In what could have set a record, Emporia city commissioners dispensed with their agenda in 25 minutes on Wednesday night. Along the way, they accepted bids for projects, agreed to a bond refinancing by a local industry and approved the capital improvement plan through 2015.
Although commissioners in the past had been divided on approving the capital improvement plan, the vote on Wednesday was unanimous. For Commissioner Bobbie Agler, the key was including language to make it clear that approval of the plan did not lock the city into completing all of the projects.
“It’s a list of projects,” said Zimmerman. “There’s no guarantee all the projects will be funded.”
Commissioner Jeff Longbine agreed.
“The likelihood of funding it is not likely,” he said, “as with many projects.”
Commissioners unanimously agreed to hire Burnap Bros., an Emporia plumbing company, to perform three jobs connected with “cleaning up” service lines in the Commercial Street water main replacement project. For a cost of $3,650, Burnap will take on three jobs in the 1000 and 1100 block of Commercial Street:
- remove a water meter in the basement and straight pipe to the service line of 1101 Commercial St.;
- install a new service line from the meter to a connection point in the building at 1019 Commercial St.; and
- install a new service line from the meter into the building at 1025 Commercial St., as well as a valve and cap on the line.
In continuing improvements to the civic building and W.L. White Arena, commissioners agreed to exceed the budget slightly to replace windows in the Little Theater. The 2010 budget included $100,000 to repaint the arena ceiling and the Little Theater. The paint job cost just over $76,000, leaving a little less than $24,000 to pay for windows.
AAA Glass of Emporia submitted two bids for the job. One, for $21,548, would install aluminum frame windows. The second, for $24,788, would be for energy-efficient windows that match others already installed on the building. Commissioners approved the higher cost, which will put the project over budget by $1,218. That money could come from the multi-year fund, Zimmerman said.
Commissioners also agreed to have Mayor Jim Kessler sign a supplemental lease with Menu Foods Midwest Corp. The two signed a lease in 1997 in connection with a bond issue to finance the first phase of Menu’s operations in Emporia. Of the original $773 million, $2.135 million remains to be paid off by Menu.
The company, meanwhile, is working to restructure its debt. To secure financing, it needs the new agreement with the city of Emporia. The new agreement does not excuse any debt owed by Menu.