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Washington council adopts ordinances, resolutions and program updates; staff reports grant awards and infrastructure issues
Summary
The City Council approved a package of actions including Ordinance No. 825 withdrawing from the KMGA, Resolution 2025-03 for GRDA power purchase, KRWA apprenticeship acceptance and wage scale, multiple water policy updates, diesel fuel purchase, and ratified a $60,000 bid authority for a 2002 E-One fire pumper; staff reported reallocation of $213,468.71 for sewer lining and award of a playground grant.
At its Feb. 3 meeting the Washington City Council approved several ordinances, resolutions and administrative measures intended to manage utility arrangements, workforce training and emergency plans, and to move forward on capital and operating needs.
The council adopted Ordinance No. 825, authorizing the city’s withdrawal as a full member of the Kansas Municipal Gas Agency (motion by Carolyn Pinnick, seconded by Terry Morse). The body also approved Resolution 2025-03, authorizing execution of a Grand River Dam Authority power purchase agreement under the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency framework (motion by Pinnick, seconded by Morse). Both votes were unanimous among the voting members present.
Council approved Appropriations Ordinance 2025-02 (motion by Pinnick, seconded by Morse) and set administrative and program actions including: adopting the Kansas Rural Water Association Employer Acceptance Agreement for a water apprenticeship program and a four-step wage scale for apprentices ($15.00/hr entry, rising to $18.00 after 4,000 hours); appointing City Administrator Carl Chalfant as the KRWA voting delegate; and adopting updated water-related policies including the Emergency Water Supply Plan, Emergency Wastewater Supply Plan, Municipal Water Conservation Plan, and the Water Distribution System Valve Maintenance Program. All motions passed on unanimous recorded votes.
The council ratified authorization for the City Administrator to bid up to $60,000 for a 2002 E-One fire pumper at Purple Wave (motion by Amy Anderson, seconded by Carolyn Pinnick) and approved purchase of a tanker of dyed diesel fuel at $2.47 per gallon from Sapp Brothers, Inc. (motion by Pinnick, seconded by Fuhrken). The mayor’s appointment of Nathan Schuessler to the Cedar Hills Golf Course board was approved. By consensus the council directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance to increase water rates by $0.50 per 1,000 gallons; this was a direction to prepare legislation, not a final adoption of new rates.
In staff reports City Administrator Carl Chalfant said USDA notified the city that $213,468.71 remaining from a water project grant could be reallocated; staff requested and received approval to use the funds for sewer lining and started work on a joint bid packet. Staff also reported the KDHE playground surfacing grant was submitted and CDBG awarded the playground grant. The city received an ambulance staffing waiver through Feb. 1, 2027; the city received EIG grant payment for four students totaling $4,600 with a fifth payment pending; and Harbor Freight donated $200 for tools to remove helmets and face masks on ambulances. Washington was selected as an overnight stop for Biking Across Kansas on June 11, 2025.
Staff reported storm-related property damage and repair costs after a Jan. 5–6 snowstorm: an unidentified person operating a loader damaged a sanitary sewer top casting and a wooden storm inlet, estimated at approximately $6,000 in repairs. The snow-removal spreadsheet for city operations totaled $15,713.81. The council closed with a motion to enter executive session on non-elected personnel and later adjourned the meeting at 9:40 p.m.
