KANOPOLIS — While the heat and sun of Fort Harker Days in July seem like a world away, plans are already in the works for the annual festival.

“We’re starting to work on the poker run for this year,” Josh Kempke with the Kanopolis Fire Department told the city council during the Jan. 17 meeting.

He asked if the council was OK with the department hosting its poker run in conjunction with Fort Harker Days.

“It was nice to have all those people in for Fort Harker Days,” Mayor Anthony Hopkins said.

Kempke explained the 2023 poker run will differ slightly from the previous year’s event.

“We’re going to try to get two different routes this year,” Kempke said. “We’ve got four straight miles of pasture we can ride through this year.”

Another change will be to try to decrease the amount of traffic crossing U.S. Old Highway 40.

Kempke also reported the new fire building was scheduled for a Feb. 16 delivery, with assembly starting shortly after it arrives.

The council also discussed its vacant seat. Hopkins said his intention was to re-appoint Greg Tripp.

“Greg called me last week and said with the way his work schedule is, he doesn’t think he will be able to attend any meetings,” Hopkins said. “He had a suggestion; I want to speak to that person. I’m open to suggestions. I want to appoint someone at next month’s meeting.”

In other business:

• The council heard the water project was re-submitted to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for the third time by BG Consultants.

• Discussed the abatement at 420 S. Iowa.

“I made him aware we had gone through all of the legal processes and would start cleaning up his property,” Hopkins said.

The property cleanup was scheduled to begin this week.

• Unanimously voted to not to purchase a Kansas Post Rock Limestone membership.

• Discussed a possible donation to the Ellsworth County Medical Center for the mammography unit. Michelle Schwerdtfeger requested the item be tabled until the February meeting. The council voted unanimously to table the discussion.

• Unanimously approved a letter of support for a North Central Regional Planning Commission grant request.

• Unanimously approved a GAAP waiver, which is required annually for the auditors.

• Discussed a CD that was up for renewal. The council unanimously agreed to not renew the CD of $30,000. Instead, it opted to put the money aside for the upcoming sewer pond cleanup project.

• City Clerk Deb Kralik said she is in the process of working on grants to help pay for the sewer pond cleanup project. Currently, she is working with Midwest Assistance Program which helps small communities with grants for free.