WILSON — Water tap fees were increased at the March 7 meeting of the Wilson City Council.

The fees have been $250 for residential customers and $400 for commercial customers. After a review of the fees for the first time since June of 2000, the council approved raising the 3/4 inch water tap fee to $760, and the 1-inch water tap fee to $1,100. The fees increases were based on the actual cost of materials.

In other business:

• Chism Trash Service will start charging $1 per day for dumpsters left in the street or in the front yard, and $15 per month for dumpsters left in the alley or in the back of the house.

• Approval was given to request an extension from the Kansas Department of Commerce for the Housing Rehabilitation Grant due to lack of applications.

The request would extend the target area from 27th Street and north, to the entire city.

• During a review of the board of health violations, it was noted the city is still looking for a contractor to clean up the violations at 411 28th Street. The property at 718-720 26th Street was given an extension until March 21 to clean up the remaining three violation items. A resolution for cleanup was approved for the property at 415-417 28th Street. The property at 818 22nd Street was removed from the violations list because all violations were completed.

• Eight properties noted during an update on the city’s abandoned buildings ordinance were sent a letter Oct. 21. The deadline to register those properties as chronically vacant was Feb. 28. One property owner requested a public hearing and one property owner registered their property and paid the fee. One owner has sold or transferred their property to a family member, but that property remains on the list for registration.

• It was noted the city is still actively recruiting for a police chief. Joshua Tipton, acting parttime police chief, was approved to attend a job fair at Wichita State University in Wichita to recruit candidates for the police chief job.

• Council member Aubrey Ptacek was approved as the city’s representative to the Ellsworth County Economic Development.

• Approval was given to Pay Request No. 5 from Joiner Construction in the amount of

$94,587 for work on the duplexes in town. Approval of the funds is pending their receipt from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.

• Ordinance 863 was approved, authorizing the acquisition of a permanent easement by condemnation to provide public access to city properties in Wilson. The easement is for City Hall Tract 1, part of Lot 4, Block 1 in the City of Wilson (Original and Bosland Addition).

• The Kansas Rural Water Association will work with the city on a water rate survey.

• The council voted not to renew the $3,720 contract with Wilson Communications for the Microsoft Office and Trezor IT on Demand for the six laptop computers used by the council members, as well as the city clerk and city superintendent. The reason stated for the non renewal was because the limited use of the computers. It was noted the city will still contract with Wilson Communications for the police department laptop and the city building laptop computers.

• Approval was given to purchase a new siren control box for $1,045 from JR Auto.

• Approval was given to designate Larry Langerman, Zach Barta and James Zelenka as reserve Wilson firefighters.

• The council was given information on the city possibly doing an adopt a hydrant program. No action was taken.

From Feb. 22:

• The council denied a request by former council member David Criswell to waive a local ordinance that sets the maximum amount of goats that can be kept in the city.

The ordinance allows as many as two goats; however, Criswell asked permission to keep 20 Nigerian dwarf goats at 720 26th Street.

After a motion was made and seconded to allow the waiver, the motion failed because two council members voted for it, and three voted against it.

In other business: • After a five-minute executive session to discuss legal options to acquire property, the council approved Resolution 4-2022, declaring the necessity of the city to appropriate through condemnation certain interests in real property for use by the city. It also commands a survey and the description of the land to be condemned to be filed with the city clerk in accordance to K.S.A. 26-201.

The property in question is a portion of Lot 4, Block 1 in the City of Wilson, which is behind Wilson City Hall.

• The Wilson Tourism Hub has declined to take ownership of the former Otasco store at 2504 Ave. E, which is currently owned by the City of Wilson. City officials are looking at grants and funding opportunities to restore the building, which has been damaged by time and weather.

• Fencing arrived Feb. 17 to block the property at 2504 Ave. E. The council approved paying a $350 rental fee for the fencing to Eldridge Fencing of Great Bend.

• Approval was give to use the city credit card in the amount of $7,636.50 to purchase 42 aluminum benches for Czech Festival seating. City clerk Susan Kriley, who is also co-chair of the city’s Czech Fest committee, said the city received an $8,108.26 grant from the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation. It will be used to cover that expense. The remainder will be used to purchase portable racks for the benches.

• Training by Mayor Mike Peschka and several city employees on the new city website is now complete. Kriley said the website should go live during March. The city is still waiting on the online bill pay portion.

• Peschka said the city is working with Chism Trash Service to minimize dumpsters in the street. He also suggested the council consider placing restrictions on shed sizes.

• During the board of health update, approval was given to the owner of the property at 2508 Ave. F for an extension to clean up the property. The owner has until March 21 to address the violations.

• No action was taken on the property at 415-417 28th Street.

• It was noted that a second resolution on the property at 305 24th Street will be published on Feb. 24. Thirty days after the owner of the property is notified, the city has the right to clean up the property.

• During an update on the Abandoned Building Ordinance No. 854, it was noted that eight properties have been identified as abandoned. A three-month deadline has passed. The owners in question can either request a hearing by Feb. 28 or register their properties with the city as chronically vacant.

• There have been a few inquiries regarding the Police Chief and patrolman job. The candidate interested in the police chief job has not accepted it, so the search for candidates continues.

The next meeting of the Wilson City Council will be at 6 p.m. Monday, March 21, at city hall.