Durham City Council: Improvement campaign on Durham s agenda
Contributing writer
Durham City Council made tentative plans Sept. 7 for starting an improvement campaign.
"I've been approached by one resident and one non-resident about improvements for the city of Durham," Tom Harmon said. "My idea is that if residents come to me with a problem, they'd better be ready to be part of the solution. If they just want to gripe, I won't listen. We could have an improvement campaign, but we need to set priorities. We can't do everything we'd like to do all at once. My feeling is that we should concentrate on Main Street first."
There was a consensus that stretches of sidewalk in the downtown area are in poor condition. The council agreed upon a need to collect bids from several contractors and approach business owners about a possible sharing of costs. Mike Sorenson asked if local groups might be organized for some volunteer labor to minimize expense. "Let's see what the bids look like," said Harmon. "If they scare us to death, then we can think of that."
Council members went outside to look at the downtown sidewalks and determined that a stretch about 100 feet long on the east side of Main Street was most in need of replacement and probably should be the first project.
"Does the city want to donate something for the hurricane victims?" Mayor Glennon Crowther asked.
Council members expressed a desire to help and a concern that any donation be given where they could be assured it would be used for its intended purpose.
Harmon explained that Golden Heritage Foods, the company he works for, is taking truckloads of supplies to Louisiana. Others in the community can contribute money or goods to their effort, but the donations are not tax deductible.
Sorenson moved to give a cash donation through Golden Heritage, but expressed uncertainty about the appropriate amount. When the mayor suggested $250, Sorenson added that to his motion. Steve Miller seconded it. The motion passed with Miller, Sorenson, and Verlin Sommerfeld voting in favor and Harmon abstaining because of his employment with the company. Gary Unruh was absent from the meeting.
In his report as water supervisor, Sommerfeld said 580,600 gallons of water were pumped this past month with a loss of 17.29 percent. Two meters were disconnected and one shut off.
In a recent inspection, the inspector noted the lack of an emergency plan, which is required by law. She had supplied some sample plans from other small cities, and Sommerfeld had adapted them. He read the plan to the council for its approval and/or suggestions for changes. Harmon suggested phone numbers for the companies which would be called to repair damage should be added, and Sommerfeld made that change.
"If the mayor and water supervisor are out of town, do all council members have access to the plan?" asked Harmon.
"I'll make a copy for everybody," Sommerfeld assured him.
The inspector had recommended a fence around the number two well. Harmon said he has a dog pen he isn't using which might serve the purpose. He and Sommerfeld planned to take measurements and see if that pen will work.
Crowther suggested the city try to buy some ground around the wells and sow it to brome grass to eliminate the use of fertilizer close to the wells.
"I think it would be worth finding out if we can buy it," said Sommerfeld. The mayor volunteered to inquire.
Among the bills approved for payment were $68.25 for publication of the budget, $270 for preparation of the budget, $60.98 for materials and labor to replace signs, and $71.10 for membership fees for Kansas Rural Water Association.
