Ark Valley News - Catholic Care gets green light to expand

Catholic Care gets green light to expand
By David Dinell
Last Updated: March 05, 2015

Look for Bel Aire's Catholic Care Center to continue to grow. Its planned expansion made it necessary for center officials to seek approval from the Bel Air City Council March 3 for engineering and paving of Bethany Drive and relocation of a city sewer line, which was granted.

The expense will be paid by the center, and officials found the council receptive to the plans.

"It moves them forward. It means more homes and residents," said Mayor David Austin, who termed the relationship between the center and the city as an excellent "neighborly" one.

In all, the center, 6700 E. 45th St. North, will be undertaking about $12.5 million of work from now until approximately 2025 as it takes on several phases of expansion, said Markus Meyer, the center's executive director.

That includes the Bethany Drive project, which will be $451,000, and a community center and associated parking, which is slated to be about $2.2 million. The sewer line runs under where the proposed building will go, hence the need for its relocation.

Other aspects of the development will be two- and four-unit residential structures.

Currently, the center has 54 multiunit homes, and is looking at 42 new ones in Phase 3, and 38 new homes in Phase 4. The expansion will be on the north side of the complex's property in an area known as "Shepherd's Crossing."

The center, the largest of its type in south-central Kansas, is a partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and Via Christi Health.

As such, it's tax exempt, but city officials say the influx of new residents, many whom patronize city businesses, is positive economic development.

Meyer said the center attracts people from all over the country who are looking for a retirement home and pending construction will help fill that need. "It's an exciting project," he said.

In other action, the council:

•Approved the purchase of seven Getac S-400 laptop computers for police patrol vehicles. Cost of the purchase, which will be from CDW Government, is not to exceed $27,500. Officials say the current computers are failing and do not have backlit keyboards, making their operation difficult at night.

At almost $4,000 each, the devices are expensive, said council members, even after staff managed to get $4,000 taken off the package. The high cost comes about mostly because of the special construction of the laptops.

"The consumer product just won't work," said Police Chief Darrell Atteberry. "They need to be made rugged." The laptops are made to be used on vehicles that maybe driving over rough roads, along with possibility being dropped.

They can also operate in sub-zero temperatures and have a central processing unit that quickly dissipates heat.

Also, they have addition features such as a fingerprint scanner, that consumer laptops don't have. Atteberry said the city can expect to get its money's worth out of them. "We're looking toward the future with these," he said.

•Approved purchasing an 800 KW Onan generator for City Hall from Atlas Electric at a price of not more than $60,500. Four companies were contacted for the bid and only Atlas responded. Council member Guy MacDonald had concerns about the diesel fuel and possible gelling during the cold season, however, council member Ken Lee said these generators have provisions for that, such as an internal heater and are usually run once a month to ensure that they are working correctly. The money is coming from an insurance reimbursement.

Austin said the city has been lucky it hasn't had to rely on back-up power to function, but he feels good that it will be in place. "We're been darn lucky," he said. "I just hope we don't have to use it."

•Heard that two candidate forums are scheduled. They are both at 7 p.m. The first one is Thursday, March 19 at the Recreation Center, and the other one is Tuesday, March 31, in the Community Room at City Hall.

•Also concerning election season, City Manager Ty Lasher issued a reminder that the city has regulations concerning yard election signs. No signs are allowed until March 8th, they must only be on private property (generally 15 feet back from the street), a maximum of three feet high and have a total size of five square feet.

Signs in violation will be taken down without notice. If citizens have a sign complaint, they can call City Hall staff.

•Approved allowing Wholesale Fireworks Enterprises selling fireworks from June 27 to July 5 at 6334 E. Crestmark. Sunrise Christian Academy is the local sponsor.

•Proclaimed March 28 as Bel Aire Play Day for Playful City USA. The purpose of the measure, Austin said, is to encourage all citizens, especially children, to get outside and engage in healthy physical activities.

•Approved resolutions calling for the refinancing of a series of the city's general obligation bonds, which are about eight years old. Since they were issued, interest rates have dropped, and like home owners can save money by refinancing their mortgage, the city can save by refinancing its bonds, Lasher said. By taking the measure, the city is expected to save $500,000.

•Witnessed Atteberry awarding Certificates of Commendation to two police officers. One was to Officer Joshua Elpers and the other to Reserve Officer Eric Carter. Both were involved in a Feb. 10 incident in which a violent man challenged officers to shoot him.

"The officers were able to remain calm during the encounter and show restraint," Atteberry said. "I'm very pleased with them."

We often hear of when things go wrong in encounters between police and violent individuals, but not when they go right and thus the citations are a good way to acknowledge their professionalism on the job, Atteberry said.

•Heard Lasher report that progress is being made on the city's new entry signs. Four stone monument entries will soon be installed, depending on weather conditions. One was paid for by the city and the other three by donors.

"I'm excited about the level of support," Lasher said.

•Also heard Lasher report that the city received a "distinguished budget award" from the Government Finance Officers Association. Only 14 cities in Kansas got the award and only three, like Bel Aire, were second-class cities.

•Approved a second modification agreement between Concierge Surgical Recovery Center and Community National Bank & Trust. Approval was needed by the council as the modification relates to a city-issued industrial revenue bond.

All members were at the meeting. Although placed on the agenda, no executive session was called. The body's next meeting is 7 p.m. March 17 at City Hall.