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Burlingame
City Council
Presentations for city improvement opportunities
heard
Gabe Faimon | Reporter
BURLINGAME—During its Feb. 2 meeting, consensus of the Burlingame
City Council reflected interest in receiving presentations regarding
opportunities for securing city improvements through anticipated
economic stimulus funds. However, on Feb. 17, only Burlingame Mayor
Brenda Dorr and council members Norm Bloomquist and Carolyn Strohm
were present, leaving the meeting without a quorum to conduct official
business. Since invited out-of-town guest presenters were at the
meeting, an unofficial informational meeting was held.
Invited guests were Barbara Cawker, of Chanute, and Brian Kingsley,
of Lawrence.
Cawker, a representative of the Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC),
presented an overview of the Small Communities Improvement Program
(SCIP).
“The SCIP is designed to help communities (population of 5,000
or less) help themselves through sweat equity and volunteerism at
the local level,” Cawker said. “Self-help requires communities
to evaluate what parts of the project they can complete on their
own. The SCIP provides direction, technical assistance, guidance
and the support to make it happen.”
She said KDOC evaluates whether a community has what it takes to
utilize the self-help approach. Basic criteria for consideration
of projects relate to capacity and readiness within the community.
Communities in the region that developed successful approaches and
secured 2009 grants included Melvern, presented a $42,000 grant,
and Wamego, securing $100,000.
Kingsley, representing BG Consultants, Inc., gave an overview of
the sewer study that was conducted in 2004. The study outlined a
three-phase $3.5 million project to upgrade the city’s sewer
system.
Kingsley said it would be relatively easy to “modify, update
and adjust” the proposed project for submission soon after
economic stimulus funding criteria is published.
Kingsley also presented an overview of an opportunity for the city
to secure up to $200,000 in Kansas Department of Transportation
funds for a KLINK Resurfacing Project in 2010. The KLINK program
includes resurfacing projects intended to improve roadway surfacing
of city connecting links on the state highway system.
The proposed project is envisioned to upgrade surfaces, curbing
and guttering for portions of Topeka Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue
within the city limits that are not paved with brick.
Kingsley said the city appeared to be in a good position to fund
“non-participating activities” (elements of the project
for which KDOT was barred from providing funds) through the one
percent city sales tax that will become effective in April.
Since the lack of a quorum precluded official business from being
conducted Feb. 17, a special meeting of the council was called for
Feb. 18. A quorum was present at that meeting, enabling the council
to pay bills due. |
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