Votes at a glance: Arkansas City Commission approves grant application, trail engineering, fee schedule, sewer fix, engineering review and radios

The Arkansas City Commission on Jan. 7 approved a package of resolutions and agreements covering historic-preservation grant work, trail engineering, the comprehensive fee schedule, a water-treatment engineering review, an emergency sewer main replacement and the purchase of encrypted-capable radios for fire/EMS.

Historic-preservation grant: The commission authorized the city to apply for a Historic Preservation Fund grant administered by the National Park Service to revise the National Register nomination for the Downtown Arkansas City commercial district. Staff said the city is seeking up to $25,000 to hire a consultant to complete the nomination/updates; the program requires a 40% match but staff said most or all of that match can be in-kind services. The grant project, if awarded, would likely run through 2026; staff said property owners would have to consent to additions to the district and that state tax credits could become available for eligible rehabilitation projects.

Hike/bike trail engineering: The commission approved a resolution authorizing the city to enter into Agreement No. 884-24 with Smith & Oaks, Inc., and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to provide federal-aid construction engineering services for hike/bike Trail Project No. 18TE-0471-01. Staff said construction inspection and related engineering costs (about $130,000) are already included in the project budget passed at an earlier meeting.

Comprehensive fee schedule: The commission adopted the 2025 comprehensive fee schedule, repealing prior resolution No. 2024083641. The adopted schedule incorporates new neighborhood-services fees for neglected buildings and demolition abatements, moves environmental-services fees to the appropriate department, reclassifies water-meter and sewer-utility rates and extends forecasted rates through 2029 for transparency.

Water-treatment engineering review: The commission authorized a letter agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., Inc., for professional services to investigate elevated chloride discharges at the wastewater plant for an amount not to exceed $25,000. Staff said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) flagged the issue and that an engineer’s formal opinion will help the city and support grant applications (for example, a green sand filter project).

Emergency sewer main replacement: The commission authorized the city to enter into an emergency contract with Kuhn Mechanical (contractor name in agenda) to replace a collapsing sewer main beneath the BNSF Railway for an estimated $477,822, subject to fee fluctuations related to railroad permitting and specialty work. Staff said the existing pipe under the railroad is clay, approximately 340–350 feet in length under the tracks, and will be replaced with a new, cased installation and modern pipe (staff mentioned HDPE). The work is to be funded from the city’s sewer fund.

Fire/EMS radios: The commission authorized the purchase of nine APX 8000 portable dual-band radios (Motorola Solutions) compliant with the Kansas State Interoperable Communications System (KSICS) 800 MHz encryption requirements for an amount not to exceed $67,715.10 (shipping excluded). Staff said the purchase was budgeted and is required to maintain interoperability and encryption capability under state requirements.

Outcomes: Each resolution and contract above was approved by the commission (voice votes or roll call as noted in the record). Several items received brief discussion but no amendments; Burns & McDonnell’s contract and the sewer emergency work were identified as budgeted or to be funded from existing utility funds. Staff follow-up: the Planning Department will handle public outreach and consultant selection for the historic-district nomination; the Public Works and Environmental Services departments will oversee engineering and construction items.