City seeks grant to cover $2.1M expansion

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Fort Scott City Commissioners talked about big numbers in grants during Tuesday's meeting.

Fort Scott Fire Chief Paul Ballou with the support of Fort Scott Police Chief Ron Puterbaugh presented a request to apply for a grant which would fund 100 percent of a 17,000 square foot expansion to the Hawkins Public Safety Facility. The expansion is estimated to cost over $2.1 million and included two floors and a full basement.

According to Ballou, the current dispatch area is in danger of being damaged during a severe storm and with the addition, it would be moved to a more secure location -- as will evidence storage and records storage.

"We need the extra footage so we can do our jobs," Puterbaugh said.

The commission unanimously approved the application.

Commissioners decided unanimously to accept a grant offer from the Federal Aviation Administration in the amount of $475,886. The money will be used for improvements to Runway 18/36 at the Fort Scott Municipal Airport. Fort Scott City Attorney Bob Farmer, acting in City Manager Joe Turner's absence, said the project is part of the Fort Scott Municipal Airport's Master Plan. He added, the grant is a 95 percent matching grant, therefore the city will have to pay 5 percent of the project's cost.

Puterbaugh received more good news when the commission approved the signing of a letter of support to accompany his application for the Kansas Wireless Enhanced 911 Grant in the amount of $50,710. He said the grant money would go toward the completion of upgrades to the dispatch system which began in 2001. The upgrades allow dispatch to determine the location of calls from wireless phones. Puterbaugh said the Bourbon County Commission has also signed a letter of support.

One small number the commission discussed was $16,200. The commission authorized Fort Scott Mayor Gary Bukowski to sign a supplemental agreement between Bourbon County and the Kansas Department of Transportation for the preparation of a corridor management plan for U.S. Highway 69. With the agreement in place the city's cost of the project decreased from nearly $81,000 to $16,200.

Other business conducted during the meeting included:

* Approved the Certificates of Appropriateness for the Master Painters Building at 122 S. Main St. and Captured Images located at 118 S. Main St.

* Approved allocation of $1,500 to the Keyhole.

* Approved the use of Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A. for the engineering plans on the drainage study on the retaining wall located near the intersection of 7th Street and National Avenue.