Emporia residents will soon be able to take advantage of a new infrastructure warranty program.
After roughly a month of discussions, Emporia City Commissioners approved an NLC service line warranty program agreement with HomeServe. The program will provide up to $8,500 in water and sewer line repairs each and up to $3,000 for indoor plumbing repairs at a minimal monthly cost to homeowners.
City Treasurer Janet Harouff says many homeowners are often unclear about where their responsibility begins and ends when it comes to water and sewer infrastructure. She says the program will help to educate homeowners while also providing them with significant cost savings.
The city will only be endorsing the program and will neither provide funding to or receive proceeds from the program. Informational packets will be sent out to Emporia homeowners within the next 60-90 days.
In other business, commissioners also approved a pair of requests, the first resolution was for easement acquisitions from Americus Road to Road F5 in relation to Evergy’s relocation to the area. The second request was for approval of the transportation alternatives program.
Commissioners also approved the appointment of Maria Salazar to the Community Housing Board and Emporia Land Bank and Mayor Becky Smith made four proclamations recognizing Community Action Month, National Small Business Week, National Public Works Week and National Police Week.
Following the action meeting, commissioners moved directly into a study session as part of its new meeting format. The main talking points included a review of potential changes to several personnel policies.
City Manager Trey Cocking says the city is looking at ways to make Emporia more competitive in terms of employee recruitment. Wednesday’s conversations focused on five areas “outside of salary” including residency requirements.
Cocking says the city currently requires all employees to live either in Lyon county or an adjacent county. He says the city is currently considering an alteration to that requirement where the city would focus on the amount of time it takes for an employee to commute to and from Emporia.
City Commissioner Erren Harter stated he feels the closer employees can live to Emporia the better, however, he understands residency requirements are a bit of a balancing act.
Commissioners have requested additional research and information be brought before them in the coming weeks.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene on Wednesday, May 18 at 11 am inside the Municipal Courtroom at White Auditorium.
