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Burlingame adopts plan
to energize museum with aluminum
DeAun Michael
Reporter
BURLINGAME—The city of Burlingame is “going green”
with a new aluminum can recycling program, while also raising money
for the Schuyler Museum city utility account. The plan, in addition
to decisions on city street pothole repair and discussion on gas
rates, was the focus of the regular Burlingame City Council meeting
Oct. 20.
At a council meeting in September, Burlingame resident Rosie Parker
had suggested the aluminum can recycling program as a way to assist
the city and the museum by contributing proceeds to the museum’s
utility fund. After council consideration, a motion was unanimously
passed to institute the program with Parker’s assistance.
All Burlingame residents are encouraged to bring their aluminum
cans to Sumner Park on the first and third Saturday mornings of
the month between 9-11 a.m. The cans will then be taken to Osage
City and cashed in by Parker with the proceeds to be deposited in
a fund for the Schuyler Museum utilities.
Parker also suggested if a resident is unable to make it to the
drop-off site, they can contact her to pick up the cans at their
residence.
“If we could get some kind of organization here in town that
could work with us to help collect that would be good too, but I’ll
be glad to take them down and cash them in,” Parker said “It’s
easy money that we can bring in to divert the expense of the utilities
for the museum.”
The city had approved a motion in August to put the current utility
abatement on a ballot for citizens to decide next spring. With current
budget concerns, the recycling program was a suggestion to assist
the city with payment of those utilities.
The city council also began studying figures on the city’s
current gas rates in comparison to other towns of similar size.
Burlingame City Clerk Patti Gilbert told the council, “We
haven’t raised gas rates on the city’s part since 2001.”
After studying the figures presented, the council asked Gilbert
to review the numbers and return with additional information regarding
the city’s usage and costs for gas and all other utilities.
The gas rate discussion was tabled for further study.
Council also instructed city utility foreman Gerry Grandstaff to
proceed with the repair of potholes on the west end of Santa Fe
Street. These areas and several others in town are scheduled to
be repaired as part of the water line replacement project, but council
members have had multiple complaints about this area. Concern for
resident safety initiated a motion and unanimous vote in favor of
proceeding with the repairs, rather than delaying them any further.
In other business, the council:
• approved a motion to draft an ordinance to allow “mini
trucks” on city streets. This will be modeled after a similar
ordinance recently adopted by the city of Russell.
• reviewed bids for repair of the city hall roof. Mundy’s
and Sons was awarded the bid of $1,500 for the repair and was to
begin work immediately to prevent further interior damage.
• instructed Grandstaff to contact Midland Pool about the
leaking pool plugs.
• approved claims ordinances to pay city expenses. |
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