Aquatics Center proposal being delayed, not abandoned

A committee charged with the task of bringing an aquatics center to town decided it needed more time to inform voters on the facility before asking them to pay more sales tax to fund it.

The Aquatics Center Committee nixed placing a question on the April 3 General Election ballot asking residents if the sales tax should be raised one-half cent to fuel the estimated $6.5 million water park.

The proposal has not been abandoned, just delayed. City Manager Richard Nienstedt said at Tuesday's city commission meeting that voters will answer the question at a special election in June. According to city documents, the election will be conducted June 5.

He said the extra time will give the committee "an opportunity to finalize the effort to put together a good public presentation that would inform the public about what the project is all about."

Nienstedt said the delay gives city officials time to review financial "implications" of the tax upon residents and the city.

The committee, started last year from the overall Fort Scott Community Visioning project, proposed building a combination indoor/outdoor water park. Residents favored that kind of facility better than just an indoor facility or an outdoor facility, according to a survey the committee distributed last month.

Two weeks ago, the commission approved a request by the committee to place the question on the April 3 ballot. The question asked residents to increase the city-wide retailers' sales tax to finance the construction and to equip the water park.

In other dealing during the meeting, Nienstedt updated commissioners on three issues currently pending.

Development of an east side fire station is continuing, most recently with surveyors completing their part of the job. On March 14, construction companies will assemble for a pre-bid meeting. On March 30, the bids are due followed by a review period. Construction should start by June 15, and the building should be completed by January 2008, Nienstedt said.

The second update concerned the grade separation or overpass study performed last year. Nienstedt has been in discussions with the lead engineer about two feasible options: establishing what are called Quiet Zones at the railroad crossing that eliminate train noise, or preliminary design and environmental study for a grade separation.

Finally, he said the city is awaiting final approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to go ahead and tear down what's left of the Miller and Nelson Block buildings. He expects approval by the end of the week and, hopefully, city workers can begin hauling off the rubble within the next couple of weeks.

In other business at the meeting, commissioners made the following decisions:

* Declined a request by Commissioner Nick Graham to have a work session to discuss the numerous recommendations issued by the grand jury. Graham said he is getting calls about the recommendations, and he wants discussion on them, possibly to clear the air. Silence filled the room until Mayor Gary Billionis asked City Attorney Bob Farmer if they should comment on the recommendations. Farmer advised commissioners to "sit tight" until unanswered questions are answered.

* Approved $33,750 in funds for the Bourbon County Economic Development Council, Inc. President Steve Buerge gave commissioners a review of last year's financials. The organization spent more than $97,000 to fund various projects in the community.

* Authorized staff to purchase software upgrades totaling $7,185 for the Municipal Court. The state has mandated all courts to convert to electronic filings for convictions.

* Approved a request from the Good Ol' Days Committee to close Main Street from Third to Skubitz Plaza along with shutting down motor vehicle traffic access to both lanes of Old Fort Boulevard and a number of surrounding streets. The closing is for the annual celebration scheduled for June 1-3.

Delayed making a decision on whether to enter into an agreement to allow the Bronson Police Department to use Fort Scott Police Department dispatching services. Details of the agreement were not provided.

The City of Bronson signed an agreement in 2002 under which FSPD Dispatch provided dispatching to BPD 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the BPD disbanded for a time and has only recently restarted.

It has only one officer, Gene Parker, who currently works on the weekends but will increase to five days and 40 hours a week.

The problem he faces right now is that when he pulls a vehicle over for a traffic stop, he has no way of running a check on the license plate (to determine whether the vehicle is stolen) or the driver's license (to check if the driver has warrants or is wanted by authorities). That information is accessed only through dispatch.

Mayor Gary Billionis said the issue will be discussed by officials to determine if something can be worked out.