Clint and Sarah Freeman told members of the Ellsworth City Council Monday night they plan to build a car wash north of Freeman’s Body Shop along Evans Street.

Clint Freeman asked the council to provide the properties with city sewer and additional water by tapping into an existing line.

Freeman said his father built the body shop in 1988 and the city didn’t have the money at that time to extend sewer service.

The discussion came about as a result of Freeman’s desire to take advantage of expansion of the city’s tax increment financing (TIF) district. A TIF collects property taxes from improvements and applies them to infrastructure needs. Freeman said Ellsworth is losing business because residents are going to Salina and other communities to wash their vehicles.

“We’re trying to fill that need,” he said.

The proposed car wash will have one automatic and two manual bays and two vacuums. It also will have an automatic dryer at the end of the wash.

City attorney Patrick Hoffman recommended the council officially approve the TIF expansion before addressing Freeman’s request through a resolution. Other requests should be handled in a similar manner, he said.

[The council later in the meeting approved an ordinance adding areas to an existing redevelopment district. Go to www.indyrepnews to read the full ordinance. It also will be published in the Jan. 23 edition of the I-R under public notices.]

Mayor Mark Kennedy asked whether other projects are planned.

“There could be some other things in the next year or two,” said Hoffman, who did not offer specifics.

Meanwhile, Kennedy asked for a motion to authorize bids on the sewer expansion to the Freeman property.

Also Monday, Darcy Hansen and Jessica Kootz were seated on the council after reading the oath of office. Kootz was appointed in 2019 to fill an unexpired term. The term for which she was elected this past November started Monday.

In other business:

• Kennedy said if all goes as planned, the council should be back at City Hall for the next meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27. Officials have been meeting at the 900 Room at the Ellsworth Golf Course because there’s no heat at City Hall, except for space heaters.

• Council members approved a bid of not more than $4,200 from Berry Tractor of Wichita for parts to repair the city street sweeper. Street superintendent Delvin Bettenbrock said he was notified the original bid of $2,400 from another company would be almost double because the project had spilled over into 2020.

• Carol Torkelson of the North Central Regional Planning Commission at Beloit was at the meeting to discuss a grant the city received for housing rehabilitation and demolition. Council members approved a three-month extension to make sure all identified properties are completed. The motion included a budget amendment to cover the cost of an additional house demolition. Kennedy said the demolition contractor is working on 1st Street. And improvements are taking place on other properties.

Torkelson expects the city to have $25,000 left — not enough to add another house to the project. The money will be returned to the state.

• City attorney Hoffman was appointed by Kennedy and approved by the council to represent Ellsworth on the North Central Regional Planning Commission board. He will join long-time Ellsworth County representative Kermit Rush.

• Council members approved the addition of a car port at Ellsworth Municipal Airport to protect the car left there for use by pilots. The approximately $1,200 cost will come from the city’s capital improvement fund.

• Council member Steve Magette said he was asked about blowing trash and Police Chef Emil Halfhill responded that the police department fielded a complaint several days ago.

“I despise the ordinance,” Halfhill said.

He said plastic bags are considered approved containers and there is no limit on how long they can sit along the curb.

Kennedy recommended the ordinance be reviewed. Hoffman said he would check with the Kansas League of Municipalities, which has standard ordinances, and with other cities about the size of Ellsworth.

• City utilities superintendent Joe Travnichek offered an update on the splash pad in Preisker Park. The final payment has not been made to the company that installed the water feature and Travnichek suggested the city withhold the $11,500 it has left to pay for repairs. He also recommended the city remove the paint from the pad and not worry about replacing it anytime soon. Travnichek said removing the paint would save him three or four trips a day to the park when the spray pad is open. A pipe also needs to be replaced.

• Council members also moved ahead with a cost share agreement with the Kansas Department of Transportation for work on East 8th Street between Kansas Highway 156 and E. Charles Street. According to the agreement, the city is responsible for 18 percent of the actual construction costs, up to $742,600.