City to Sell Wilburn Park to Potential ‘Family Fun Center’ Developer
City Commissioners, in their duties as Landbank Commissioners, unanimously approved the sale of Walt Wilburn Park to Franklin Family Enterprises, LLC for $20,000 on Monday as the potential future site of a “family fun center.” The Landbank meeting happened as part of the regularly scheduled commission meeting.
Derek Franklin, who applied to buy the property and was at the meeting representing Franklin Family Enterprises, told commissioners and other concerned residents in attendance that there was not a certain timeline for the potential facility, but that the purchase of the property was the first step in the process. The application said there could be about a 6,000 square-foot building constructed as part of the venue.
Two residents from the Branchton neighborhood spoke during the consideration of the motion to sell the old ballpark grounds, both expressing concern with any development that would upset the current nature of the neighborhood. Franklin, who also lives in the area, told commissioners his family would not do anything to hurt the value of the neighborhood or his existing businesses in town.
In other action, commissioners also approved concrete road repairs on 294th Road, authorized hangar apron concrete replacement at the Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport, and authorized mowing contracts for city owned lots and code enforcement abatements to Van Dyke Lawncare and Chalfant Lawncare, respectively.
Commissioners also approved new proposed 10-year agreements for the City to provide water to Rural Water District No. 1 and RWD No. 6.
Commissioners also discussed the proposed grain elevator scale demolition at the Bartlett Grain facility located on Main Street in Atchison but took no action.
Following the meeting, there were workshops on annexation, stormwater issues and possible actions on South 7th Street and the proposal of a new Long Term Control Plan with KDHE for the Combined Sewer Overflow remediation project.
The next regular city commission meeting is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15.