Fund.
— Irene Lehrman asked permission to be exempt from paying trash charge at her residence. She is currently paying for trash pickup at her business and does not want to pay for both places. Goertzen read 15-405 of the Goessel City Code which states that a request for water service automatically constitutes a request for garbage and rubbish service. It was suggested to Lehrman that she contact Stutzman about discontinuing the service at her business, but according to the ordinance, would have to continue paying for trash pickup at her residence.
— Council voted 5-0 to allow Clarence Krause to be exempt from the trash cart requirement after Goertzen read a letter from Glendene Flaming that her parents be exempt. Council said the Krauses would be required to continue to pay the 60-gallon rate.
— Donna Duerksen informed the council that the city qualified for the low to moderate income level which allows the grant writer to continue with the application. Because Goessel did not qualify in 1996, the city needs to substantiate why it qualifies now. Duerksen and Anita Goertzen will write the letter. The project falls under a Community Facility Grant, and the deadline for the application is Oct. 15.
Melanie Thrower, engineer, is planning to come to the February council meeting with a preliminary plan for the project.
— Council voted 5-0 to appoint Cindy Wiens to the Goessel Public Library Board.
— Council voted 4-1, with Raquel Thiesen abstaining ,to donate $50 to the Goessel Area Business account for the registration fee for the Leadership Marion County class. Thiesen has been accepted into the class.
— Police Chief Rollin Schmidt gave a report of police activity between Dec. 21 and Jan. 23.
He informed the council about the 911 Communications Advisory Board for Marion County. The board is made up of a law enforcement representative from each town who serves a two-year term. Council voted 5-0 to appoint Schmidt as the representative from Goessel.
