By JACKIE TAYLOR | December 7, 2022

The Mound City Council met Monday night and addressed several items on their agenda; with that they heard from two public speakers, the first Janice Schubert concerning a large water bill.

Schubert said her bill increased in November by 280 percent during a 12 day period with 200 gallons metered out per day. She said she and her husband put die in toilets and found no leaks; they prodded the ground for soft spots and more with no sign of a leak.

Further she said her above-ground pool was closed Sept. 11 and is hose fed so that was not the reason for the increased water usage. She suggested the meter was bad and asked the city to replace it, and, if it proves the meter was bad, to adjust her water bill.

JLHS Spanish teacher Juanita Spitzenberger asked the council for help closing roads for a scheduled 5K run this weekend that benefits the Spanish Club’s 2024 trip to Spain. Police Chief Paul McKee said the roads she wanted to close were not city streets and asked that she reach out to the Sheriff’s Department. They said that the 8:30 a.m. run will probably not have much traffic in Mound City to deal with and suggested more advanced warning of events.

Mound City residents that have overuse of grinder pumps will be charged $250 per call for the city to maintain the pumps. This move came after the council voted to charge Burton Harding $250 for the last call out for the grinder pump, one City Superintendent John Bruns estimated to be one of 12 to 13 call outs due to baby wipes clogging the pump.

Bruns said they opened the pump up and every time found baby wipes; once pulling the pump twice in one day.

City Consultant Josh Baldwin said the city has been to the Harding’s grinder pump more times than anywhere in the city thinking of his 15 year history.

With that, the council moved to approve the $250 per call for overused grinder pumps. A notice to all grinder pump users will be sent out by the city.

Lorna Turley questioned the two dogs per household and leash law in Mound City and asked if it was being enforced due to several dogs on a property near her. She said the city used to pick up loose dogs, of which some of the neighbors dogs were not leashed, and took them to the pound for the owners to claim.

Chief McKee said the dogs in question have dog houses and are not deemed abused.

The council viewed the amended budget with capital improvements and unencumbered cash moved into the general fund and Parks & Recreation.

McKee informed the council that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has gone to a new LIMS system, Lab Information Management System, that will help streamline lab operations and help get information processed quicker. He said it should assist with stolen property and is being initiated statewide. The lab is in Pittsburg, Kan.

The council discussed that the city has made approximately $2,500 in VIN fees so far doing 37 of them in November at $18 each.

They are hoping to get another grant so the city can purchase another traffic sign; they hope to have four around the city.

Codes Officer Jacob Bush reported he took a codes class and learned about the International Codes Council and said it would be advantageous for the city to spend $35 to join the group so the city has a set standard for all codes. The city will have to adopt an ordinance to bring new codes in and remove the old standard codes still in use.

With that, the city approved the immediate resignation of City Attorney Jesse Randall as of Friday, Dec. 2. They will place an ad for attorneys interested in becoming Mound City Attorney in the Linn County News.

Bush said they are making progress on the Michael Morris and Gerald Cox houses, but need an attorney to proceed further.

Baldwin thanked city employees for the work they did on the Christmas decorations and events and said the city looks great.

The council approved $150 Christmas bonuses to full-time employees and $75 to part-time employees, including seasonal workers.