The City of Severy celebrated a major milestone at its May 5 council meeting with the announcement that the city’s new water plant is officially complete and came in under budget. EBH Engineer Mike Younger reported that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment conducted a final inspection on May 1 and was pleased with the upgrade.
The project had faced delays early on after the city’s original engineer passed away unexpectedly, but officials praised the successful completion of the long-awaited improvement.
In other business, the council approved a $3,615 change order for additional water meter installation and authorized a $97,092.39 payment to APAC. The first $9,942.48 installment on a newly purchased 1996 135H Road Grader was also approved. Total monthly expenditures came to $124,901.
Clerk Tessa Riggs reported ongoing difficulties with the city’s GWorks financial software, noting slow response times and inefficiencies. The council discussed alternatives, including RedLine software, but made no decisions.
The city’s pickup truck was recently repaired for $3,300, and a malfunctioning siren has been temporarily fixed, with a new part on order.
Drainage concerns near South Street and the Coop were reviewed, with Councilman Ron Robert volunteering to inspect the area. A potential memorial tournament or renaming of the ball field in honor of Dana Talafierro was also discussed.
The council held two executive sessions for personnel, employee performance, totaling 75 minutes, with Clerk Riggs being in the session for five minutes. No action was taken. Another session for legal matters was held with City Attorney William McClendon and Clerk Riggs. No action was taken.
The council adjourned after a wide-ranging agenda that included equipment upgrades, cemetery signage, and general maintenance updates.
The next meeting for the Severy City Council is Monday, June 2, at 7 p.m.
