Alva Review-Courier -

All the kiddos who love to swim, the swim team and others who enjoy the pool will be happy to know Kiowa's Swimming Pool is set to open on Memorial Day.

This is according to Kiowa's City Administrator Sam Demel who made the announcement at the council's May 9 meeting. Since the meeting occurred, Demel said the city hired Christina Duvall as pool manager. He was interviewing lifeguard applicants Monday and said he had more candidates than he had open positions.

Demel told council they may have found the source of the leak at the pool which is a crack near the drain. He's found a company who can fix the the problem. The city was going to paint the pool last week.

Waterline Replacement Nears Completion, Hazelton Water Rates

Demel told council he had one of regular meetings with BG Consultants and NOWAK who are completing the major waterline replacement project for Kiowa. He said the transmission line along Tri-City Road is 100 percent complete. The waterline replacement in Kiowa is 97 percent finished, he said.

Council approved pay requests from BG for $25,547.49; and from NOWAK for $226,479.82.

The agenda listed Hazelton Water Rates. Demel said Kiowa's City Council has not yet adjusted Hazelton's water rates. Those rates are currently $2.84 cents/1000 gallon.

“We need to adjust their water rates,” Demel said. He and council wanted to reiterate that any increase will be for only for expenses associated with improvements to the wellhouse south of Sharon and the transmission line. None of the cost of replacing the waterlines in the City of Kiowa will be included in determining Hazelton water rates.

Demel wants to research further and discuss more with council so the rate issue was tabled.

More Kiowa City Council Action, drainage and Discussion

Once again discussing the water drainage problem on the southeast side of Kiowa, council is trying to help the problem. Demel discussed the land at the south end of Kiowa into the country to help water flow. Mentioning the Ott and Farney properties, he said the city needs land easements so the city can mow the ditches on a regular basis to help water flow out-of-town better.

This would help avoid existing water drainage issues at properties in Kiowa.

To help solve this drainage problem, the council approved hiring K&D tree service to trim trees in the waterways of the ditch. Their bid was $9,350. Council also approved hiring Cornerstone for $4500 to do excavation of the ditch area.

Local Grasshopper mower dealer Randy Robbins spoke at length to council offering different options for them to purchase a mower for the city.

Finally Councilwoman Robison said it's mowing season now and moved to purchase a Grasshopper 725 mower with high lift with 72 inch deck for $21,377.50. Council approved.

Before leaving the podium Robbins requested the city be in charge of the shooting range. Mayor Watson reminded Robbins that subject was not on the agenda and would have to be discussed at a later time.

In his report to council, Police Chief Travis Peterson talked about his need for practice shooting and training. He requested that council allow law enforcement only to have target practice at the city burn site. Council took no action.

It was time to renew one of the Kansas Municpal Energy Agency (KMEA) director appointments. Demel is the primary director with City Superintendent John Duvall as director. Duvall's appointment was renewed.

In Demel's City Administrator report he discussed the city's surplus sale on city equipment. He's gathering titles on a few pieces of equipment. Some pieces already sold: $13,500 graders; mowers $925; fire department air compressor $25. A fire truck will be sold in the future.

When Kiowa High School graduate Jeff Lloyd made a donation to the City of Kiowa for water conservation, $10,000 of it was reserved. Demel said that money is to be used to hook up the new water meters to resident's houses. The gift will be given to those residents that are the most financially eligible. Demel set the deadline as June 13 to apply.

Under council items, Robison asked the status of the clean-up properties around Kiowa. Demel said it is ongoing. She encourages residents to follow ordinances about weeds, unsightly properties, old cars parked in yards or vehicles parked in the street for an extended time, etc. For example, weeds can be no taller than 12 inches.

Chamber President Robison said the chamber will start Kiowa's Yard-of-the-Month in June. She asked about the swimming pool which is explained at the top of the story. She said the boards on front of the community building are rotten and need replaced.

Councilman Duvall said the plasma cutter has arrived to the FFA. The city wants to use the plasma cutter to enhance the city's sign on the island.