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City manager reports funding-freeze impacts, water main repair and open grant opportunities
Summary
City Manager Mark Westhoff updated the commission on limited impacts from a recent federal funding freeze, a Fourth and Main water main leak requiring a custom clamp, delivery of a new street sweeper, open ARPA nonprofit grants and a community survey; commissioners also thanked emergency responders and wished the mayor a speedy recovery.
City Manager Mark Westhoff told the Atchison City Commission that the recent federal funding freeze briefly affected some grant reimbursement systems but, as of the meeting, most systems appear accessible.
"A lot of our, state grants that we receive actually get some federal money, and there's a lot of open questions about whether those would have been impacted," Westhoff said. He noted the city identified at least one police grant for body cameras for which staff could not access the reimbursement system during the freeze; the city will report any further issues if they arise.
Westhoff also thanked the police and fire departments and partner agencies for their response to several recent serious incidents. "I just wanted to take a minute to thank both chiefs and their officers and firefighters... and, have been helping keep our community safe," he said, specifically acknowledging the Atchison County Sheriff, EMS, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
On infrastructure, Westhoff reported a water main leak at Fourth and Main that will require a custom clamp because the pipe is unusually large. The clamp is expected to be installed on Wednesday; the intersection will remain closed at least through installation and affected customers have been notified. "We had to even order a custom clamp to go over this because the water main is so large," Westhoff said.
Westhoff said the new city street sweeper has been delivered and will be used to remove winter debris. He encouraged residents to report potholes and missing or damaged signs and said crews will be working on both repairs and sign replacement.
He also reminded residents that the city's ARPA nonprofit grant program application is open until Feb. 7 and the community survey is available at atchisonsurvey.org or by paper version delivered to addresses; the survey closing date was not printed on the mailed copies, Westhoff said. "The ARPA nonprofit grant program is open until February 7... The community survey is out right now," he said.
During governing-body comments, commissioners thanked emergency responders and wished the mayor a speedy recovery. The commission then approved a motion to adjourn to a land bank; a voice vote was recorded with the motion moved and seconded and the chair calling for "Aye."
