Remarks by Doug Rempp
88 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 4
I had questions I talked to Jacob about this morning. I don't know how much we need to get into them now. But I asked that we consider perhaps on the East Magnolia project a pedestrian bridge and move the sidewalk forward as soon as we can. I know we had a resident that reached out and having lived in Highland Hamlet for a shorter period of time, I have seen pedestrians going across that bridge about the crack of dawn or even before. And man, there was one young lady from the neighborhood that I see her taking her dogs across it and I'm sure getting to the dike and it really concerned me. But…
A recent couple of things come to mind having done kind of major construction problem or projects there's been times where I've just closed the facility down and the people have gotten in and out much quicker. I as a taxpayer would like to know, could the city save money if people were inconvenienced for one construction season? And I was also talking to another gentleman earlier, and he's got a great point that road has been straight as an arrow forever. And now we're looking at having a jog at the bridge It certainly would be my preference to keep it in the current location, and I know it…
Martha, you mentioned $1.2 million for debris removal. I thought we had all the debris removed.
Okay, and I think I'm probably the only one. I guess I remain unconvinced that the riverbank needs to be repaired. I mean, erosion has been occurring on... riverbanks since, what, the beginning of time. And I know they have riprap, or I think it's called riprap, the crushed or broken up concrete to control erosion. And I understand that they were getting grants to do it, but it's still all taxpayer money.
I'll go ahead and jump ahead here for Commissioner Norris. I'll move that the City Commission approve resolution number 26-8372, adopting the 27 through 31 capital improvement program for the City of Salina.
I'll just mention that I am fine with it. I think townhomes done right are good for the community. They're better for the city. from having more families or more density in our housing and I support it fully.
If I could, if you could back up just one slide, and I'm just following along here, lot five. Lot five is the dark?
I have a couple more comments. One, I stayed at one recently, an extremely nice hotel. Number two, As I was told earlier today, the developer is getting no economic incentives from the community to locate or put their hotel there. They're belling up to the bar and paying for their development, which I think is good. And the property has been sitting there empty and glad to see it get used.
I'll move to approve ordinance number 26-11304, amending the PC3 planned shopping center zoning of a portion of lot one, block one of the replant of Auburndale addition. including the variations for maximum building height and front yard landscaping on lot five and approval of the site development plan for the home two suites hotel on lot five, subject to the seven conditions recommended by the planning commission. Second.
How do you get five and two-thirds of a tree?
That's probably enough. Yeah. I mean, it was more just than we've kind of prolonged this enough.
I'll move that the city commission approve ordinance number 26-11301. rezoning the property legally described as lots 1 through 3, block 9 of the replant of the Indian Rock addition from PDD to PC-1, along with the requested variation, and to approve the site development plan subject to the five conditions recommended by the Planning Commission.
One thing, we as commissioners, we received an e-mail from jesse White. been pretty much a regular at the meetings and she has approached us individually and an email collectively asking for a study session and she speaks of potentially I think it's 74 million in grants that the city could be eligible for. I think our city probably has already looked at those but I would not, I think we should give her 30 minutes and hear her out perhaps before the next commission meeting. Let her try to make a business case to us.
So I I don't know what you're it would be with the city commission we would have a study session 30 minutes before the next meeting or perhaps the one after but just try to get it on the schedule that
Yeah, she, well, why wouldn't you come on up? Jesse, and it'd be better for you to answer the questions rather than me trying to answer them.
A couple questions. Yep. Debbie, if I could. Sure. When we had such a large fund balance back in 22, Yep. 23 million and change? Yes. Was there some bonds that were put out or something to get the balance up that high or had that just accumulated?
Okay so it was really an intentional increase in those rates all right and we had you mentioned the 40 million and the 40 million do we have any other debt currently out there we do and we'll look at that here in about three slides okay last question then the intra fund transfers just I mean it shows an expense of almost nine million where does that go
And I'm kind of a newbie. Sure. Who do we pay a franchise fee to?
And I don't know. The things that you told me, just $8.7 million.
It seems like the vehicles would come out of that particular bucket. But thank you.
I'm... I've... I said before, I'm one of those with privilege. I water my lawn. I guess I'd be interested in knowing, does any other community have a tiered water rate structure like we have?
I know Commissioner Davis and I talked about this a while back. I forget if it was during the open meeting or just in private conversation, but we try to be very frugal with our water. And I know my water bill last month was right at $400,000. And that's some of the rates proposed, but I know it's a seasonal type thing. And I think that that time period was the highest water bill of the summer. As I take a look down the road, that 400 could jump up to potentially about 700 or leading on it. And I mean, it's already an additional tax, I think, this time of year.
And one more follow-up. Is there a base usage in the first quarter? I mean, is there a basement to it? I have some privilege. A minimum winter quarter average? I've had winters in years gone by where I haven't been here.
Well, does that apply? I guess what I'm getting at is... In years gone by, I've had winters where I've used no water. So is my base zero?
So total borrow was about 191 million? Yes.