Chickens will now be allowed within the city limits of Wamego. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, City Manager Merl Page again introduced the ordinance allowing chickens. This issue had been tabled at two earlier meetings, but was approved by a vote of 3 to 1 with Mayor Cliff Baughman opposed. Commissioner Bill Ditto was absent.
The ordinance restricts chickens to only single-family detached residences, and only four (4) hens (no roosters) will be allowed at each residence. The ordinance restricts the slaughter of chickens outside, and they must be kept in a secure enclosure to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. The enclosure must meet the construction requirements of both the City and Zoning codes. Page said the ordinance will be published the newspaper allowing public comments.
In other business, the Commission voted not to list two (2) electric utility units with the Southwest Power Pool, which manages energy within the pool. Page said the KMEA (Kansas Municipal Energy Agency) said it doesn’t make sense to have these units registered in the marketplace at this time, because it’s more procedural, and doesn’t have much value at this time.
Wamego’s City staff and employees will benefit with lower health insurance rates for another year. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, City Manager Merl Page said the benefits committee reviewed the proposal from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, increasing there next year’s insurance rates from 1 point 6 percent to 1 point 85 percent. The City was very pleased with the rates quoted, and the Commission approved renewing with Blue Cross/Blue Shield for another year by a vote of 4 to 0.
In other business, the Board approved the Certificate of Appropriation from the Division of Water Resources, a department within the Department of Agriculture for the final allocation of the City’s Water Well #10. According to Page, Well #10 was drilled in 1994 after the approval of all the applications to drill the well, and the Division of Water Resources has given final allocation of gallons per minute, and the annual aggregate that can be taken from the well. They actually reduced the gallons per minute from 400 to 325. Page said historically no more than 320 to 325 gallons per minute have been taken from the well.
The City of Wamego is looking forward to a favorable bond rating. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, City Manager Merl Page said he met with their financial advisor from Piper Jaffray to review the City’s Electric Revenue Bond rating. He said the City’s established a number of things that should put the City in a favorable position for an increase in the rating. The City’s current bond rating is A-.
In other business, the board approved renewing the Wamego Health Center board appointment of Jamie Hubler and Dwight Faulkner for another five (5) years each after both expressed an interest in serving another term.
