Three candidates for Ellsworth City Council — Michael Hunt, Darcy Peschka-Hansen, and incumbent Wayne Scritchfield — answered questions on a variety of topics Oct. 10 during a candidate forum at Room 900 at the Ellsworth Golf Course.

A fourth candidate, Jessica Kootz, was unable to attend because of a prior commitment. Three council seats are open. Scritchfield is the only incumbent seeking re-election.

The forum was sponsored by the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter, Wilson Communications and Ellsworth County Economic Development. John Thaemert, senior vice president and trust officer at Ellsworth’s Citizens State Bank and Trust Co., was the moderator.

“An informed electorate makes for better governance,” Thaemert said. “That’s why Linda (Mowery-Denning of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter) does this. It is very important that we pay attention to our local governance. We seem to get caught up in the presidential or congressional races, but what happens in your city is very important.”

During the evening, several questions focused on infrastructure. Here is a sample:

• Infrastructure is a major issue in Ellsworth. What is your plan and how do you pay for it?

Hansen — “I agree infrastructure is a big issue in Ellsworth,” she said.“We all have seen through the summer the number of man hours the city guys put in with water leaks. I went to a city meeting and I heard Mr. ( Joe) Travnichek speak about how, in a half block radius, there are 14 clamps holding pipe together. That is not going to maintain forever.”

Hansen said she realizes replacement of the old water line, such as the City of Kanopolis is doing now, comes at a high cost.

“None of us want to see our taxes raised, but at some point, it’s going to have to come down to probably ... we’re going to have to look at either bond issues or raising taxes or something, because the infrastructure Ellsworth has right now is not going to sustain us for years to come.”

Hunt — “I never really thought about this much,” he said.

Hunt said there are many issues associated with infrastructure such as employees, the pay scale, the overtime expense. He said bonds or raising taxes could be used to pay for improvements to Ellsworth’s infrastructure.

Scritchfield — There aren’t many ways cities can pay for infrastructure improvement projects.

“There are loans, there are grants and there’s taxes or governmental agencies,” he said. “Right now what we’re doing is trying to leverage as much as we can out of KDOT (the Kansas Department of Transportation).”

Scritchfield said KDOT is helping the City of Ellsworth pay for most of the identified projects the city has going on in the future.

“We’re hoping to go through an application to get our eligibility for community development block grants, through HUD (the Department of Housing and Urban Development),” he said. “That will allow us, if we qualify, to do water and sewer.”

Scritchfield said these are the major upgrades the city needs in the way of infrastructure.

He said the HUD funds can be used to match KDOT funds to do some street projects in Ellsworth.

“Third Street has been identified as a major street that people would like to see upgraded,” Scritchfield said.

• What do you see the job of a council member being?

Hansen —”I know there may be times when probably the council make decisions that residents don’t like,” she said. “In my opinion, what I am on there to do is to make the best decisions with the other council members that we can for the residents and taxpayers of the City of Ellsworth.”

Hunt — “As a council member we’re representatives of the people in Ellsworth to solve issues within the community,” he said. “And to listen to individuals and their concerns, then take it to the rest of the council to collectively find a solution.”

Scritchfield — “I agree with Mr. Hunt that we are representatives of the people,” he said. “We are here to do what we think the people want to do.”

Scritchfield said that puts some responsibility on the people to let the council know what they want them to do.

“I do see myself as a sounding board for people to come to me about what it is they want to see done in the city,” he said. “If they feel passionate about a topic, then I would like to see them come and talk to the council as a whole so that we all have that same understanding about what it is you want to see accomplished.”

• What infrastructure upgrades do you think Ellsworth needs?

Hansen — “Like I said earlier, the infrastructure upgrades we need is new water lines,” she said. “The water lines are old, and like Wayne said, they’ve been used way beyond their time.”

Hansen said there are also some streets in Ellsworth that need major repairs.

“In the near future, I would say the biggest infrastructure would be waterlines, sewer and then the street projects,” she said.

Hunt — Hunt said the roads to the schools in Ellsworth as well as those used by emergency response should be maintained and upgraded.

“Anything can help,” he said. “Upgrading equipment or vehicles.”

Hunt said city employees must have the proper equipment to do their jobs.

Scritchfield — “From the ground up, we need to be doing updates to our system,” he said.

Scritchfield said the city just did major upgrades to Ellsworth’s water well field.

“And we still had one of those wells go down recently and we’re having to drill a new well out there in order to keep up with our production for water in our well field,” he said.

Scritchfield said the city is also looking at adding new water wells.

“Unfortunately, if we add those new wells, our water treatment plant can’t treat the water that’s going to come to the plant,” he said.

“So we’ll need major upgrades to the water treatment plant in order to utilize the water if we drill new wells.”

He said the sewer lift station on the south end of Ellsworth pumps out into the lagoons which are located east of Ellsworth. Over the summer, the city has had violations to its wastewater permit on the lagoons.

“That facility out there is also in need of some major upgrades,” he said.

Scritchfield said the water lines are original to Ellsworth and are undersized.

“We wouldn’t be allowed to put lines that small in if we put them in today,” he said.“They’re old clay and some old plastic lines that need to be replaced.”

The old dirt manholes also need replaced or lined.

“The brick streets are in terrible condition,” he said.“They need to be replaced or rehabilitated in some way. I know people love our brick streets, but they are not the best surface available anymore.”

• What are three projects you would like to see accomplished, if elected?

Hansen — “One would be doing upgrades to the waterlines,” she said. “I think one thing we need to look about seeing is getting people more involved in city government.”

Hansen said a lot of people, herself included, don’t know how the city works.

“We’re quick to sit back and complain about the city council, but we have no idea what they are dealing with,” she said. “A lot of the stuff Wayne is talking about I don’t know any thing about. I’m willing to learn, but I don’t know.”

Hansen said she hoped people would get more involved by offering solutions, not just complaints.

Hansen said Ellsworth also needs to look at more affordable housing.

“I know that we just built some new housing, but I think there is a need for more affordable housing for people that want to draw people to Ellsworth,” she said. “Maybe not long term, but maybe just getting people here, getting their roots settled, and helping them get something established so they can eventually buy a house.”

Hunt — A basic priority is emergency services for everyone. Second, he wants to see more enforcement of criminals and punishment for those committing those crimes. Third, Hunt said he like to see citizens more involved in community or neighborhood watches.

“We need to grow them,” he said.“We need people who will be watching out for each other.”

Scritchfield — “We have been saying since I was elected in 2015 that we were going to completely revamp all of our policies and procedures manuals, and that has not been done,” he said. “I’d like to see that. That seems to be a priority for the city.”

He said storm sewer drainage is another priority.

“About every seven years, the channel that runs through the middle of town dumps out of the storm sewer pipe and runs down main street,” Scritchfield said. “We’re trying to address that. That project needs to go forward if we are going to keep our downtown vital.”

Scritchfield said Ellsworth also needs water security in order to bring new businesses to town.

“A lot of work was done back in the ‘70s and ‘80s to bring the businesses to town that we have here, to bring the prison here,” he said.“We need to continue to have a place that businesses like that want to come.”