City Manager Mark McAnarney won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, following action taken by the Emporia City Commission Wednesday evening.
Following an executive session during their action session Wednesday, commissioners unanimously approved the renewal of McAnarney’s contract with the city. McAnarney is currently in his fifth year as city manager and has been an employee of the city of Emporia for the past 30 years. He gets a 2.5-percent raise, putting his salary at $135,000.
During Wednesday’s meeting, Mayor Jon Geitz stated the city of Emporia is currently in the best financial position it has seen in the past several years and credited McAnarney for this achievement. Commissioner Rob Gilligan agrees with this sentiment.
McAnarney tells KVOE News he is very appreciative for the renewal and credits the work of others around him for helping him succeed.
McAnarney says he is very proud of the work that has been done regarding city infrastructure the past several years and looks forward to continuing that work in the years to come.
In other business, commissioners also approved the execution of a Federal Aviation Administration grant to assist with ongoing work at the Emporia Municipal Airport. For the past year, the city has been working on a runway protection zone at the airport.
According to Assistant City Manager Lane Massey, Wednesday’s approval will allow the city to request a drawdown of funds.
As part of the project, the city has purchased three separate parcels of property, one of which was a home and the other two a half acre and the other over two acres of land. Massey says the original scope of the project was to demolish the house, remove the outbuildings and level the site.
Massey says the necessary paperwork will be signed and submitted to the FAA Thursday. He says the city will conduct the drawdown within 30 days of that time.
Current expectations have the project being completed by the second quarter of 2020.
In addition, commissioners also accepted a generous $90,000 donation from the Jones Trust for improvements to Eastside Memorial Park. On top of funds contributed by the city of Emporia and the Eastside Memorial Group, the total amount of available funding for park improvements comes out to just over $100,000.
Commissioners also approved a request for new utility easements for lots 1 and 2 at the Zirnstein Addition. The Emporia City Commission will hold a study session next Wednesday at 9:30 am inside city conference room 1AB at White Auditorium.
