City gives go-ahead to fraternity house
Commissioners also name priorities in final goal-setting session
By Scott Rochat
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
By Scott Rochat
rochat@emporiagazette.com
Phi Delta Theta is coming home.
The Emporia City Commission gave its permission Wednesday for the fraternity to build its new home at 1326 Highland St. Phi Delta Theta used to be based in that area before moving to a Merchant Street house in 1984.
The house will hold up to 16 people and have nine parking spaces.
“It looks like a nice-looking house,” Commissioner Jeff Longbine told engineer Mike Schmidt, who is working with the Phi Delts. “It’ll be a great addition.”
“We feel it’s going to upgrade the neighborhood,” Schmidt said.
Goal setting
The budget, employee compensation and evaluation, and retail development will be the city commission’s top three priorities for the next 18 months.
The priorities were hashed out at the commission’s final goal-setting session. Other high-priority issues include better communications with the county commission, working with the Human Relations Commission on making Emporia a more inclusive community, expanding the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, and figuring out how to use the proceeds from the sale of Lake Kahola.
City Manager Matt Zimmerman emphasized that this is a big-picture plan. If an issue needs immediate attention, he said, it will get it.
“Believe me, if Target knocks on the door and says ‘We want to build on the old K-Mart site,’ that’s going to shoot to No. 1, whatever else we’re working on,” he said.
In other action, commissioners:
• Approved an agreement with Rural Water District No. 5 to provide water to the new Westar plant. The plant may increase usage by about a million gallons a day. Emporia’s water treatment plant is rated at 15 million gallons of water per day and averages 10 million to 12 million.
• Approved tax breaks for Detroit Diesel and Glendo for the last pieces of their business expansions. The Detroit Diesel exemption covers $345,523 of equipment and $109,754 of real property, while Glendo’s covers about $115,000 of equipment.
• Authorized Presbyterian Manor Inc. to issue $28 million in bonds for renovations throughout its chain. Emporia is one of several entities whose approval was needed for the bonds, which will be issued through the city of Wichita. Most of the money will go to improving Presbyterian Manors in Topeka, Newton and Clay Center.
• Gave the bid for a wind cone project at the Municipal Airport to Atlas Electric of Wichita for $80,102. The project is covered by an FAA grant. Emporia had expected to spend $406 out of pocket, but will actually be getting back $6,458 due to the amount of work done by the city.
• Appointed Tamie Vahsholtz to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
• Proclaimed June 15 “National Teachers Hall of Fame Day” and June “Zoo Month.”
• Agreed to close the Jones Aquatic Center on July 14 and part of July 15 for a swim meet to be held by the Emporia Aquatic Club. The meet attracted 200 swimmers last year. The club will pay $500 to rent the pool, which will reopen at 3 p.m. on July 15.