Following approval by Emporia City Commissioners Wednesday, a proposed land transfer is in the works.
Commissioners approved the proposed transfer of Quaker Park located at the corner of 1st and Sylvan in southeast Emporia to the Emporia Land Bank by a vote of 3-1. Commissioners Jamie Sauder, Becky Smith and Danny Giefer voted in favor while Mayor Susan Brinkman offered the lone no vote.
Wednesday’s action does not mean approval for the transfer. Instead, it begins a two-week period of publication notifying the community of the proposal which will be followed by a 30-day protest and petition period.
If the proposal clears those hurdles, the item will go back before commissioners for final consideration and possible action at a later date. The process approved Wednesday is new and “experimental” according to Assistant City Manager Mark Detter. It diverts from the city’s standard process for “disposing of public property” which was agreed to a few years back according to Mayor Brinkman.
Brinkman says the diversion from that process, is only one of several concerns that led to her no-vote Wednesday.
Detter noted these feelings were valid and added this is why there is a protest period in play as part of the process.
If the transfer were ultimately approved, plans are to construct three single-family residential units on the property with one set aside for Habitat for Humanity. The proposed three new units would bring 56 new homes to the southeast corridor when coupled with the 53 units set to be constructed as part of the Krestsinger subdivision.
Separately Wednesday, commissioners approved an amendment to the 2023 budget in the multi-year, library, drug forfeiture, water, wastewater and equipment reserve funds. The reason for the amendment was due to each fund exceeding the original budgeted amounts. Commissioners approved the amendment unanimously.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners approved several appointments to various boards and committees, a drawdown of $250,000 from the Kahola Fund for a skate park inside Whittier Park and a supplemental agreement with BG Consultants on the Southeast Transmission Water Main project from 12th and Garfield to South and Carter.
