In Butler City Council news... the Council is still working on Butler's financial needs and how to cope with them. We'll keep you posted.
The City of Butler's Public Works Department is a 24/7 situation, if there ever was one. It takes in over 252 million gallons a year, and puts out, available to you, over 314 million gallons! It boggles the imagination.
The water and sewer report for the past year from Public Works Director Trent Diehl, shows that they stay busy. They've been sealing the main building for energy efficiency and it's their job to remove trees that cause electrical problems during ice and wind storms.
They made six sewer line repairs that were found through the television system used last year, and did work for just $1200, that would have cost over $10,000, if contractors had done the work.
In other public works duties, the street maintenance crew has been crack filling and pot hole patching, as well as street sweeping, and helping the brush crew with removal of tree trash.
In the Parks and Recreation area, a storm drain has been completed at the Pioneer Park Football Field, south of the Aquatic Center, and canopies have been installed above the dugouts at the baseball fields. Also, concrete pads have been laid to secure the port-a-pots at all the city facilities.
And here are some figures that will interest you: Butler got 37-and-a-quarter inches of rain, and 31-point-six inches of snow in 2011. Also, the highest temperature registered for Butler was 108 degrees, and the lowest was 18 below. And that's all we want to even THINK about that.
The Code Enforcement Officer, Jim Wheatly, has been busy, too. His monthly report says 19 problem addresses have been taken care of...four tickets issued...one court action has been necessary, and seven fines have been handed out. Also 28 hours of community service have been done by persons the past month, and three addresses have been set for demolition, including 1108 South Havana, 1501 North Mechanic, and 1306 East Walnut in Butler.
The friendly feud between the City and Century Link Phone Company, on its using our poles to attach its lines. The city has terminated the agreement they've gone by for over 40 years, and since notice of termination has to be done at least a year ahead of the ending, they now will work on a mutual agreement, which includes such points as insurance and bond requirements. Butler's City Attorney, Tom Addleman, recommends an agreement similar to Harrisonville's, and wants city to have freedom to make changes in the future when needed.
Also, a $2500 dollar pole attachment application fee has been requested from Century Link. The agreement also requires Century Link to pay the city the past year's attachment fee of a little over $4600, plus this new year's fee of that same amount. This will take more time, so work on it continues.
The City's clean-up days will stay as they are...spring and fall. There had been thoughts of adding a third clean-up time, but the decision has been made to stay as in the past.
And the broker agreement with Heise-Meyer has been extended another year, for them to try to market the spek building and other undeveloped land in Butler's Industrial Park.
And studies on Butler's downtown Improvement Project continue. It's going to cost more than originally planned. Butler has already approved almost $88,000 in matching construction funds, but has found we will now be responsible for all consultant fees, including inspection services. Actually, the City will need to come up with about $187,000 more and this will mean that no funds would be available for any new street improvement projects. That doesn't mean that no street work would be done, but it wouldn't allow for unseen street needs.
And so that plan hangs in the balance, also. As we've told you before...it takes time to get things right, and that's the way our City Council does business.
That's the Butler City Council news up to now...they'll be busy the next two weeks, until the next meeting February 21st, and you're welcome to attend any meeting...city hall at seven p.m the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
-story courtesy of FM 92 the Bullet
