Sweet Springs aldermen discuss rate hike

Soon-to-be-increased water rates and a credit card for the city were the main items of new business at the Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen meeting Monday, Jan. 12.

The board voted to make a proposal increasing water rates 26 cents per 1,000 gallons. This is a passing-down of Marshall Municipal Utilities' recently increased rates, as they supply water to Consolidated Public Water Supply District No. 2 of Johnson, Lafayette and Saline Counties, which then supplies water to Sweet Springs.

"We really don't have any say in it," said Kinney.

The current rate charged to Sweet Springs residents is 0.06 cents per cubic foot of water. Nienhueser reported 133 cubic feet of water is equal to 1,000 gallons. This will increase the water rate to 0.062 cents per cubic foot, if the proposal passes.

Clevenger proposed to the board that it notify newspapers in Sweet Springs, Marshall and Concordia by means of a letter to the editor when forced into such a decision.

"If we give a little more communication," she said, "(community members) might show a little more trust in us."

The board brought up their discussion during the December board meeting with Tony Stout of Waste Corporation of America regarding the cost and feasibility of offering a recycling service in the city.

Kinney said that since that time, he has heard from only two people on the subject, with both individuals stating they did not want any rate increase for the addition of a recycling service.

Stout's estimates ranged from 25 cents to $3 per household per month for recycling service.

"I think that recycling is here to stay, and I think we need to be part of it because I think there's so much that can be gained by recycling besides not filling up landfills," said Alderman Lewis Bybee.

"We need to find out what the people want," said Alderman Billie Clevenger.

Kinney and Nienhueser reached an estimate of $125 to $130 total cost per month for a centralized recycling pickup, using Stout's estimate of 25 cents per month per household.

City officials decided that they ought to find out what the people of Sweet Springs want in this regard, though the exact method for determining this was not explicitly laid out.

A credit card is being sought by the city following the Board of Aldermen's vote to apply for a card with a credit limit of about $5,000, with all purchases requiring preapproval by the board.

"There has been time in the past when the city needed a credit card, and it turned into kind of a fiasco," said Mayor Ray Kinney.

The board plans to have only one copy of the card, with City Clerk Ronda Nienhueser in charge of it.

The board voted to grant a one-day liquor license to Craig Poppinga for the local Quail Forever chapter's Friday, Feb. 20, banquet.

Volunteer Fire Chief Todd Anderson reported to the board that during the year of 2008, the Sweet Springs Fire Department responded to 87 fires. Nienhueser recalled that the year before, the number was 106, and 126 the year before that.

The board voted to allow the fire department to purchase a large gas-powered fan to replace their broken fan. This fan is used to either blow in or suck out air from a structure on fire, which can blow out smoke and increase visibility.

Anderson noted that during a structure fire on Dec. 29, Police Officer Ben Burge, who was first on the scene, helped the wheelchair-bound male resident of that home into his wheelchair and nearly got him out of the home before others arrived on the scene. Anderson recommended that Burge have a commendation placed in his file. Police Chief Richard Downing said this would be no problem.

Anderson also noted the high number of recent structure fires caused by electric space heaters.

"I know times are tight," he said, "but people need to be careful."

Being careful, he said, includes not plugging electric space heaters into extension cords, keeping objects away from the heater, and plugging the heater, and only the heater, into an outlet.

Downing gave the police department's monthly report. During December, the department had 377 walk-ins, 454 call-ins, two alarms, four agency assists, one try-to-contact, two well-being checks, one recovered property, two juvenile referrals, two fingerprints, one report of property damage, four drive-offs with gasoline taken, three animal control, two peace disturbances, two civil matters, two warrant arrests, two reports of harassment by phone, two reports of suspicious subjects, three Ministerial Alliance referrals, three reports of burglaries, one report of a missing person (a juvenile who turned out to have simply gone out to eat with his father), and reports of nine minors in possession of alcohol.

Clevenger asked Downing if there had been any arrests for the keying of cars during the Octoberfest celebration. He responded, "We'll find out Wednesday or Thursday … I've got a couple people scheduled (those days)."

Kinney suggested people get dog tags to avoid tickets. All that is needed to get dog tags is a dog's rabies vaccination papers. Some confusion was reported regarding which dogs need tags. Kinney stated that all dogs within city limits need to have tags, regardless of whether the dog stays inside.

Sweet Springs resident Jim Miller addressed the board regarding a burglary of his home during 2008. He was missing $2,000-worth of belongings, he said, including a registered pistol and a three-wheeler. He reported the police had recovered his three-wheeler and asked why the rest had not been recovered.

Downing declined to answer Miller's question.

Kinney responded that he would be happy to discuss the matter with Miller at a later date, but that to discuss an ongoing investigation in the current setting would be inappropriate.

Miller added that he desires the chief of police to be an elected position, rather than an appointed one.

"That way, if they don't behave themselves, they don't get re-elected," he said.

In order for this to occur, said Nienhueser, the board would have to approve a motion to place the issue on a ballot for voters to decide. No such action was taken.

The board voted to pay the city's bills and transfers, amounting to $32,836.18 for the past month.

Board members voted to go into closed session to discuss matters of personnel. The next meeting of the board will be Monday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. All board members were present.

Prior to the meeting of the Board of Aldermen, the board met to organize Sweet Springs Inc., a non-profit organization that the board plans to use to obtain a grant for the purchase of a fire truck. The next meeting of Sweet Springs Inc. will be Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m.

Contact Geoff Rands at marshallreporter@socket.net