Traffic Stop Tuesday – Limited Time Parking Zones

Traffic Stop Tuesday – Limited Time Parking Zones

This week, our focus is on Limited Time Parking Zones. In McPherson, the business district has parking areas along the streets and in parking lots, which are limited time parking zones between 3:00 am and 5:00 am.

Standard Traffic Ordinance 97, on Limited Time Parking Zones states whenever any appropriate sign shall be placed and maintained in any block by lawful authority of the city giving notice that the street or highway or city owned parking lot may be used for parking or standing vehicles for a limited time only, it shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to comply with such sign.

Permits to park in Limited Time Parking Zones may be requested from the City of McPherson at the McPherson Municipal Center, at 400 E. Kansas Ave. The 2018 permits are Green in color, and valid through December 31st. Permits must be displayed in the back window of the vehicle.

Fire Chief applauds SRO hiring

Before the McPherson City Commission officially approved the hiring of a School Resource Officer (SRO) at McPherson High School on April 16, McPherson Fire Chief Jeff Deal applauded the selection made by the school board and police department.

Deal said he initially saw the post about hiring Officer Joseph Ruppert on social media and thought the story was great. Then he realized that it was a post about the new McPherson SRO and realized how important the hiring was, in particular the fact that Ruppert is a veteran and the comments on the social media post backed that up.

“There were dozens of comments from across the country supporting what we were doing here in McPherson, applauding the fact that we were utilizing a veteran,” Deal said. “A veteran will do an excellent job of not only protecting our students, but also serving as a mentor and a role model to these students. I took an immense amount of pride on that Saturday morning.”

“I applaud Chief McClarty, the police department, (USD) 418,” Deal said. “I know that this has been a hard-fought process, I applaud them for sticking with it. I applaud you for the gentleman that you hired, I think he’s an excellent individual.”

Ruppert’s first official day as the School Resource Officer was on Monday, April 16.

Street Dance, Barbecue Cookoff set for May 11 and 12

The McPherson City Commission approved a Street Dance event and Barbecue Cookoff for Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 in front of Hopp’s Sound & Electric (214 E Euclid) during the All Schools Day festivities.

Brian Hopp, who is putting on this event, spoke about it at Monday’s City Commission meeting.

“We’re excited to do it again this year,” Hopp said. “We’re going to kick it all off with the Street Dance on Friday night at 8 o clock, then we’re going to have the barbecue teams coming throughout the day on Friday in the afternoon, and then we’re going to have the big barbeque cook off on Saturday.”

Hopp hopes that the success from last year’s event will carry over into this year and get the same public reception.

“We have been able to pull off this event last year and it was a huge success for the public,” Hopp said. “We’re tweaking some things this year to make it an even bigger success.”

The barbecue event on Saturday will also feature a $10 wristband, where you will be able to sample all the available food on site. Friday there will be a performance from King Midas.

City announces annual budget meetings

The following budget meeting dates and times will be reserved for the McPherson City Commission to meet regarding the 2019 Budget Preparation:

Department and Outside Agency Budget Presentations (Day 1) - Tuesday, May 22, 2018, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., East Board Room, McPherson Municipal Center, 400 E. Kansas

Department and Outside Agency Budget Presentations (Day 2) - Tuesday, May 29, 2018, following City Commission Meeting to 4:30 pm, East Board Room, McPherson Municipal Center, 400 E. Kansas

Budget Follow-up Meeting - Tuesday, June 12, 2018, times to be determined,  East Board Room, McPherson Municipal Center,  400 E. Kansas

Budget Summary Meeting with City Commission - Wednesday, July 18, 2018, times to be determined, East Board Room, McPherson Municipal Center, 400 E. Kansas

Construction Update April 16

Barnstormers-Premier Subdivisions Project

The remainder of the concrete alley was completed in the Premier Subdivision.  BPU completed the electric and worked on the water line.  In the Barnstormers Subdivision, erosion control blanket was completed on the pond and the east-west ditch.  The silt fence was completed in several areas.  

Update on the North Front Street Project

Work continued on North Front Street from McDonald's to Champlin Street.  Traffic was switched to allow work to continue on phase II (the short section on the west end).  All phase II removals were completed and work started on the rock base.  

Update on the Avenue "A"/Centennial Drive 10' Sidewalk

This project is a continuation of the 10' sidewalk starting at Thunderbird Street.  It will go on the south side of Avenue "A", past Clubhouse Drive, then south near the dog park and Mac College ball fields, then north along Centennial Drive to the old Taco Johns restaurant.  Dirt work from Clubhouse Drive, south approximately 1000' is nearly complete, and work has begun on the box of the stream crossing.  The floor of the RCB should be placed early next week. 

Public Works Report April 16

Street Department: Vibrating Screed

Motion to approve the purchase of a vibrating screed from J.P. Construction for a cost not to exceed $3,000.00.

J.P. Construction has offered to sell us a vibrating screed for $3,000.  We rented the screed and used it on Avenue "D".  It consolidated the concrete better than we can do it by hand and increased productivity.  We have at least two more streets (Woodside and Carrie) to do this year.  We will have over half of the cost of buying the screed in rent.  We will have streets to construct in the future, I recommend we move forward and purchase the screed.  

Street Department: Concrete Crushing (Vogts Crushing, LLC)

Motion to approve payment to Vogts Crushing, LLC for an amount not to exceed $40,000 for crushing material at the debris site, which is an increase of $10,000 over the amount approved on March 19, 2018.

On March 19, 2018, the Commission approved hiring Vogts Crushing, LLC to crush the rubble at the debris site for a cost not to exceed $30,000.  I underestimated the quantity.  The original estimate was for 3,500 ton.   After the rubble was crushed the pile was measured and found to be over 4,700 ton.  We need to increase the cost by $10,000 to pay for the completed work.  This is actually good news because we can use the extra material.  This material is used for an aggregate base under our pavements.   

WWTP: Access Control

Motion to approve payment to Innovative Building Solutions, Valley Center, for installation of access control on the 3-bay garage and sewer truck bay, for a cost not to exceed $7,000.

The next step in the master plan of access control at the WWTP is the 3-bay garage and the sewer truck bay. We received an estimate from Innovative Building Solutions, Valley Center, KS, in the amount of $6,471.25.  Additionally, we will need to purchase a point to point wireless antenna for $250. A replacement door is also required and will be brought as a separate item.

Hulse Area Drainage Project: Purchase of Temporary and Permanent Easements

Motion to approve the purchase of Permanent and Temporary Easements, relative to the Hulse Area Drainage Project, for a cost not to exceed $25,000.00 and authorize the City Administrator to sign the settlement agreements and easement documents.

We are in the process of obtaining Permanent and Temporary Easements on various tracts for the Hulse Area Drainage Project.  There are 25 tracts involved with this project.  We need authority to sign the settlement documents and easements up to $25,000 total.

Commission approves special events

Good Ol' Boys Barbecue and Street Dance Event

Motion to approve the Good Ol' Boys Barbecue and Street Dance Event to be held in the 200 Block of East Euclid Street beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2018, and ending at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May, 12, 2018.

King Midas Beer Garden

Motion to approve the Special Event Alcohol Permit Applications for the King Midas Beer Garden on May 11, 2018, and the Good Ol' Boys BBQ Competition (Beer Garden) on May 12, 2018.

McPherson County All Schools Day Event

Motion to approve the 105th McPherson County All Schools Day Event(s) to be held from May 7, 2018, to May 12, 2018.

C.A.R.S. Club Cruise-In Event

Organized by the McPherson College C.A.R.S. Club, this is their annual cruise-in event held on Main Street.  This year they have included an additional request to close Marlin Street from Main Street west to the alley as well as use of the Plaza. This event was well attended last year.

April 28 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

On Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the McPherson Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 15th opportunity in 8 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  Bring your pills for disposal to the McPherson Joint Law Enforcement Center at 1177 W. Woodside Street.  (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.)  The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last April Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners.  Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue.  Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.  Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the April 28 Take Back Day event, go to theDEA Diversion website, or contact Executive Sergeant Mark Brinck at the McPherson Police Department, by phone at (620) 245-1206.

McPherson Airport to host seminar

The McPherson Airport in collaboration with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will host a Rusty Pilots seminar on Saturday, May 12, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The seminar gives pilots a refresher on everything from airspace to flight planning to communication and is free for AOPA members. AOPA estimates there are around 500,000 lapsed pilots and Rusty Pilots seminars have placed over 3,500 aviators back in the cockpit.

McPherson’s seminar will be led by William Dubois who started flying at age 17 and is a widely published aviation writer. Dubois has a degree in aviation technology and holds a Commercial Pilot certificate with Instrument rating, an NAA Sporting License and a Ground Instructor certificate with Advanced and Instrument ratings. He has flown 22 types of aircrafts from light sport to light twins. Dubois is a national champion air racer, taking home the silver season trophy for production airplanes from the Sport Air Racing League in 2016 and 2017. He is also the holder of a world speed record from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

The Rusty Pilots program was developed by AOPA in partnership with local flight training providers in order to create the best environment for getting pilots back in the air and a part of the general aviation community. For more information and to register for the McPherson seminar visit hangar.aopa.org/events/category/52.

McPherson High School SRO announced

On Monday morning, Officer Joseph Ruppert will be at McPherson High School for his first day as the School Resource Officer (SRO). Ruppert will be present at the school as well as a variety of extracurricular activities, working with the students, staff and administrators at MHS.

The SRO position is designed to support the educational environment by providing added safety and security within the school. He will be handling situations that may arise involving criminal allegations, which might otherwise have required a patrol officer to respond to the high school.

He will also be giving presentations to help educate students and staff on issues facing teens today.

Officer Ruppert had been in law enforcement for more than three years and joined the McPherson Police Department in January of 2017. Prior to starting his career in law enforcement, he retired as a Sergeant First Class from the military after serving 16 years in the United States Army and four years in the United States Marine Corps. While in the army, he was deployed four times during Desert Storm, Iraq, and twice to Afghanistan.

Ruppert is married to his wife of 20 years, had three children and one grandchild.