The Kansas Senate voted 37-3 Tuesday afternoon to approve a motion that could affect natural gas service in Neosho Rapids and Americus.
“This was a motion to concur with the House, so that means it’s on its way to the governor,” said Sen. Jim Barnett.
The bill would allow the city of Americus to request Kansas Corporation Commission oversight of the small energy company that now supplies natural gas to Americus residents. The owner has several small energy companies that serve towns in Kansas but because of their size, they do not fall under KCC monitoring.
The motion to concur was especially important to the city of Neosho Rapids, which will have a special election on April 21 to ask voter approval of an ordinance to sell the city’s natural gas company to Black Hills Energy.
Without the bill, Neosho Rapids officials did not hold much hope that their ordinance would gain approval, because of the way a special-election statute was written.
The ordinance would need a majority of qualified voters to pass. The Lyon County Clerk currently has 155 people registered as qualified voters, although town leaders say that about 30 of those either have died or have moved away. If the law stays as it is, at least 78 people would have to vote “yes” to allow the sale to go through.
If the governor signs the bill, only a simple majority of the actual votes cast would be required for the ordinance to be approved.
Neosho Rapids Mayor Jenny Wagers was pleased that the bill had made it past another hurdle on its way to becoming law.
“That’s fantastic,” Wagers said. “That’s just great for this little town.”
Representatives from Black Hills Energy will be in Neosho Rapids on Saturday morning to bus tables at a pancake feed in the community building, and to talk with residents and answer questions they may have about the sale and surrounding circumstances.
Wagers said the all-you-can-eat pancake feed costs $4 per person and $2.50 for children 10 years and under. Two sausage links and a beverage also are included.
Proceeds will be used toward park improvements, including playground equipment.