As the city continues to explore options for expansion of electric utilities, it must weigh having Evergy supply upgrades to the existing infrastructure or build a new substation independently. 

Costs are likely to increase either way, but the city has to decide if it wants to depend on Evergy. 

The Kansas Municipal Energy Agency is helping the city as it weighs data associated with the various options. Discussion continued Monday night at a work session prior to the regular meeting as Darren Prince with the agency gave a presentation of the possibilities. 

Customer utility bills could double over the next five years if all the capital improvement plans were completed with city funds. 

Mayor Tim Reazin said there are a lot of variables going into that increase, and those costs are not necessarily expected since they outline a worse case scenario.

Some of that increase is a result of the eventual need to fund a $53 million water treatment plant – which was originally estimated at $19 million pre-pandemic – and other necessary infrastructure, Reazin said. 

The city hopes to decrease the costs by receiving grants for these more expensive projects, as well as place more of the impact on commercial utilities rather than residents. These costs also depend on capital improvement plans and which are approved  and when – like new fire trucks and others. 

Reazin recognized these costs were shocking. The presentation showed the potential for an average residential customer bill to go from $207 in 2024 to $441 in 2029 for electric, wastewater, water and stormwater.

Reazin said none of these increases have been voted on, and further information on direct increases to certain home sizes would be discussed at a future meeting. 

At the last meeting, Reazin said he is more likely to favor the city building its own substation rather than risk potential increases from Evergy. 

During the regular meeting, the City Commission discussed how utility prices will increase from 2024 to 2025. 

The city estimates the overall average percent of utilities per month will increase 4.69%. 

Assistant City Manager Zack Daniel broke down the average percentage increases for each utility, as well as what is making it higher.

Electricity is estimated to increase by about 3.5% to help fund phase three of Hunters Ridge and the new bucket truck. 

Water is estimated to increase by 6.5% to help eventually fund the water treatment plant. 

Wastewater is estimated to increase by 9% to fund the decommissioning of the Peach Street’s lift station, installation of a sewer main on 10th Street, improve channel gates and do other repairs. 

Stormwater is estimated to increase by 12% to fund culvert projects. There is no increase for refuse in 2025. 

Reazin asked if customers were going to be informed of these increases. 

Daniel said customers will receive public-facing documents of the changes as the city gets closer to finalizing the budget. 

“We as staff can be doing a good job of making sure people are aware that the conversation is happening,” Daniel said. 

In other business, after talk about a farmers market coming to town, Daniel discussed gathering vendors and working on requirements to move the project along. The farmers market is expected to be in the Village Green space. They hope to get something going by September, Daniel said. 

The city is putting together an application and registration packet for vendors and will develop a layout for the market’s site to figure out how many vendors could participate. It hopes to have vendors identified in August.

The city also discussed setting a not-to-exceed mill levy of 39.501, meaning there could be up to a half-mill maximum increase for 2025.

A public hearing to officially exceed the revenue neutral rate will take place Aug. 26 with the budget adoption hearing. 

In other business, the city discussed purchasing a truck for Public Works as part of the five-year capital improvement plan. 

A 2025 Altec service bucket truck will cost about $259,000 and will replace Public Works’ service truck from 2000. Director of Public Works Branden Boyd said the old truck will likely be repurposed. 

The commission approved the purchase of the truck, which is set to be delivered next year. 

In other business, CFS Engineers is going to conduct a citywide water analysis to identify places in the city with low water pressure or flow, where water towers should be placed and more. The cost of the analysis is capped at $50,000.

Reazin asked Boyd about the water pressure issues residents in Shadow Ridge have been experiencing and if there has been any progress in resolving those issues. 

Boyd said there aren’t any updates from when the city tested meters and found them up to regulation. He said the water analysis will help determine more information. 

In other business, the city is partnering with JEO Consulting as it develops Parks and Recreation’s new 10-year master plan. 

Parks and Recreation Director Sally Pennington said five firms submitted proposals and of those, three were interviewed. Pennington said JEO’s proposal met the most criteria. 

Pennington said unfulfilled items in the previous 10-year plan, like improvements at Pilla Park, will move over to the new plan. 

In other business, the city opened a public hearing during Monday’s meeting regarding the application for the Community Development Block Grant for Pilla Park. The public hearing was required as part of the grant application. 

Daniel said it’s necessary at this point in the application to open and close a public hearing, but no other official action needs to be taken. 

The hearing was opened and closed with no discussion. 

In other business, Fire Chief Mindy Andrasevits said the department received 13 calls on the Fourth of July, nine of which were trash fires from spent fireworks. Andrasevits said nobody called for physical injuries on the holiday. 

In other business, 6,000 people visited the pool during June, not including pool parties and swim lessons. Pennington said that number represents the amount of daily admissions the pool had within the month. 

A proposal to make July 19 Parks and Recreation Professional Appreciation Day was also approved by commissioners.

Reach reporter Sara Maloney and Ryn Drummond at [email protected]

To donate to support our community journalism, please go to this link: tinyurl.com/y4u7stxj