Division St. to Become Unity St.; 2021 City Budget Presented to Commission
Atchison city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the renaming of Division Street to Unity Street during their regular meeting on Monday, after listening to a presentation from Atchison United on the importance of renaming the thoroughfare.
Vice Mayor Abby Bartlett was the commissioner who asked for the group’s presentation to be on the agenda, and pushed for the vote on the ordinance that authorized the name change.
“Listening to Atchison United it sounds like they have covered a lot of bases and have spoken to homeowners who support them,” Bartlett said while making the motion. “And knowing the people that sit on (Atchison United), I know that they will work with the homeowners to make that change and try to do it as flawlessly as possible.”
In other business Monday, the commissioners also heard the city manager’s recommended 2021 budget, which will be published in the Atchison Globe on Saturday. There will be a special commission meeting at noon on Monday, Aug. 10, to have a public hearing on the budget and vote on its adoption.
The presented budget calls for the city’s portion of the current mill levy rate to remain steady at 51.050 – generating an expected $2,907,986 in revenue. The total revenue generated by the city in 2021 through taxes, assessments, charges for services and fees is expected to be $7,925,781. Utilizing that revenue and current fund balances leads to an $8,746,184 general fund budget for 2021.
In other commission action Monday, commissioners approved a rezoning request by Highland Community College to pave the way for an expansion of the school’s diesel technology program. Commissioners also voted to amend the future land use map in the Comprehensive Plan; approved participation in the Kansas Housing Assistance Program; approved a $185,000 contract to replace a carbon filter at the water treatment plant; approved a resolution accepting CARES Act funding; and appointed a number of individuals to the various city boards and commissions.
Appointees included: Chamber Board – Jesse Greenly; Planning Commission- Jay Robinson and Roger Denton; Park & Forestry – Larissa Rice, Christian Wessel and Jay Harbour; Housing Authority – Cathy Crockett and Joe Warren; All Trades Board – Rae Lafflin; Economic Development Advisory Group – Don Ball, Justin Bottorff and Katie Wager. There are still currently openings on the All Trades Board and EDAG.
The next regular commission meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, in the commission room.