LAHARPE A series of activities and projects are about to get underway, courtesy of a successful In Our Back Yard fundraising campaign.
LaHarpe City Council members noted the recent fundraiser, which raised about $24,000, will help fund new park benches and a drinking fountain at LaHarpe City Park, as well as a BMX dirt track. Funds also will be used to restart the LaHarpe Day celebration, scheduled for June 22, a new backstop to the baseball/softball diamond, and park maintenance projects.
On Wednesday, LaHarpe City Council members discussed the projects, designating the LaHarpe PRIDE Committee as the group responsible to seeing the items come to fruition.
Some funds already have been spent on dirt for the BMX trail, as well as for the park benches, leaving $16,462.33 in the bank.
In a related matter, LaHarpe PRIDE will host an Easter egg hunt at 2 p.m. April 20 the Saturday before Easter at the park.
Linda Womelsdorf, LaHarpe wellness coordinator, updated the Council on upcoming activities, including a healthy snacks class at 10 a.m. Saturday at City Hall.
She is still searching for a volunteer to set up a coffee station for City Hall visitors on select mornings throughout the week. She also is pursuing line dance and seniorcise classes in the fall, and hopes to start a Weight Watchers meeting group.
LAHARPE will begin purchasing electricity through the Kansas Municipal Energy Agency in mid-2020.
The Council voted, 3-0, to enter an agreement with KMEA for seven years.
The pact should result in significant savings compared to what the city is paying Westar, Council members agreed.
COUNCIL members also:
Ratified a new building rental agreement, allowing visitors to use City Halls gymnasium or new meeting room for $50, with a $75 security deposit.
Purchased 10 new folding tables for City Hall at a cost of $68.95 apiece, to be used for public events.
Accepted the low bid for new tires for the citys 2011 Ford truck from Kenny Pratt Motors for $493.
Agreed to install a secondary transformer in the 800 block of Jefferson Street, noting the large number of homes along the block served by a single transformer, a meltdown waiting to happen, Mayor Mae Crowell said.
Approved a new ordinance setting the rules for licenses required to sell cereal malt beverages in LaHarpe. Although the city has no such establishments, the new ordinance was required, City Attorney Fred Works said, to comply with a new state law allowing 6 percent beer sales.
