Hillsboro authorizes $12,000 for tree trimming years ago
Beginning Monday, the streets of Hillsboro will look just a little bit neater.
The City of Hillsboro is hiring a tree-trimming company based in Derby to trim overgrown branches along city streets. They will work 10-hour days, four days a week, at a cost of $75 dollars per hour.
The cost will be approximately $3,000 for a week of work, said City Administrator Steve Garrett.
But at Tuesday evening's city council meeting, council members authorized Garrett to allow the workers to continue to trim for up to four weeks, if the need is there.
Work will begin Monday.
The City of Hillsboro will pay $3,000 to a Wichita engineering firm in order to complete improvements to the water system, the city council decided.
Reiss & Goodness Engineers of Wichita are providing services for the water system improvements. City administrator Steve Garrett will determine if a city grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will cover the charge.
City council members voted to appoint Joe Alvarez as the Hillsboro representative to the Kansas Rural Water Association's annual business meeting, which will be held March 26 through March 28 in Wichita. Garrett appointed himself as the alternate, in case Alvarez can't attend.
The council also approved an official description of duties for the recreation director, currently occupied by Lonnie Isaac. According to the guidelines, the full-time position of rec director has the ability to recruit potential employees, such as part-time summer help for the rec department.
However, all final hiring decisions will be made by Steve Garrett, the city administrator said.
Council member Len Coryea expressed concern that the rec director have more autonomy in choosing and hiring employees for the rec department — especially if that director is doing the recruiting for a position, Coryea said.
But city policy has always dictated that potential full-time employees meet with Steve Garrett for a first interview, then meet with the department head in a second interview, Garrett said.
The hiring process has always been conducted this way, he said.
In other council business:
— A pre-bid conference for the repair and reconstruction of three water filters will be held Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. in City Hall.
— The Schaeffler House, at 312 E. Grand, is being considered as a potential member of the National Register of Historic Places.
The property has already been nominated by the Kansas State Historical Society, and that body's board of review will consider the nomination at their next meeting on Feb. 23.
The slate roof of the Schaeffler House needs to be redone soon, Garrett said. Many pieces of slate are chipped or have holes.
