GAS — Gas councilmen put limits on how lots the city owns may be developed Tuesday evening. In the same vein, they also adopted comprehensive building codes — none had been in place previously.
Wayne Barnett has been in the process of buying two lots on Humphrey for construction of a house. A month ago he thought the deal had been completed, but councilmen had not signed off on the contract.
When they did Tuesday night they added a stipulation, that any house constructed would have to be single-family and contain no less than 1,100 square feet of living space. “Living space” was added to offset a builder from using garage square footage as part of the equation.
They did not change cost of lots, leaving it at $1,000 each, $2,000 for two lots, deemed the minimum for construction of a house. The city has 12 lots on Humphrey it is willing to sell. Two others, near City Hall, are more expensive, $1,800 each.
Adding building codes — for structure, plumbing and electric — were mentioned a month ago, as well. Steve Robb, city superintendent, was given the additional duty of code enforcement officer, which means it will fall to him to decide whether building, plumbing and electrical practices are being followed to the letter of the law.
The codes will not mean a licensed plumber or electrician will have to do the work. Gas has no provision in its ordinances to license such tradesmen.
In response to Iola’s decision Monday night to raise water rates by 3 percent, effective Aug. 1, Gas councilmen went a bit further and voted to raise the city’s rates by 4 percent, effective after an enabling ordinance is made available for their inspection at their Aug. 11 meeting.
The rate increase by Iola will be the sixth coming Gas’ way, and second since January, but apparently will be the last Gas will have to face for another 16 years. The contract it has with Iola to provide water limits rate increases to six during the life of a 30-year contract signed by both parties in 2001.
City Clerk Rhonda Hill said the 4 percent raise would mean a monthly increase of about $1 for a typical Gas resident.
Councilmen also adopted a 2016 budget, which has an ad valorem tax rate of 29.379 mills, just .005 of a mill more than this year. Net expenditures in 2016 are projected at $791,671, with $290,623 being in the general fund. Next year’s levy will raise $53,282 in tax dollars, $2,000 less than in 2015.
Gas puts development limits on land it sells
