The beginnings of a discussion centering around the formation of a resident’s advisory board for Krizek Park topped the agenda during Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth City Council.

City Administrator Dustin Stambaugh said Don Panzer and Dave Cox volunteered to serve on the board. The board would include two city council members with the rest coming from the community.

Stambaugh said he would be present at every meeting of the group as a non-voting member.

“Whatever we do, not everybody is going to be totally happy with it,” Mayor Dan Finnegan said. “We want as many people as happy as possible.”

Finnegan suggested hiring someone to facilitate the discussion so everyone can buy into the project.

“We want make sure this is well-run and when the vote comes in, it represents the needs of the people,” he said.

Finnegan said he would like to see a lot of youth on the board, as well as a teacher or principal.

He suggested the council consider how big they want the board to be, what kind of budget they would be working with as well as a deadline for completion of their work.

Council member Jessica Kootz said K-State Research and Extension could be the facilitator of the group. It was also suggested the city contact officials at the Kansas Department of Transportation to get their thoughts.

Stambaugh said grants are available to help fund the restoration project, but to apply for a grant, the purpose of the project needs to be clarified.

In other business:

• Duane C. Urban II, owner of the property at 1013 W. 12th St., was given until May 23 to make significant progress on finishing the basement and foundation of his house.

• A request by the Ellsworth County Historical Society to waive the $25 building permit was approved so the society can construct a concrete pad under the caboose pavilion.

• Approval was given to a $24,173.42 estimate from Central Power Systems to repair the transmission in the Ellsworth Fire Department’s Oshkosh 503 tanker truck. Ellsworth Fire Chief Ralph Doubrava said the tanker is very important to the department because of the volume of water it can haul. Doubrava said he is also concerned because Ellsworth County is in a high level of fire danger today (March 30) and tomorrow because of the dry conditions.

• Approval was given to issue a payment to Benesch for $147,380 to finish the airport runway project with the understanding the city will be reimbursed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

• Approval was given to an ordinance vacating abandoned streets and alleys in the City of Ellsworth in the Wells subdivision.