WILSON — Lori Taylor asked her fellow council members Monday to consider raising sewer rates, given the planned work to open a third cell at the sewer station.

Rates are currently $15 per month for residential and businesses and $4 per $1,000 gallons for major users. Taylor said in order to pay for the work, the sewer rate would need to be raised to $24 per month, which council member Gary Everett noted was the state average. Everett will present a recommendation at the Sept. 3 council meeting.

In other business:

• The 2020 city budget was approved as presented with no discussion. At $1,600,868, total budget authority for expenditures increased for 2020 from an estimated $1,016,275 in 2019.

• Progress on the formation of a transient guest tax committee was discussed. Mike Peschka of the Wilson Economic Development Corporation presented a list of 10 businesses to have representatives on the committee. Despite the names being presented to the council in open session,Peschka declined to give the Independent-Reporter the names of the businesses because he said some have yet to be contacted. Peschka thanked WEDC board member Allison Ford for coordinating the effort to get the committee formed. Council members asked Peschka to proceed with securing the 10 businesses before returning to them for final approval.

• Peschka said $2,600 is left from a $4,700 grant received for the citywide cleanup in June. Plans are to use the remainder of that grant money to have a citywide cleanup this fall, sometime around Oct. 31.

• City clerk Susan Kriley received permission to attend a clerk’s conference Nov. 14-15 in Wichita. Registration is $305. Also approved was the use of the city’s credit card to pay for lodging.

• Wilson Police Chief Joshua Tipton received permission to attend the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police annual meeting Sept. 20 in Hutchinson. Cost is $20 per person. Tipton will also be reimbursed for mileage since he is using his private vehicle.

• Tipton said Saturday’s storm caused the doors at the Old Mill lift station to blow open. A plate glass window was also shattered. He will notify the owner of the damage. In a related matter, Mayor Larry Ptacek thanked Tipton, Wilson Police officer Jonathan Lawrence, Arnold Kratky and those who helped clean up tree limbs after the storm. Everett thanked those residents who cleaned up limbs in their yards.

• Council member Darcy Hubka-Vopat read a thank you letter from the Lang Memorial Library noting city crew members Ted Soukup and Marty Prester unloaded the library’s new sign.

• Vopat asked what the status was of the trees at the home on 31st Street. Ptacek said the city is waiting through the fall and winter seasons to see if the trimming done by the homeowners and Soukup have helped alleviate the problem of trees hanging over the curb causing a frost area on the street. Ptacek said the council never voted to remove the trees, but discussed it as part of the decision-making process.

• Council member Chuck Crawford said he talked to Kenny Branda of Kenny’s Construction. Branda recommended a cost of $6,607 to build a crown on 31st Street and do other improvements to the street. Crawford said it appears to him there is enough money in the budget to do the work. Everett will double check the budget to make sure.

• The Czech Fest Committee received approval to host a “Czechtober” Fest Saturday, Oct. 12, at Jellison Park. A chili cook-off and games are planned. Brats and hot dogs will also be served. In addition, the alcohol prohibition for the park was waived for the day. Kriley will present a cereal malt beverage license application at the next meeting.

• Approval was given for Tipton to be reimbursed 90 percent of a single person’s premium for health insurance as of July 1. Tipton is using his own health insurance instead of the city’s policy. This is the same percentage rate as was given to employees in the past.

• Due to the Labor Day holiday, the next meeting of the Wilson City Council will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, at city hall.