Emporia City Commissioners have approved the establishment of a new advisory board focused on overseeing issues of homelessness within the Emporia community.
Commissioners approved resolution 3700 during their regular meeting Wednesday morning establishing the homelessness advisory board which will be overseen by a city staff liaison to be appointed by city manager Trey Cocking. The board will meet monthly and provide regular updates and recommendations to the commission on the most pressing issues facing the local homeless population.
Mayor Susan Brinkman, who has been very vocal in the need for additional oversight for homeless residents, says this is an important step for the city.
The board’s establishment was one of several recommendations and will be an extension of the city’s task force on homelessness that was established following the passage of a controversial ordinance prohibiting “public camping” last November.
Brinkman says the board’s establishment is a silver lining to what she once referred to as a “direct attack” on the local homeless population.
The board will remain in place for a period of three years at which time it will be reevaluated.
In other business Wednesday, commissioners approved the acquisition of property at 1100 South Kansas Highway 99. The 30 acres of land, purchased from Richard and Colleen Miller, is located adjacent to the Emporia Municipal Airport and will serve as a buffer for the airport and nearby landowners and will provide opportunity for future expansion of the airport and the Emporia Golf Course.
In separate action, commissioners awarded a bid for the 2024 CCLIP repavement project on East Sixth between Mechanic Street and the east city limits to APAC Kansas Shears division in the amount of $752,869.69.
During their regular study session, commissioners discussed potentially abandoning the stoplight at Sixth and Constitiution after a recent lightning strike damaged the control panel cabinet. The nearby stoplight at Sixth and Congress has been “on flash” since 2011 with the hope of a hotel and convention center at the former Lowther North property. Hotel plans have now ended and the property is up for sale.
Commissioners chose to order a traffic survey to gauge the need for either traffic light in the area. The survey is expected to begin at some point over the next month but an official timeline has yet to be announced.
Commissioners also discussed potential drainage improvements for Sunset Lake near Emporia Presbyterian Manor as well as a design contract for what’s called the Southeast transmission water main, a 20-inch diameter pipe from 12th and Garfield to South and Carter.
The Emporia City Commission will next convene Wednesday August 2 at 11 am inside of White Auditorium.
