Kansas City/Dearborn
water connection nears
by Ivan
Foley
Landmark reporter
The new time frame on getting Kansas City water to Dearborn
has been set: sometime between April 15 and May 1.
That was the word delivered Monday night by Dearborn
Mayor Marvin Landes at his city's board of aldermen meeting.
When Kansas City's water becomes available, Dearborn
will begin using it even before a vault/master meter pit
is installed. Until the vault goes in, Kansas City will
use Dearborn's individual meter readings throughout the
city to get a count on the amount of water for which to
bill the city.
"That will be a good deal for us because they'll
absorb all the (cost of water lost to) leaks for awhile,"
Landes told the board.
Getting Kansas City's water to Dearborn was delayed recently
when it was discovered the wrong pipe had been used to
run the line along the Sharp Station bridge. That pipe
is now being replaced.
Landes said the specs for Dearborn's vault are at the
Kansas City water department. When the specs are approved,
it will take about five weeks for the vault to be built.
"We're looking at estimates with Kansas City laying
our portion of the line for us, with us furnishing the
materials," Landes explained.
When the connection is complete, Dearborn will disconnect
its current water plant and use the savings to help pay
for the connection to Kansas City.
Dearborn's payment to Kansas City for the line will run
about $4,000 per month. Water usage will be in addition
to that total.
In other business, the city is considering a couple of
pieces of property as a location for a new park. Acquisition
and development would be done with a $300,000 grant from
Platte County through the county's half cent sales tax
for parks. In addition, Steve Wegner, county commissioner,
was present at the meeting and told Dearborn officials
the county would also offer a dollar for dollar match
up to $100,000.
Landes said the city already has a private $5,000 donation.
"So now you have $10,000," Wegner said, referring
to the total after the county matches that $5,000.
"This money will help you keep a local park that
you'll have ownership of," the commissioner said.
Aldermen later met in executive session to discuss the
possible acquisition of park land, but Landes said no
decisions were made.
In another matter, Wegner asked the board to endorse
the county's proposed half cent sales tax for roads. He
pointed out Dearborn's portion of the tax would be about
$328,000 over the life of the tax. The tax will expire
after 10 years.
The county has been conservative in estimating income
from the proposed sales tax, Wegner said. Estimates do
not include revenue that could come from the new Zona
Rosa and Shops at Boardwalk projects currently being developed
near Barry Road, he explained.
He also said the proposal would allow for about $7 million
worth of road improvements to be made in the North Platte
School District.
After brief discussion, the aldermen unanimously passed
a resolution urging passage of the tax on April 8.
In other business, the board:
•Officially passed an ordinance spelling out the
new water rates that had been initially passed a few months
back. The new rates take effect on the next bill. The
rates will reflect an increase of 50 cents per thousand
gallons used.
"If you use 10,000 gallons a month, it will cost
you $5 a month more," Landes said.
•Passed an animal control agreement with Platte
County. A county animal control officer will respond to
calls in Dearborn once the presence of the targeted animal
has been verified by a city official. The ordinance also
spells out the definition of vicious dogs, among other
things.
•Tabled a zoning variance request by Donna Reed
at 206 W. Third Street. Parking area is the major concern
at this point, and the Reeds are to come back with a written
agreement with a neighboring property owner who has verbally
agreed to allow them to use parking areas on his property.
The board will discuss the issue again next month.
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