Humboldt gets help with fish

HUMBOLDT — Humboldt council members approved a Community Fisheries Assistance agreement with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism Monday night that will bring $1,030 to Humboldt in each of the next five years.
The money will be used to stock and maintain fish in a pond developed along Franklin Street in the north part of town near senior citizens housing. The agreement included Humboldt’s new Neosho River Park, although it being next to the Neosho River no stocking will occur there.
City Administrator Larry Tucker said having both sites in the agreement will facilitate efforts to attract grants to either that could be used for infrastructure improvements.
Mayor Nobby Davis commended Bill King and his Allen County Public Works crew for helping to clean and upgrade an old pond at the Franklin Street site.
“We couldn’t have done it without his (King’s) support,” Davis said.
Tucker said he was unsure what type of fish would be stocked in the pond, “other than catfish,” and that once stocked KDWPT would “feed the fish.”
The pond will be open to the public.
Humboldt’s obligations under the five-year agreement will be to do mowing and other maintenance work at the pond and river park.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, council members:
— Approved a security plan for City Hall and the swimming pool bath house that will delay opening either to concealed carry of firearms for four years. The Legislature made public buildings open to concealed carry during this year’s session, but having a security plan in place will put off access for four years. If the law isn’t changed, at the end of four years Humboldt officials will have to decide whether to open the buildings to people carrying concealed firearms, or install metal detectors and have security personnel on duty when they are open. The security plan, which will be kept secret to ensure its integrity, will be filed with the attorney general’s office.
— Amended this year’s budget to increase authority to increase expenditures in the water fund from what was budgeted, $665,410, to $685,644. Tucker said the overrun developed late in the year and that there was sufficient revenue in the fund to cover the greater expenditures.
— Recognized Mary Durand, a middle school instructor, and her students who spent two years working on and attracting a $200,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation to build sidewalks and crosswalks under the Safe Routes to School program.
— Approved 2014 cereal malt beverage licenses for Reb’s Place, Johnson’s General Store, Pete’s convenience store, Estrellita Mexican Restaurant and Moon’s Hometown Market.