ILSON — The cost of being in the Wilson City Cemetery is going up. At Monday’s meeting of the Wilson City Council, Ordinance 859 was approved. The ordinance increases the cost of a opening a regular or mausoleum grave from $250 to $350, which was approved at the Jan. 19 meeting. The ordinance also increases the cost of opening a surface mausoleum from $300 to $400, a cremation grave from $100 to $150, disinterment (removal only) from $300 to $400 and disinterment (removal and reburial) from $500 to $750.

In other business:

+ Approved was Ordinance 860, authorizing a loan agreement between the City of Wilson and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to obtain a loan through the Kansas Water Pollution Control revolving fund to finance a wastewater treatment project in the amount of $650,000.

+ A request from Richard Lantz to extend Ave. B was denied.

+ The purchase of an upgrade for the Taser used by the Wilson Police Department was approved in the amount of $2,083.22.

+ Approval was given to pay the $6,300 annual dues to the Ellsworth County Economic Development in two equal amounts.

+ A motion was approved to purchase playground equipment for Jellison Park not to exceed $24,000. The purchase will be paid by a $23,364 grant which the Wilson Foundation received from the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation. The remainder, $327, will be paid by the city.

+ Approval was given for the $10,920.75 purchase of a new John Deere zero-turn mower from Carrico Implement. That price includes a $1,000 tradein allowance for the city’s old cemetery mower.

+ During an update on vehicles and properties deemed to be in violation of city ordinances, approval was given to remove the vehicle at 2016 Ave. E from the list as the property owner is now in compliance.

An update was also given on the two vehicles at 616 24th Street.

It was noted the owner of five vehicles in violation of city ordinances at 611 29th Street has requested a public hearing. Other vehicles discussed were those at 607 29th, 608 31st, and 603 31st streets.

The council approved proceeding with board of health recommendations on the properties at 611 29th, 416 29th and 715 29th streets and 2104 Ave. E. The board of health description of the shed at 607 29th St. was modified to add missing doors and windows.

From the Jan. 19 meeting

+ Reports were given on several vehicles found to be in violation of city ordinances at 616 24th St., 3016 Ave. E, 705 24th St. and 2207 Ave. C.

The council approved a resolution to comply with city ordinances and remove the two vehicles at 616 24th St. They also approved motions to clear the vehicles in question at 705 24th St. and 2207 Ave. C, as both are now in compliance.

+ The council received updates from the city board of health on the properties in violation at 305 24th St. and 308 26th St.

+ No action was taken after a 10-minute executive session with city attorney Theresa Staudinger to discuss matters relating to attorney-client privilege (contractual obligations).

+ Council members David Criswell and Darcy Hubka-Vopat gave an update on information needed to implement the abandoned building ordinance. Criswell said he looked at the buildings in town and Hubka-Vopat said she has updated the list of abandoned buildings. It needs reviewed.

Mayor Mike Peschka asked the council to consider demolition permits as members review the abandoned buildings ordinance.

+ Peschka and council member Dan Taylor will talk to the owner of the city van storage garage (the Robinson garage), the Wilson Foundation, to determine the foundation’s intentions after two contractors looked at the condition of the building, but only one contractor gave an estimate of repair. It was noted repairing the front of the building will cost $6,800 and the cost of replacing the roof membrane will be $3,200.

Peschka said he thought the city would not want to spend that amount of money to repair a building it doesn’t own.

+ A request from Lantz for the city to extend Ave. B south of 27th Street by constructing an alley for access was discussed. It was noted Lantz is looking at potentially selling the property. An access route to that property would be useful. Peschka and Taylor both noted that without knowing what the potential buyer is going to do with the property, they were having a hard time seeing what benefit constructing the alley would be to the city.

After further discussion, the council approved a motion to have council member Chuck Crawford find out the intent of the potential buyer. If they intend to build a house or business on the property, the council would be in favor of having a survey done.

+ Approval was given to spend up to $1,300 to repair the paint damage on four pickup trucks owned by members of the Wilson Fire Department. Wilson Fire Chief Joe Soukup said the trucks were damaged when a contractor was painting the nearby city water tower. The trucks were parked close to the fire department while the firefighters were responding to a fire call. Peschka said the contractor is not responsible for damage caused by overspray.

Due to the President’s Day holiday, the next meeting of the Wilson City Council will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, at city hall.