Carbondale City Council
New tax fills pool project with funds

Wayne White
Managing Editor

CARBONDALE—With voters approving a one-cent sales tax increase to generate revenue to construct a new aquatics center, Carbondale City Council acted on constituents’ wishes Monday night by approving an ordinance authorizing the tax. As approved, the tax will take effect April 1, and will be in addition to the one percent city sales tax already in effect.

After approving the ordinance, council members discussed other sources of funding for the swimming pool, including submitting application for assistance from the Jones Foundation.

During discussion of preliminary cost estimates, Carbondale City Councilman Daryl Makowski said thorough consideration of the cost of poolside equipment was necessary, noting a previously submitted $100,000 estimate for a slide.

“We just need to be careful with the slides. $100,000 is just way too much,” Makowski said, recommending other slide equipment be reviewed, and that durability and longevity of the equipment should be considered.

Carbondale City Clerk Sandy Schiffelbein told the council she needed the preliminary figures to submit an application for a possible Jones Foundation grant, but actual costs could be determined at a later date. Schiffelbein said the grant application must be submitted before Dec. 31. The council, with councilwoman Patty Kreshel absent, approved allowing Schiffelbein to submit the preliminary cost estimates.

After further discussion of the pool project costs, councilman Lee Curtis said, “We have a pool committee. Have they looked at this?”

Curtis said the committee should be reviewing cost estimates and offering recommendations to the council, which has final approval of purchases.

Speaking to several people in the audience who were on the pool committee, and referring to a list of cost estimates for a variety of pool equipment, Curtis said, “You guys ought to approve this first.”

Council members reached a consensus that the pool committee should meet to review the cost estimates. The committee includes several citizens who have regularly used the current pool, members of the city’s recreation commission and two council members.

In other discussion of Carbondale’s water recreation opportunities, the council approved a lease with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) to participate in the department’s community fisheries assistance program.

The lease allows Carbondale’s East Lake to be open to public fishing and allows KDWP to enforce state laws at the lake. The lease stipulates that KDWP will pay Carbondale $5,459 a year, but council members noted the agreement requires the city to spend $4,000 a year for fish feeders, feed and maintenance.

On a motion from councilman Clint Vawter, council approved a five-year agreement with KDWP.

The council also reviewed a recommendation from KDWP district fisheries biologist Carson Cox to remove the white crappie 10-inch length limit and 10-fish creel limit from the lake. Cox said crappie population had been monitored for 10 years at the lake with the conclusion they are not over harvested. Cox said in an e-mail to the city that the lake could produce more big crappie if the density of smaller ones was reduced. He said with council’s approval, he would submit the proposed regulation changes to the Wildlife and Parks Commission and the state legislature in the 2009 legislative season, to possibly make the changes effective in January 2010. The council approved Cox’s request.

In other business, the council:

• heard from Larry Hinck regarding the proposed construction of a Dollar General Store on his property. He said he had agreed to provide 30 feet of an adjacent lot, along with a grading easement, as requested by the builders to allow room for construction. With council members expressing concern that sewer lines might need to be rerouted due to the new lot size, Hinck agreed to notify the sewer contractors. He said construction should begin in early spring. He reported Kansas Power and Light had begun moving poles and power lines in preparation for the project.

• considered a request from Hinck that trash service rates be lowered due to lower prices of diesel fuel. Makowski noted trash fees were raised due to increased fees at the county’s waste transfer station. Hinck requested the city seek bids for the service when the current contract with Osage Waste Disposal becomes due for renewal in June.

• approved a request from the city’s planning and zoning commission to set wages for a zoning administrator at $200 per month and a secretary at $62.50 per month. Currently, the positions are not paid. The action is effective in 2009.

•  heard a request from Toliver Walker for the city to “take over” his research and inventions to develop a tourist attraction. Walker showed photographs and models of several devices that utilize electromagnetic waves for their function, one of which was modeled after Stonehenge. He said he believed the inventions would bring people to Carbondale. Makowski told Walker he was speaking for the council in saying the city was not interested in Walker’s research. Curtis suggested Walker contact museums in the county to house his inventions.