Eureka City Council heard two public requests during their regular meeting Tuesday, May 27. Matt Wilson requested formal approval for the Fourth of July fireworks events for the city and at Eureka Lake. Wilson said that firework shows are planned on July 4 at Riverside Park and July 5 at the lake. The council gave approval to both events.
Steve Brown addressed the council regarding street closures during the upcoming Eureka Days celebration, set for June 6-7. Brown said that he would like to use caution tape rather than barricades at most of the street corners downtown along the parade route. Brown’s intention was that the city workers would not have to bring out and take down as many barricades if caution tape were to be used. The council questioned whether there would be adequate places to connect the tape at the corners where Brown intended to use it. Brown offered to do a drive-through of the route to check if appropriate fixtures, such as street sign poles, are available to put the plan into action. He said he would get back to the council with his findings.
In new business, Eureka Lake lot lease fees were discussed. Eureka Lake residents were represented by over a dozen persons whose voices were welcomed. Mayor Stephen Coulter presented budget expense and revenue reports for fiscal years 2023, 2024, and partial year 2025. Copies of these spreadsheets were made available to some of the lake residents attending the meeting and are available through the city. Coulter, indicating the data from the reports, explained that over the last few years the city has lost a significant amount of money at the lake. Expenses at the lake have exceeded revenue, creating losses of $42,711 in 2023, $23,831 in 2024, and a projected loss of over $41,000 in 2025. Because of this, the budget committee has proposed an increase in lake lot lease fees for this year. The increase of $200 per year would raise the lease amount from the current $900 to $1,100.
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Additional reasoning for the proposed increase was stated by Coulter. "I would like to make some improve- ments at the lake. I want to make things better out there, but I can't right now," he said. Coulter explained that he'd like to put a patio at Phillips Cabin in order to make it a more valuable asset to lake visitors. He also noted restroom facili ties and picnic shelter improvements and potential new RV sites as intended projects.
Lake residents made the point that lot leaseholders don't use those facilities; city people and visitors use them. Coulter explained that because the city doesn't collect property tax from the lake lot leaseholders, “the only way we have to pay for things out there is through lot leases," he said. Property taxes paid by the leasehold ers are paid only to Green- wood County. "Who we pay our taxes to is not our fault," responded a leaseholder.
One lake resident stated that the city should realize how much revenue the lake
brings to the city-grocer - ies, gas, etc.-saying, "A lot of people benefit from that lake." Lake residents also asked the council to keep in mind the lake is a service for the community, like the library or the swim- ming pool. They said the city should be supporting it because it is a benefit to the community and it shouldn't be entirely on the leasehold- ers. City Clerk Renee Burk explained that the lake is a department of the general fund along with the street department, the cemetery and parks. Departments in the general fund are usually not ones that cannot support themselves, so they rely on tax dollars to make up those shortfalls. The lake is there, she said, because if we don't make enough money at the lake, that is made up by the general fund. Coulter added that lake residents also gain benefits that aren't reflected in the budget spreadsheets.
He stated that the city pays $262,000 per year for a sheriff's contract that in cludes the lake and that the lake is covered under the city's fire protection as well, which is a benefit when con - sidering homeowner insur - ance. "There are also other expenses that could be in - cluded here that aren't," said Coulter, referring to the reports.
When questioned on whether there is a real need for two full-time lake em ployees, whose salaries had been a line item in the re- ports, the council explained that previously, when only one full-time person was employed there, the city had not been happy with the amount of work that had been getting done and that with two employees, they had not been getting as many complaints as they had before.
Lake lot leaseholders were disappointed at not having been given more time to review the city's proposal so that they might understand the reasons for the change and verify that the numbers presented are correct. Coulter apologized, saying that the delay had not been intentional. "We are trying to be very open about what's going on and why we're doing what we're doing," said Coulter. "Rais - ing the lease fees by $300 would bring our budget into balance. However, the bud - get committee has instead recommended a $200 in -
crease."
Because the city must provide lake lot leasehold- ers with adequate notice of the fee increase, these no tices must be sent by June 1. It was not possible to forgo the council's vote until an upcoming meeting. The council voted to approve the resolution to increase the lake lot lease fees as pro - posed by the budget com -
mittee.
The lake residents asked if going forward there might be a better line of communication between the residents and the city so that when people see an increase, they know there is an explanation and would have the opportunity to sit and look at the numbers. The council agreed that such communication would be a benefit to all involved.
Projects At Lt. William Milliken Airport
side of the apron. The total project cost is estimated at $697,329.73. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) share of the project is estimated at $662,463, and the local share is $34,866.73; however, a portion of the project is eligible for Build Kansas funds from the Kansas Infrastructure Hub and may be able to lower the city’s share to approximately $28,300. Councilmember Kevin Lawrence asked what protection measures were needed for the tanks. Cotrane explained that the tanks will be placed on concrete pads and bollards (short vertical posts) will be placed surrounding the tanks for protection, but because of the tanks’ dual-wall design, there is no need for a secondary containment such as a concrete pond. Coltrane also noted, regarding the project, that there will be credit card readers on the fuel pumps so that users will have 24-hour access to the fuel. Metal canopies will be installed over the pumps to prevent UV damage and increase the life of the equipment.
The second project, Coltrane shared, is apron rehabilitation. The apron, also called the ramp or tarmac, is the paved area where aircraft are parked, loaded, unloaded, refueled, and undergo maintenance. Coltrane explained that the project had initially been scoped as a patching and sealing project. However, after evaluation, over 40% of the panels were found to be cracked/damaged, and thus, the FAA recommends removing and replacing all the concrete of the apron. The estimated cost of the project is $696,600, with the FAA share being $661,770. Leaving $34,840 as the city’s share, which may also be less after application of Build Kansas Funds. The project is expected to be put out for bid in the spring of 2026 and be completed later that year.
The third project Coltrane explained is to replace existing runway edge lighting and Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) with a new LED system. Mayor Coulter stated that he has seen airports that have the new PAPI lighting, and the council can expect a big difference in the lighting as well as a reduced power consumption, as LEDs use much less power than the current incandescent lights. The plan for this project is to design and bid in 2025 and construct in spring or summer 2026. The estimated cost for this project is $428,000, and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) share will be approximately $385,200. The local share is estimated at $42,800.
The council voted to approve all three projects up to the budget amounts stipulated.
Website Development
The council reviewed an estimate from local web designer Taylor Hunt for website redevelopment, web hosting, and design for the city’s website, eurekaks. org. The quoted cost for the service is $1,620 per year. The council voted to approve the contract and move forward with Hunt.
Other Business
City Clerk Burk presented the council with a scope of services draft she had received from JEO Consulting Group regarding the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) action plan grant. The SS4A program provides financial support for planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets. A GIS-based sidewalk inventory was highlighted in the draft. A GIS-based sidewalk inventory uses mapping technology to track and manage sidewalk data, including condition, location, and other attributes. Burke explained that JEO Consulting had asked the council to review the draft and let them know if there are any questions, comments, or changes needed. JEO Consulting intends to provide a final project scope by June 8 and a final assessment by October 2025.
The consent agenda, including minutes of the May 12 regular meeting, was approved along with the scheduled claims list for expenses due through May 27, 2025, in the amount of $98,617.96 and Purchase Order #730873 to Garver, LLC, in the amount of $28,419.80 for the Lt. William Milliken Airport fuel farm installation project.
The next City Council meeting will be on Monday, June 9 at 7 p.m. at the Eureka Public Library
