Q We keep hearing a rumor that the Emporia Aquatic Center will not open this year. Is that true?
A “The city has no plans to close the Jones Aquatic Center,” said City Manager Matt Zimmerman. “(The rumor) may have been caused by the decision to end the pool season three weeks early, when the school year starts.”
The Americus city pool also is expected to be open again this year.
City Clerk Marcia Johnson said the pool will open on May 24, in time for the Memorial Day holiday.
Q I was wondering if anyone but me noticed the clock tower at 12th Avenue and Merchant street doesn't have the correct time. Visitors to our city must wonder what time it is in Emporia. When will it be fixed?
A City workers have been trying to repair the clock.
“We have been having problems with the hardware that is in the clock,” said City Manager Matt Zimmerman. “The problems were exacerbated by the change in daylight savings moving from the first week in April to the first week in March.”
Zimmerman said that Ed Rathke, who is in charge of facilities maintenance, had reset the time after the time change in March and again in April, which accounted for why the clock was running an hour slow earlier this month.
“In the event the hardware problems continue, we will bring in the clock’s repair firm, which is located in Missouri,” Zimmerman said.
Q A friend of mine received a ticket for keeping his recreational vehicle parked in his driveway. What is illegal about that? Other people park their RVs in driveways and don’t receive tickets.
A The property setback line is the key for determining legal or illegal parking of RVs and other vehicles.
“Under the Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area zoning regulations, storage of major recreational equipment, such as boats, boat trailers, camping trailers, converted buses or trucks, and motor homes is permitted if located behind the front yard building setback line,” said City Attorney Blaise Plummer.
“Storage of RV’s in the side or back yard is generally permitted.”
The parking problem arises when the house is built on the setback line, he said.
“...(T)hen driveway storage would be prohibited in front of the building setback.”
The city’s zoning administrator enforces the regulations, Plummer said. Zoning regulations also prohibit using an RV as a dwelling in a residential zone.
“Violation of a zoning ordinance is punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 and each day’s violation constitutes a separate offense,” Plummer said.
F Because You Asked is published occasionally to answer readers’ questions about local topics. Questions may be sent to The Emporia Gazette, Drawer C, Emporia KS 66801. Questions need to be signed but names will not be revealed.
Comments
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
Posted by hickory (anonymous) on April 19, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You mean someone actually looks at that clock tower? When the time is right, you can't tell the time anyway, so why keep changing it?
Posted by Iloveemporia (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard the clock cost close to a million. is this true?
Posted by UsayULoveGod (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
around 200,000
Court house over 26 million !!
Construction on turnpike $25 million
Posted by lycomu (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Didnt the court house cost $13.4 Million?
Posted by Iloveemporia (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 11:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
man thats a ton of money for little ol emporia
Posted by wanderer (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, the clock tower cost $70,000. Here's the link: http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2006/...
It's still disturbing that the clock tower needs this much work done on it. But the initial cost was a lot lower than urban legend has it.
Posted by citizen (anonymous) on April 21, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope they heat the pool this year. so far every year they do not. Why put in the equipment if you are not going to use it. Several of us would go more if the water was heated.
Post a comment
We allow registered users to post comments on this Web site. Our goal with this feature is to encourage thoughtful discussions about the news stories. Using the comment feature to make random attacks on people is not acceptable. Emporiagazette.com neither endorses nor guarantees the accuracy of any user contribution. Responsibility for what is posted or contributed to this site is the sole responsibility of each user. To learn more about our posting policies please read our User Poster Agreement Policy.
(Requires free registration.)