City of McLouth SPRING 2 0 1 5 A word from Mayor Keith Meador Spring 2015 Good Day Everyone: Over the past few years I have asked a number of times to get your assistance in keeping our city clean, and with your help we’ve been doing rather well, Thank You! Please keep up the good work. I would like to comment on a few things that have been recently occurring on our city streets. A few years ago the city passed an ordinance addressing the type of off road vehicles that can be on our streets. Work Site Utility Vehicles (UTV) are legal, with the City of McLouth Code. (Chapter 14. Article 3) In recent weeks there have been a number of ATV’s and non street legal motorcycles on our streets. This needs to stop please. These vehicles are not designed to be on asphalt and concrete streets. They aren’t safe to be driven on our streets. Also the people that have been speeding on our residential streets need to slow down. We have a lot of young people walking on our streets. The speed limits and the stop signs are in place for a reason, please obey them. Recently there has been a vehicle tearing up Rose Park and Prairie Park, by doing donuts in the grass and tearing up the soil, please stop this. Our parks aren’t for mudding and tearing up they are for families to enjoy. We have a number of events this spring and summer coming up so let’s enjoy all of them and be safe. -Mayor Meador U t i l i t y S u p e r i n t e n d e n t G a r y Tu l l i s Inside this issue: Administrator/Clerk 2 Patriots Day 2 Information you can use! 3 Level Payment/ACH 4 McLouth Police Dept 5-7 Fire Department 7 2015 Consumer Con- 8-9 fidence Report Winter is about over , spring is almost here time to think about summer projects. One of the main projects is to try to get some of our streets asphalted and potholes patched. The streets that appear to be in the worst need for repair are Granite from Lucy to K16 and Cedar from Cynthia to Lucy, but will depend upon bids received and budget available. We also have Dukes Root Control coming in to check and spray some of our sewer mains for roots. This is EPA approved and will not harm any trees. But roots are not our main cause of blockage disinfecting wipes and shop towels are. Please do not flush either of them they do not dissolve they cling to the pipe and build up till they cause a blockage. Our wells have recovered and are at normal pool. We still continue to monitor them monthly to assure that they stay at the normal pool range. We would like to thank everyone who attempted to keep their vehicles off the streets on the days we had to push snow . -Gary Tullis Calendar of Events April 18: Patriots Day June 6: BBQ Blow Out Sept. 18, 19 & 20: Threshing Bee D e c e mb e r 5 : Tree Lighting Page 2 City of McLouth C i t y A d m i n i s t r a t o r / C l e r k K i m E v e r l e y, C M C Happy Spring! It’s been a long cold winter but we missed out on a lot of the snow that so many communities received. I would like to give you an update of future events. Streets: We plan on doing some street repairs this year. Lovers Lane is on the list. There was a bit of damage done by a contractor when they were working in town. I’ve kept in contact with them and they are going to take care of that issue. They have offered to pay for that section when we bring in the asphalt company for other repairs. I’m holding them to their word. Other streets to consider are listed under the Utility Superintendent’s report. Sewer: The sewer system is something many folks don’t think about. We here at City Hall think about it often. We conduct many preventative measures to keep the sewer flowing. This year we are going to try a new product. You might see a truck come around your neighborhood putting a foam product down the manhole. The treatment is made to prevent roots from growing in the sewer line. The company is licensed and the product is EPA approved. Not only does it kill the roots but it will also control the grease. As many of you know, we take pride in keeping our system maintained and working properly. With that said, we need your help to insure the system can do that. You can help by: 1) Not planting trees close to the sewer lines. 2) Not flushing baby wipes or cleaning wipes down the drain. 3) Don’t throw unnecessary items in the toilet. i.e.: Kleenex, cotton balls, paper towels, napkins, feminine products, and GREASE. By doing these simple things, we can keep the sewers running freely without any repair expense. Everyone knows that keeping up with maintenance is the best way to keep things running smoothly. Water: We all love water. Baths, laundry, drinking and all of the many wonderful ways that we use water. We need to make certain that our children and grandchildren have water as well. Be sure to shut it off, when you are not using it. Brushing your teeth and leaving the water running is one of the biggest wastes of water. Be conscious of the water that goes straight down the drain that is money flowing away. Improvements have been made at the water plant. Gary has installed new heaters and added a propane tank. If you all remember last winter, as cold as it was, we had heater failure. This caused freezing and problems. We should not have an issue like that again. We have no scheduled water projects. We will conduct regular maintenance items but nothing big has been planned. Let’s hope it stays that way. “Big Day in a Small Town” McLouth Patriots Day April 18, 2015 Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 Wa y s Y O U c a n h e l p ! When to Vote: April 7, 2015 Where to Vote: McLouth Fire Station Baby Wipe and Cleansing Wipes Do not flush Throw it in the Trash! Little reminder that some of these products “claim” to dissolve when flushed. That really is not the case. We do not want anything going down the drain that could cause issues. Please make certain you throw them away….not flush them away. Thank you! Water leaking from dripping faucets, showerheads and worn toilet flappers in one average American home can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, or the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry. These types of leaks are often easily correctable, in many cases requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills. Fix it and Save!!! 104 W. Lucy Street McLouth, KS 66054 Time to Vote: 7am to 7pm ***************************************** City of McLouth: 3 Council Positions 5 Candidates – George Bowen, Dixie Jones, Don Nowak, J. Michael Woodhead, Harlan Woodring ***************************************** USD 342: Position 1 Nathan Jolley, 20216 K92 Hwy, McLouth, KS 66054 Position 2 Andy Sullivan, 8459 259th St., McLouth, KS 66054 Position 3 Dean Wolfe, 17024 54th St, McLouth, KS 66054 Position 7 Michael Clark, 5727 Wellman Rd, McLouth, KS 66054 Position 7 Kim Troupe, 9601 Wildhorse Rd, McLouth, KS 66054 Position 7 Scott Weissenbach, P.O. Box 104, McLouth, KS 66054 *this information per the Jefferson County Web Site Dumpster Etiquette: We all want to clean up! Please make certain that everyone gets a chance. The City is provided with 6 dumpsters a year, free of charge, per our S.M. Ball contract. Dumpster Usage is for: -Utility Residents only! - No businesses! Need to dig? Call 811 first! -ONE Truck load per day, per household! It’s free—They will notify all of the utility No: Tires, Oil, Paint or Combustible companies that you need to stay safe. Fluids, if in doubt, do not put it in the dumpster! Know your Number I am referring to your house number. Long ago, the City worked with the County to establish the house numbers for the 911 Emergency Service. Over time, some of the house numbers have become incorrect. It is important that you display your house numbers, on the front of your home. In the event of an emergency, you want the emergency personnel to locate your home quickly and without question. In addition to emergency situations, you need to make certain your information is correct for correspondence reasons. In talking with Westar, I found that many of the addresses listed for homes and businesses where not correct. This can create confusion when you want to change or disconnect services. Please take a little bit of time and: Verify your address with your City Bill, if in question call: 913-796-6411 Display the correct address, in large numbers, on the front of your home Check your mail, many residents receive their mail to a P.O. Box, check the account address to make certain that your address is correct. Rest easy, knowing that if you have an emergency, help can find you! Page 4 City of McLouth Level Pay/ACH Level Payment Time - On line services available: Www.CityofMcLouth.org A convenience fee will apply Does it seem hard to juggle the winter time bills? During the month of March, up to mid April, the City of McLouth, offers enrollment for LEVEL PAYMENT. We calculate your level payment amount based on your past 12 months account history. Call or Stop by City Hall to see what that amount will be. Sign an agreement form. We can start the agreed amount on your next billing, it’s that easy! You’ll receive your monthly bill, it will provide you with your usage information along with your amount due, per your agreement. It will also provide you with the balance in your utility account. If you decide Level Pay isn’t for you, contact City Hall. The account balance will be refunded, minus any balance due and you can resume your regular monthly payment. ACH – The most convenient way to pay your City Bill! Fill out the form, attach a voided check, bring it all to City Hall. We will take it from there. You will be mailed your monthly bill, it will include all of your usage and inform you of the amount and date your account will be drafted. The draft will be made at midnight on the 15th of every month. If that date falls on a weekend or holiday, it will draft the next day. You will never be charged a late fee again! Bundle Level Pay with ACH and your City bill will be taken care of! Set up your Level Payment agreement, provide your ACH information, that will start the process. Your account will be drafted the same amount, at the same time, every month. No late fees, no large bills, no surprises! Pet Registration renewal time is here! As you have read before the City has been forced to change software. Thomas Reutter, our current software company, has decided to discontinue supporting Cities. What does this mean to you? It means that we may not be able to address your needs as quickly as you would like for the next couple of months. and our data has been converted from the old system to the new system, training has begun. This is where patience comes into play. We will be learning a new system at the same time that we are assisting customers on the old system. Other programs that will be converted are Bank Reconciliation, Payroll and Utilities. Permits expire on June 30 CIC, Computer Information Concepts, Inc. is the winning software company. I reviewed, tested, talked with and renegotiated with 3 companies. CIC seems to offer the best programs, for a city of our size, at the best price. The new installation has already started. We are in the conversion phase of the budgeting program. Once the software is installed We will be training on the new system for the next couple of months. Training should be over at the end of May when our May bill will be processed. It will be process using the new CIC system Late Fee: We do appreciate your understanding during this very busy and time consuming learning time. Bring a copy of the Rabies Vaccination with you, upon registering Fees: $8.00 fertile $5.00 spayed or neutered $2.00 per month/per animal Register your animal in June to prevent late fees Registration is good from July 1st to June 30th (Annually) Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 5 SPRING 2015 MCLOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT Marcus F. Koch – Chief of Police Greetings to everyone in McLouth! It is always great to feel warmer temperatures and see more people out and about as the weather becomes nicer. Please, be cognizant of increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic as you move around town. COMMITMENT TO SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT: As your police department, we are committed to protecting people and property and it is our duty to enforce the laws that are established by our governing bodies. As a community, we all have a role in maintaining that equation. What we do does have an effect on others. Some people choose to promote and increase safety and closely obey the laws. Others choose to ignore these aspects of good citizenship and ultimately decrease safety by doing what they want because, for some reason, they act as if the law does not apply to them or it is an inconvenience to them. We would like to see everyone make every effort to make McLouth a safe and pleasant place to live, work and go to school and church by abiding by the laws that are ultimately in place for the overall good of everyone in the community. NEW POLICE OFFICER: After several months of being short-handed, I have added a new police officer. In the middle of November, Joel Gill was hired to fill the full-time position that was vacated at the end of July. If you do not already know him (and many of you do), Joel is from McLouth and a 2006 graduate of McLouth High School. Joel served several years as a correctional officer for the Kansas Department of Corrections at Lansing Penitentiary. On April 10th, Joel will graduate from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center after very competently completing the vigorous 14-week training program. Joel is excellent in working with young people, having already been an assistant athletic coach at the school so you will see him interacting at many school games and functions. I am confident that Joel will be very dedicated and employ a community-policing and a pro-active approach to his duties, with a focus on public safety. The increased police coverage should be evident. CODE ENFORCEMENT: As winter gives way to spring, it becomes a great time to start or continue the cleanup process in town. At the direction of the City Council and the ordinances, it is the responsibility of the officers of this city to see that codes are enforced and to take action when violations are observed and/or reported. I have delegated the majority of the Health and Welfare code enforcement to Police Officer Paul Juedes and have designated him as the Code Enforcement Officer. He is charged with the administration and enforcement of specific codes that will address a number of situations that are or become out of compliance. Special attention will be given to the downtown area as we continue to work on the improvement of this area. If you were to be contacted by our department regarding a code violation, please be respectful of the process and/or of the officer performing his job. I am asking everyone’s help and cooperation to see that everyone is in compliance with the code. Areas of concern include, but are not limited to the following: Continued to page 6 Page 6 City of McLouth HEALTH NUISANCES: Unlawful: Exterior conditions (yard) -the scattering over or the parking, leaving, depositing or accumulation on the yard of any of the following: 1. lumber, wire, metal, tires, concrete, masonry products, plastic products, supplies, equipment, machinery, auto parts, junk or refuse 2. abandoned motor vehicles 3. furniture, stoves, refrigerators, televisions, sinks, bicycles, lawn mowers, or other such items of personal property 4. nauseous substances, carcasses of dead animals or places where animals are kept in an offensive manner Exterior conditions (structure) -deteriorated, dilapidated or unsightly: 1. exteriors of any structure 2. exteriors of any accessory structure 3. fences, walls, or retaining walls Unlawful: Junked motor vehicles on private property (does not apply to vehicles enclosed in a garage or other building; parking or storing for 30 consecutive days or less; businesses in compliance with existing zoning regulations or with placement behind sufficient screening from public view and to prohibit access by children): -Junked, wrecked, dismantled, inoperative or abandoned *Any one of the following conditions shall raise the presumption that a vehicle is junked, wrecked or inoperable: 1. absence of a current registration plate 2. absence of one or more parts of the vehicle necessary for the lawful operation of the vehicle upon street of highway Unlawful Weeds and grasses on or about residential property which, because of its height, has a blighting influence on the neighborhood. Any such weeds and indigenous grasses shall be presumed to be blighting if they exceed 12 inches in height ANIMAL CONTROL: All dogs and cats that are owned and kept within the city limits are to be registered at City Hall; which would involve providing proof of rabies vaccination, the payment of a nominal license fee and then displaying the registration tag on the pet’s collar or harness Prohibited: dogs and cats that run at large within the city limits Prohibited: more than 3 dogs kept at a residence/location within the city limits Prohibited: pit bull-type dogs (dogs which have the appearance and characteristics of being predominantly of the breeds of dogs known as Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier or American pit bull terrier) that are kept within the city limits Continued to page 7 Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 7 Fire department Even though we have seen cold temperatures this winter, we did not get the moisture that we needed. With that being stated, the grass is very dry. The fire departments have already been very busy since February with out of control grass fires. You MUST have a burn permit to be able to burn outside and then you have to call the day you are wanting to burn to see if burning is allowed that day. Per City Code 7-205. OPEN BURNING, REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES. (a) Open burning within the City Limits shall be permitted only under the following conditions: 1. A permit must first be obtained from the City Clerk during normal business hours, and from the Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chief at all other times. 2. Issuance of a permit shall be at the discretion of the City Clerk or Fire Chief or Assistant Fire Chief, and based upon the Fire Danger Index for the day requested. The Fire Danger Index is based upon current temperature, wind speed and humidity conditions. 3. Permits shall be valid for one calendar year. 4. Burning shall be permitted only during daylight hours. 5. Burning shall be limited to brush, tree limbs, lumber, leaves. Paper and cardboard materials may be burned only in an enclosed container covered by a wire mesh or similar, non-combustible material. (b) This section shall apply to all residential and commercial persons and entities. (c) Violation of this section shall be enforced by any member of the Police Department, Fire Department, or city building inspector, irrespective of how reported or discovered. Violators shall be issued a Notice To Appear in Municipal Court. (d) Violation of this section shall constitute a code violation, with the maximum penalty to be a determinate jail term of not more than 30 days, and/or a fine not to exceed $500. Each separate date of a violation shall constitute a distinct and separate offense, punishable as a separate violation. (Ord. 2001-04; Code 2012) Individuals to contact about a burn permits are: Keith Meador, City Fire Chief, at 913-683-9403; Marie Meador, Captain, at 913-683-9268 or 913-796-6982; Patrick Bartlett, Township Fire Chief at 785-691-8979; or City Hall at 913-7966411. Jefferson County now has a new Code Red Weather Warning which will alert you to local emergencies for example: evacuation notices, severe weather conditions, bio-terrorism alerts, boil water notices or missing child reports. Go to the http://www.jfcountyks.com/ and click on the Code Red Weather Warning symbol in the lower right corner of the page. Then just fill in the requested information. You can get alerts to your home phone, cell phone or e-mail. This a great way to stay informed on emergencies in your local area. Page 8 City of McLouth 2015 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Per KDHE, the City of McLouth must distribute our CCR report to all utility customers. Additional copies may be picked up at City Hall, USD 342, Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Coop or the Library. Copies will be included in the Spring Newsletter for the City of McLouth. Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 9 First Class US Postage City of McLouth Paid Permit No. 8 McLouth, KS SPRING 2015 City of McLouth 110 N Union Street McLouth, KS 66054 Phone: 913-796-6411 Fax: 913-796-6131 Web: www.cityofmclouth.org Email: [email protected] ************************ Scrap Metal Dealer’s Registration _________________ Per the State of Kansas &City of McLouth Code 2012 There is requirement from the state of Kansas, anyone who engages in the business of buying and dealing in regulated scrap metal and purchases, gathers, collects, solicits, or procuring of regulated scrap metal, must have a permit. The permit may be purchased, at City Hall, FOR $250.00, after completing the application process. Please see Chapter 5, Article 3 of the City of McLouth Code. On-line or at City Hall, for details. PUBLIC NOTICE * FYI…Several laws pertaining to POLITICAL SIGNS as per the McLouth City Zoning Book are as follows: ************************ played for not more than sixty (60) days. 17-103. GENERAL SIGN REQUIREMENTS. 2. To prevent the obstruction of traffic visibility and confusion with traffic control devices resulting from improperly placed and designed signs. 1. Traffic Safety. No sign shall be maintained at any location where it may interfere with the view of, or where it may obstruct view of, or interfere with, mislead or confuse traffic. Nor shall any sign be placed in the visibility triangle as defined in these Regulations, or project into said area unless the bottom edge of the projecting sign is at least twelve (12) feet above the centerline grade of the intersecting streets. 17-102 DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this Article, certain terms, phrases and words used throughout this Article shall have the meaning assigned them in this section. 6. SIGNS NOT TO BE LOCATED WITHIN PUBLIC RIGHTOF-WAY. No sign shall be erected, constructed or maintained within the right-of-way of any street, avenue, highway, alley, or upon public ground within the City. 1. GENERAL h. Sign. Any advertising device or surface placed out-of-doors, when in view of the general public, which conveys information or identification. Included in this definition of “sign” shall be any structure used for said display and all sign supports. 17-104. PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS. Chapter XVII. DISTRICT SIGN REGULATIONS Article 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS 17-101 SCOPE, OBJECTIVES: 2. CLASSIFICATION OF SIGNS. a. Functional Types of Signs. (10) Political Sign. A sign pertaining to the announcement of an individual being a candidate for an elective political office. Any such sign exceeding thirtytwo (32) square feet of gross surface area shall be classified as an off-site sign and regulated accordingly. (14) Temporary Sign. Any on-site sign, including, but, not limited to, signs of lightweight cardboard, airborne, plastic or paper material, intended to be dis- PERMIT and fees not required per paragraph 5 of this section and line 1 which states: 1. Political signs, when located on private property with the permission of the owner or tenants, provided that not more than four (4) signs shall be allowed for each street frontage per zoning lot. Total area of all signs shall not exceed sixty-four (64) square feet per zoning lot. All signs shall be removed within seven (7) days following the election in which the candidate is elected to office or is eliminated from further participation in the election as a candidate. *Note: This section is not a complete listing of the zoning laws for signage. For a complete copy of the zoning laws please review the Zoning Book for McLouth, Ks. Located at McLouth City Hall, Chapter XVII DISTRICT SIGN REGULATIONS in its entirety.
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