Kirkham Michael & Associates engineer Jon Halbgewachs presented an update on several construction projects at Monday’s meeting of the Ellsworth City Council.

He said a new conduit has been bored on the K-156/Eighth Street Turn Lane project, and fiber optic line has been strung. Kansas Gas Service has completed relocating the gas lines that were in the way. Venture Corporation and Bruce Davis Construction plan to finish the remaining culvert installation, dirt work, final seeding and erosion control once Zayo has finished relocating the fiber optic line.

Halbgewachs said Kirkham Michael provided e-mail documentation from both utilities dated July 2019, where they stated that area was clear of construction. He noted the highway contractor has requested $12,180 to remobilize to the project for completing the dirt work. Any costs due to the utility conflicts are not the fault of the city, Halbgewachs noted. Halbgewachs recommended the Ellsworth City attorney remit these costs to Kansas Gas Service and Zayo for payment.

Halbgewachs said Phase 2 of the Eighth Street Cost Share project is completed and opened to traffic. Phase 1 is complete and open to traffic. He noted prior to the start of Phase 3, utilities will need to be relocated.

Mayor Mark Kennedy said it is important to note that everyone along that street will have access to their driveways.

Halbgewachs said the detention basin project at the intersection of K-14 and K-140 Highways is being advertised by the Kansas Department of Transportation for an Oct. 21 bid letting. He said the latest start date of construction is Aug. 23, 2021.

He said Kirkham Michael has started developing preliminary plans for the K-156/K-140 Turn Lanes project. The goal is to have those plans submitted to KDOT by this Fall. It is scheduled to be bid in November 2021.

Halbgewachs said Kirkham Michael completed the field survey on the neighborhood multiuse path and is working on preliminary plan development.

“We’re getting tremendous feedback on our multi-use path,” said Russell “Rusty” Varnado, city administrator. “People are really excited about that.”

In other business:

• Wilson and Company was approved to put the Edwards building sewer treatment plant construction project out for bids.

• Authority was given to the rec committee to spend SPARKS funds for the armory renovation project and give regular updates to the council on progress.

City attorney Patrick Hoffman said SPARK funds must be spent by the end of the year, not just encumbered.

If the city would use its normal bid process on the planned construction project at the former armory using $35,000 in SPARKS funds (the Ellsworth County Health Department, which is the city’s partner on the project, also plans to use SPARKS funds), it could risk not getting the work done and the vendors paid in time. However, if the project were bid using an informal process, the work could be done and the vendors paid by the end of the year.

• A new emergency snow route ordinance was approved as presented by city street superintendent Delvin Bettenbrock. The new route will make snow removal more efficient. It will add Third Street, from Douglas Ave. to West Eighth Street, Second Street, from Lincoln Ave. to Kansas Ave., First Street, from Douglas Ave. to Kansas Ave., and Kansas Ave. from First Street to Third Steet.

An expenditure of $240 to replace the snow route signs the city has in stock was also approved.

• Pastor Exie Barber was reappointed to the Ellsworth Housing Authority board of directors.

• Hoffman gave a brief presentation on the Kansas Open Records Act. He said anyone can make a formal request of the city under KORA, not just a resident of Ellsworth. He said the city would have three days to respond to that request. The city can assess fees if needed to make copies, etc. Hoffman said the city is not required to create documents. He said he city does not share information about employee health care or records or anything Hoffman does under attorney-client privilege.

• After a 10-minute executive session to discuss matters pertaining to attorney-client privilege, approval was given on how former city clerk Patti Booher can use the rest of her vacation and comp time.

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