Ark Valley News - Officials work to get 53rd St. project onto the fast track

Officials work to get 53rd St. project onto the fast track
By David Dinell
Last Updated: March 15, 2015

Park City administrator Jack Whitson can feel the clock ticking.

Whitson is facing a June 15 deadline to get land acquisitions in place and paperwork done in order for the city to receive $4.3 million in federal funding for the $6.1 million 53rd Street improvement project. It isn't much time, Whitson said.

"This is going to be an ongoing saga," he told the Park City Council. "Let's hold our breath and hope we make it."

With that work in mind, the council moved without objection March 10 on a number of measures related to the project.

It approved an expenditure of $3,680 to obtain certificate of title for properties associated with the project and approved a legal procedure for gaining street right-of-way.

It also authorized Whitson to make waiver evaluation offers on three tracts associated with temporary construction easements.

The reasons for the hurry-up approach are complex, he said, some having to do with the change in city council members during the last election and some with communication with the Kansas Department of Transportation concerning rights-of-way and field checks.

Furthermore, there were changes in the way WAMPO, or the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, was working with Park City, resulting in the city having to shoulder more of the workload.

"We did lose a lot of time," Whitson said.

In any case, that's in the past and the mission now is to go forward and have the project ready. It's not a matter of not doing it as the city already has about $200,000 invested in its design and wants that money put to use, he said, as well as simply getting the job done.

Including the design, Park City will spend about $1.7 million on improvements, which is divided into two projects.

One involves the intersection of 53rd and Broadway, which will be re-engineered out to about one-quarter mile in all four directions to including turning lanes and new pavement. That will be bid and built in 2016.

The other concerns work just to the west of the interstate and on 53rd east of the interstate to a half mile east of Hydraulic, right before Heights High School.

That will be bid late September and work starts in early 2016.

That work involves expanding the roadway, adding sidewalks and building curb-and-gutter around the Hydraulic intersection.

Also adding to Whitson's challenge is finding appraisers.

Whitson told the council that there only two in the area who can do what he needs done and one is not working outside of Wichita.

"I hate to have to go to Topeka (to get one)," he said. However, he may have to as the deadline is paramount.

In other action, the council:

•Heard a report by Capt. Lowell Theimer of the Sedgwick County Fire Department on Park City calls. He reported 54 calls in February, a bit slower than average. Most, or 40, were medical service incidents.

There were two fires: one at the Best Western motel with $35,000 in damage, and the other a brush fire with no financial damage. The station, at 77th Street and Hydraulic, also will be the home of the department's five new recruits as they undergo 10 weeks of training starting at the end of this month.

Theimer will be at the first council meeting of each month to update its members on department activity.

•Received a report from Police Chief Phil Bostian concerning load-bearing vests. There has been some misunderstand of the purpose of such vests, he said, which are becoming common among police officers.

Some think that the vests indicate the officer is part of a special police unit such as SWAT team. The vests lend the police a certain military look, however, their purpose has more to do with ergonomics and safety, Bostian said.

The vests hold bullet-resistant panels along with a variety of equipment. Officers are now required to carry more equipment with them at all times then ever before, he said. The weight of that gear can be 15 to 30 pounds, and if all of it is placed on a belt, a variety of problems can arise, he said.

It can lead to discomfort and fatigue along with lower back problems as well as pain in the hips and legs. It can also impair movement. Studies show that the best answer is to use vests to carry the bulk of the load, he said.

Bostian said the vests are considered to be optional equipment and officers who elect to wear them will buy them for $171 each from the standard uniform allowance without additional cost to taxpayers.

•Approved an expenditure of $24,675 from the Utility Capital Outlay Fund for the 2015 KDHE Meter Rehabilitation Project, which involves the purchase of 125 new meters from Salina Supply. City workers will install the meters.

•Agreed on the recommendation to purchase two new mowers for public works from Kansas Golf and Turf. One mower will feature a 60-inch cut and cost $7,956. The money for that will come from the special street and highway fund. The other mower has a 72-inch cut and its funding of $9,744 will be from the Park Capital Equipment Fund.

•Approved installation of a sprinkler system at ball diamond No. 2 at McLean Park. The winning bid of $17,500 was from Rain Plus.

•Made a revision to the city's personnel policy concerning its smoke-free workplace rules.

•Approved a sale of property to Buckley Industries. The move was a legal one returning control of the site to the company after a bond expired.

•Listened to an update on public works by director Rick Norman. The department was busy with recent snowstorms. From Feb. 27 to March 1, it applied 100 tons of material on streets to deal with the snow.

It also applied an additional 25 tons on March 4. Other work included completing the water tap for McLean Field irrigation and attending a xeriscaping class concerning applying for $1,000 of funding to install the landscaping. On average, the department completed 22 work orders daily in February, Norman reported.

•Approved appropriations of $538,023 for the period of Feb. 25 to March 10.

•Approved seven spending recommendations from the Convention & Tourism Board of transient guest tax funds.

The expenditures are:

1. $1,500 for the Fourth of July Car Show.

2. $9,000 for the Jeeps Motorcycle Club 2015 Park City Super Cross Series, Great Plains Flat Track Series and other racing events.

3. $4,200 for the 2015 NCRA (National Championship Racing Association) Racing Series at 81 Speedway.

4. $19,700 for sponsorship of 81 Speedway.

5. $6,500 for the Side by Side ATV Giveaway at 81 Speedway on Sept. 26.

6. $3,250 for sponsorship of the National Baseball Congress.

7. $15,000 for the USA BMX Sunflower National. That funding is conditional on Park City winning the bid to host the event and with no more than 25 percent being spent in 2015 without approval of the board. Furthermore, the balance is payable in 2016 with approval of the regional event division of USA BMX.

•Went into executive session for 10 minutes for preliminary discussions concerning real estate acquisitions. No action was taken.

Seven council members and the mayor were present at the meeting. John Lehnherr was absent. The next council meeting is set for 7 p.m. March 24 at City Hall.