The Ellsworth City Council accepted a recommendation by the city housing board Monday and approved a list of five properties to be rehabilitated and six properties to be demolished in Ellsworth.

City administrator Scott Moore said in January 2019, the council took action to receive a $300,000 Kansas Small Cities Community Development Block Grant. Carol Torkelson of the North Central Regional Planning Commission in Beloit, the project administrator, conducted the bid opening earlier on Monday and made the recommendation to the council.

The properties to be rehabilitated are 519 N. Washington, 511 W. Eighth Street, 807 N. Kansas Ave., 320 Washington, and 1108 Gay Street. M&R Building of Abilene and Kansas Sand of Salina were the contractors whose bids were accepted for the work.

A $29,990 bid from Western Sales of Bunker Hill was approved to demolish the six properties.

In other business:

• No action was taken on a lease agreement with USD 327 to utilize a portion of Lot 10, Block 3 of the Armory and Ballfields Addition to construct a storage shed for baseball and softball equipment.

City attorney Patrick Hoffman said USD 327 wants to approve a final draft of the agreement first, then it will be submitted to the council.

• Ellsworth resident JoAnn Kennedy asked if she was part of the proposed TIF district planned for the city and if her 1893 home would qualify for an exemption.

After looking at a map of the proposed TIF area, city clerk Patti Booher told Kennedy she was not part of it.

• Approval was given to authorize Moore to sign the completed 2021 Kansas Department of Transportation Alternatives Program — Multipurpose Pathway application. Moore said it would connect families of the 12 proposed properties in Canren Addition of the Smoky Hill River to neighborhoods north of the river and allow children and families safer and easier access to downtown Ellsworth via multi-use pathways. Mayor Al Stefek was also authorized to sign a resolution in support for the project.

• Approval was given to purchase a Canon 4545i copier from OPI not to exceed $6,000 and have Gilmore Solutions configure the copier, server and individual computers in the city clerk’s office in an amount not to exceed $1,000.

• Action on a funding request for temp note projects and to sign an agreement with Piper Jaffrey was tabled until the Nov. 12 meeting. Council member Mark Kennedy wishes to ask Kevin Cowan of Piper Jaffrey a couple of questions first.

• Approval was given to have Salina Supply replace the existing eight inch compound meter at Ellsworth Correctional Facility in an amount not to exceed $16,000. Moore noted the meter upgrade will allow the water department and the city clerk’s office to improve consumption calculation usage for the prison.

• A construction engineering work estimation for the K-156 Highway/ Eighth Street project was received and filed.

• The north water tower condition assessment report was received and filed.

• Ellsworth Police Chief Emil Halfhill said the trunk or treat event scheduled for this Thursday, Halloween evening, as been moved inside to the city gymnasium. He noted the Mosaic truck or treat event Thursday has also been moved inside Mosaic from the parking lot.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth City Council will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at city hall.