City presents updates on projects, restaurant

Chanute city commissioners heard updates on city projects during Monday evening’s meeting, ranging from the fiber optic broadband network to the golf course restaurant.

The commission saw videos of the Santa Fe Park ballfields and the downtown restroom construction as part of an update on capital improvement projects.

City Manager Todd Newman also showed overhead views of the improvement project at Plummer Avenue and 21st Street. That project is on track despite weather delays.

“This is no longer a shortcut to town. This is a thoroughfare,” Newman said.

The ballpark project also had weather delays and are about two weeks behind schedule, he said. By the time it is completed, the project will be valued at $1.7 to $1.8 million.

“It’s great work by city crews,” Newman said, noting that the fields may not be fully open until 2024.

“A community a lot bigger than us is super jealous,” Commissioner Phil Chaney commented.

The next phase of the fiber optic expansion will begin after Labor Day and connect along Main Street from Santa Fe west to Lincoln School.

The current system has 800 customers out of 1,900 potential connections. The project started with a goal of 1,000 customers and a take rate of 25 percent, Newman said. Instead the take rate is 43 percent, and the next phase will add 800 potential customers.

Construction of the downtown restroom facility is waiting on water service, which could take two to three weeks.

“Our water guys are just totally slammed,” Newman said.

Heating, cooling and electrical wiring are in. The facility will have a foyer with an information center.

The CIP report also showed the city landfill’s new trash baler, which replaced a machine that was 30 years old.

In his regular city manager’s report, Newman said the city received two applicants to replace Dalton’s Back 9 at the golf course clubhouse. The golf course advisory committee will consider between Outsiders Bar & Grill and Colborn’s Kitchen to recommend for the space.

The agreement is negotiable, Newman said, and the applicants have accepted the equipment that Dalton’s installed and the city purchased. Newman said he thought a couple of other potential applicants backed out because of the size of the space.

Also in his report, Newman said it will not be possible to move a memorial installed by the former Veterans of Foreign War as one piece. He recommended that the city remove plaques honoring the branches of service and donate them to the American Legion.

The commission voted 4-1 to approve an ordinance change that would allow utility customers outside the city limits to serve on the Parks Advisory Board.

Commissioner Phil Chaney, who voted against the change, said he felt that taxpayers should direct how the parks department spends funds. Commissioner Tim Fairchild, who did not attend the previous meeting, asked if there was an issue with apathy, but later backed off of his comment.

At the previous commission meeting, commissioners approved three of four applicants to fill vacancies on the parks board, including Taylor Hogue, who lives northwest of Chanute. Newman said she is a very involved community member.

Residents outside the city limits also shop in the city and pay sales tax, City Attorney David Brake said, which is a significant portion of the city’s general fund. Newman said sales tax contributes a third.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to expand an ordinance that prohibits parking on grass in residential areas.

Commissioners Fairchild and Sam Budreau voted against the ordinance, which requires vehicles parked in front yards to be on an all-weather surface if the owner pays residential utility rates.

Some residential properties are located in areas zoned for commercial use. Those residents pay utilities at residential rates, and commissioners at the previous meeting asked if there are commercial customers paying residential rates. City staff found that all owners are charged accordingly.

Residents are not ready for the ordinance, Budreau said. City officials are in the process of determining areas that will go from alley-based trash pickup to curbside next year, which would limit street parking. Commissioner Kevin Berthot said he agreed with Budreau, although he supported the ordinance amendment and voted in favor of it.

Commissioners also approved an ordinance that changes the fuel adjustment on electric bills from a monthly basis to a 12-month rolling average. The change is in response to increases in natural gas prices, and follows a similar measure at the previous meeting to change natural gas bills from a monthly to a quarterly average.

Using an average will spread out increases and lessen the impact to customers, although Fairchild asked if it would also lessen the benefit when fuel prices decreased.

An amendment to the city’s lease agreement with the Chanute Recreation Commission for the rec center was also approved. The amendment lifts a cap on the rental fund for building maintenance.

In other action, the commission approved Neighborhood Revitalization Program applications for Cleaver Development and KJA Enterprises.

Cleaver plans to construct an 80- by 125-foot commercial building with overhead doors and an office at 2103 S. Santa Fe. KJA Enterprises will remodel a residential rental property at 904 N. Lafayette.

Commissioners reviewed the ordinance that allows golf carts and utility vehicles on city streets, but took no action. The city issued 49 permits in 2021 and 48 in 2022, with 12 permits issued as of the end of February.

The city’s position on golf carts on streets has not changed, Newman said, and Police Chief Chris Pefley said he was opposed. Golf carts do not have crumple zones in an impact, Pefley said.

Chaney said he understood there were issues with underage drivers and drivers under the influence.

Existing state law does not allow golf carts on streets between sunset and sunup. Brake said he did not hear a consensus to expand golf cart use, and instead heard a reluctance to change the ordinance.

Commissioners found properties in violation of city code at 505 N. Central, owned by the William S. and Rebecca A. Markham Living Trust; 1306 S. Central, owned by Kallen G. Yockey; 1006 N. Grant, owned by Kevin E. Clark; 519 N. Evergreen, owned by Russell Heinold; 507 W. 7th, owned by John E. and Tracy Deann Woods; 218 W. 7th, owned by Anita Eufemia Oxlaj-Gomez and Tomas Ronald-Gomez; and 803 N. Steuben, owned by Thomas Taylor.

The annual city spring cleanup will be May 1-6, Newman said.

In his comments at the end of the meeting, Chaney repeated his opposition to the sale of a property by the Chanute Land Bank to the land bank board’s president.

KJA Enterprise owner Kellen Adams, who as president of the Chanute Regional Development Authority is also chair of the land bank board, abstained from the vote on the sale of the property at 515 N. Santa Fe. The only other bid was from the adjacent Area Agency on Aging, which planned to tear down the residence for office and parking lot expansion.

KJA planned to renovate the house as a rental residence.

Chaney said the by-laws do not allow for abstention, and prohibit a board member from benefitting from land bank action.

Berthot echoed Chaney’s comments and said there are questions from the action that have not been answered.