HUMBOLDT Misinterpretation of a video inspection of sewer mains will lead to Humboldts sewer improvement project costing an additional $136,000, council members learned Thursday evening.
When better than 7,000 feet of mains were inspected in 2016, they were all thought to be 18 inches in diameter. More recently it was found about 3,000 feet were 21-inch.
The bigger diameter requires more liner, and thus a higher cost. The liner seals off infiltration during wetter weather, and prevents sewage escaping during dry weather when the soil contracts and pulls away from mains.
The 21-inch main is the final transporter when sewage journeys to the treatment plant at the southwest corner of town.
Even with the end-of-project cost reconfiguration, the work will come in under budget.
Total cost was put at $7.065 million. Through June, K C Construction, Basehor, had billed $6.723 million, $342,000 less than what is available for the sewer improvements, mandated by the Kansas Department of Health and Department. Final cost will be a little less than $200,000 under budget.
Financing came from a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant and U.S. Department of Agriculture loan of $6.565 million. The loan will be repaid from sewer charges.
COUNCIL members approved their 2020 budget. A hearing will be at the start of their Aug. 12 meeting.
The property tax levy will be the same as this year, 90.718 mills.
Net expenditures are pegged at $3.898 million, including $1.484 million for the general fund. Utilities, which are funded by user payments, are expected to require $2.42 million, with most expenditures going for purchase of gas, production of pure water and to pay for the sewer upgrade.
While the tax rate didnt change, tax dollars collected will increase from $59,000, to $847,760, in 2020. That will occur because the towns assessed valuation increased by $650,000, from a mix of residential, commercial and industrial improvements and expansions.
Also, City Administrator Cole Herder pointed out the past few years he would have recommended a small increase to the levy because of a state law that limited property tax increases, and required a vote for an escalation of the rate. The limit has been tied to the rate of inflation.
New legislation will allow us to roll the allowed increase forward for up to three years, so if in the future we need more than allowed for a single year, we can choose to use the increase not used for the previous years, up to three years, he explained.
A MEMORANDUM of understanding was approved with Humboldt Trailhead, Inc., to apply for grant monies from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism for a project at the northeast corner of town.
The group intends to develop a 21-acre park laced with hiking and biking trails connected to the Southwind Rail Trail where it concludes just east of B&W Trailer Hitches.
