HUMBOLDT — Mark Slater was appointed to fill a vacancy on the city council here Monday night, and a short time later another occurred when Councilman Wayne Carson resigned.
Carson’s resignation came so he could take a reserve police officer position and, after attending two weeks of training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center in Hutchinson, make himself available for part-time patrol duty.
In hand-in-glove action, councilmen also established the reserve program for Humboldt, which Chief of Police Brian Dillow said he hoped would lead to others becoming involved. When the need for full-time officers arises, Dillow anticipates the reserve program being a source.
Carson’s change in roles with the city unfolded after an executive session and with him stepping from the room during open discussions.
The new vacancy will be in Ward One, areas of the city south of Bridge Street, the same as that filled by Slater taking the seat previously held by Sam Murrow, who resigned last month. Carson had been a councilman about a year and a half, having been appointed when Jeremy Weilert resigned.
Slater, 38, was the only person who filed an application for Murrow’s position. He told councilmen, before they voted unanimously for his appointment, that he had lived in Humboldt about 18 years, having moved from Yates Center, and had been an employee of B&W Trailer Hitches for 12 years.
A CONTRACT with JKS Sanitation, Erie, was extended, effective Jan. 1. JKS is in its third year of providing the citywide service.
Rates, guaranteed for three years, will be $9.50 a month for residential properties and $13.75 for commercial. Also, Ken Schletter, of JKS, said voluntary recycling would be provided with a centrally located four-compartment box. Recycling will involve paper, cardboard, glass and plastic.
Prior to JKS coming to Humboldt, the city had municipal trash pickup.
“We quit three years ago and sold our equipment to JKS,” City Administrator Larry Tucker said, noting that the arrangement led to a net reduction of two employees when those involved with the trash service went full time with public works.
JKS will pay Humboldt a franchise fee of about $1,350 a month, based on $1.50 per customer each month.
Enforcement of charges for building inspections, for such things as electrical, plumbing and structural work, were put on hold until Oct. 15. A fee of $30 is dictated for each inspection within an active city ordinance.
Tucker pointed out that for some time the fees had not been collected because inspections were done in-house by a public works director — Humboldt no longer has one — and now are contracted through Jeff Bauer, Iola’s code enforcement officer.
Councilmen put the fees in abeyance to give time to alert residents that they again will be charged.
Also, council members Vada Aikins and Don Walburn said language explaining the fees should be clarified so there is no misunderstandings that the fees will be charged and are the responsibility of property owners.
Letters will be sent to owners of eight properties ordering building code and blight conditions be rectified. They are 602 S. Ninth, 202 Central, 1219 Central, 702 N. Second, 690 N. Second, 617 Sycamore, 1423 Charles and 1504 Charles.
Owners will have 30 days to make improvements and also have the right for a hearing before the council, which will meet again on Oct. 17. The next session originally was scheduled for Oct. 10 but was changed so Mayor Nobby Davis and council members Aikins and Otis Crawford may attend the annual meeting of the League of Kansas Municipalities.
TUCKER HAD several observations:
— Use of the swimming pool increased 10 percent over 2010, with 4,412 individual admissions and 151 season passes sold. That wasn’t quite on par with 2008, when 4,900 admissions were recorded, but then, it was noted, Iola’s pool was closed because of damage from the 2007 flood. Pool parties increased from 37 a year ago to 50.
— Humboldt will participate in the Kansas Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative to recruit coaches and trainers to help owners of small businesses have better opportunities to succeed. “Eight of 10 small businesses fail in the first 18 months and we hope this will help more succeed,” he said. The training will be privately funded and free for the asking.
— Wednesday evening’s planning commission session will be devoted to discussion of a comprehensive plan for the city.
— A new storm-fire siren recently ordered is expected this week or next and will be erected at Cannon Park, in the area of Eighth and Charles streets. An existing siren will be relocated to Centennial Park, south of the swimming pool, which will put it in easy earshot of the baseball fields in south Humboldt.
