Emporia City Commissioners will consider establishing a new revenue stream for stormwater utility improvements next month following initial discussions Wednesday.
City Engineer Jim Ubert presented the item to commissioners during their regular study meeting Wednesday afternoon noting that Emporia is one of only three “cities in the first-class” in the state without such a fund. At this time, Ubert says the city is having to pull dollars from other city funds to address issues that arise.
Additionally, Ubert says that the lack of a dedicated revenue stream has meant the city has had to be “reactionary” rather than “proactive” when it comes to addressing updates and improvements noting they are currently only addressing the “worst of the worst.”
According to Ubert, the revenue stream would be funded by a $1 fee placed on all city property — residential, commercial and industrial — per every 3,500 square feet of said property. If approved, the new fee would be added to residents’ monthly water bill.
Commissioners will consider the item at their next regular meeting and if approved, the fee will go into effect September 2025.
In separate study business Wednesday, commissioners had their latest review of the 2025 budget focusing on city utility funds. Additional conversations focused on the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to Schools program, Road F and the appointment of a commissioner to Emporia Enterprises.
Before convening their study session on Wednesday, commissioners held their regular action session. They approved the “single stream recyclables processing amendment” alongside a solid waste contract amendment with Hamm Companies. The amendment will see notable increases in recycling fees including the base rate going from $45 to $105 per ton and the trucking rate rising from $295 to $625 per load.
Altogether, this will mean a $100,000 increase in costs for the city of Emporia which Public Works Director Dean Grant says is sizeable, however, the city will receive several benefits from it.
Per discussions Wednesday, this is the first increase in rates for the city since 2015 according to Charlie Sedlock of Hamm Companies, who appeared at Wednesday’s meeting via conference call. Sedlock says the original contract called for the rates to be increased annually since 2015, however, due to computer and process issues on Hamm’s end the city’s price was held flat.
Because of that and “very good negotiating by staff,” the city had some of the best rates in the Midwest.
In separate action commissioners:
*Approved signing the scope of work paperwork and awarding a Community Development Block Grant for the Gazette Building Collective.
*Approved an amendment to city code regarding animals and fowl.
*Awarded a contract for bridge improvements.
*Awarded the City Connecting Link Improvement Program project contract to APAC Shears for over $790,000.
Newly elected commissioner Tyler Curtis was also sworn into office at the start of the meeting. Curtis was chosen to fill the remainder of the term left by longtime commissioner Danny Giefer who passed away in July.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, September 4 at 11 am at White Auditorium.
