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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Veteran mechanic making a ground-up revival of Larned shop
Jun. 4—Larned City Council meeting at a glance Here is a brief look at what the Larned City Council did Monday evening: —In the consent agenda, approved minutes of May's regular meeting and also minutes of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. Also approved was a single audit to be performed by Adams Brown, for review at the July council meeting. —Approved Appropriations Ordinance No. 5 in the amount of $1,116,181.43. —In old business, approved revisions to the city's newly-drafted Water Conservation Plan by Ranson Fianancial, after review by the Kansas Department of Heath and Environment. Key to the plan are plans for water use conservation and practices; education, management and regulation, with drought response goals, triggers, management and regulatory actions. —In new business, approved a zoning change of the north 35 feet of 402 W. 13th St. from R-2 residential to C-1 commercial, to allow resident Jim Haynes to construct a fenced lot for business applications that include commercial vehicle parking and operation. The change was approved by the Zoning Commission at its May 14 meeting. —Approved the city street department's 2025 chip and seal plan as presented by Street Superintendent Adam Perez, utilizing the $150,000 bid contract approved in May with Circle C Paving concerning approximately 44 blocks in Wards 1 and 2 as well as Second Street from Morris to Santa Fe Streets. —Approved the purchase of a used 2018 Sullair air compressor from United Rentals in Hays at a cost of $13,000 for use by the city's street and parks departments. —After discussion, failed a motion to approve amending a city ordinance allowing non-local state-licensed vendors intending to sell liquor at approved events in the community such as the annual Santa Fe Trail Days celebration. —After discussion, approved the purchase of 10 concrete planters at a cost of approximately $560 each to be placed at strategic locations in the city, utilizing a $2,500 grant from Golden Belt Community Foundation with a 50/50 city match. The grant was intended to be utilized in tandem with the city's Broadway streetscape project. —Discussed moving forward with a project to repaint the interior of the Larned Community Center along with other needed maintenance and repair issues. The building's sound system, lighting and HVAC were also discussed. —Approved City Mechanic Joe Schartz's request to purchase a used 16,000-pound capacity Symmetric truck lift at a cost of $20,436 as a replacement to the City Shop's decades-old lift to improve service levels in city vehicle maintenance. Funding would be split between departments and general fund. —Heard a staff presentation by City Mechanic Joe Schartz on the progress being made in reviving the city's vehicle and equipment maintenance department after a 12-year hiatus. LARNED — Reviving a department after a 12-year layoff can be a daunting task for any city operation, but once in a while, things just fall into place. Larned City Manager Brad Eilts noted that for some time, he and the city council had realized not having a department for regular repair and maintenance of city vehicles and equipment was a drawback. Twelve years ago, City Mechanic Terry Taylor announced that after 32 years running the vehicle maintenance program for the City of Larned, he desired to take early retirement, but wasn't ready to retire, so he bought Don Hanken Motors and transformed it into his auto body shop. That left a hole in city operations that took a while for the city to realize, Eilts said. "A few years ago, the council put it back in the budget," Eilts said. "We were trying to figure it out, but we'd hit a wall and shelved it again. We were trying to find the right man for the job." This year, however, the right man appeared in the person of Joe Schartz, who was looking for a career change that would put his 40 years of automotive repair experience to use. For the past three months, he's been going over the building that the city shop shares with the street department on Santa Fe Street, taking stock of what the operation needs in terms of tools and equipment. Three months into the process, Schartz requested his first big ticket item from the Larned City Council, and the council agreed with the request — a 16,000-pound, 2 post Symmetric vehicle lift, to replace the worn-out and leaking lift that has been in place since the 1980s. Modern times, modern measures, as it were. "My first day in the building, I wasn't sure exactly what I'd be up against," the veteran mechanic said. While he was impressed that the adjacent street department employees cleaned up his two bays and swept it top to bottom for his arrival, he cast a critical eye toward what he had to work with. "When I did my walkaround, things would go through my mind on what needs replaced, what needs updated, what needs fixed," he said. A lot of things — including the lift and its eight-foot pit in the concrete floor — were tagged for replacement or repair. "It's been about 12 years since we've had a city mechanic," he told the council. "Twelve years is a long time when you're talking about equipment. Terry Taylor did a very good job when he was there, but with nothing being there for 12 years, we're starting from the ground up with everything. Even small tools, like battery chargers and jumper cables, air conditioning equipment. We've been purchasing every day a little bit at a time; it seems like every day I go into work, I need a tool, so we're gradually updating our equipment in that manner." Getting a modern, safer, more efficient lift topped the list. "That's gonna be a big improvement," he said. "When I first started, the first two weeks was nothing but oil changes every day. We got caught up on that, so then the guys would bring something in and say that their window wasn't working or some other small thing. Now we're into the mower stuff, like transmission problems." Getting connected Schartz has been busy lining up wholesale vendors for parts and supplies. "We are now buying oil in bulk in 55-gallon drums instead of a quart at a time and getting wholesale pricing on that," he said. "On things like oil filters, air filters, other suppliers and dealers are giving us 10% discounts. He noted that vendor Jasper Engine and Transmissions gave him a quote on an engine with a $1,000 discount. "We've already started to save a lot of money." Heading into summer, he's been working on mower repair, as well as small item requests from various departments. "The parks department has a Yawnmar tractor from 1984 that Josh Kraisinger has been having troubles with for quite a while. I found a place we could get parts for it and I've got the alternator working on it now. There are a lot of older vehicles that are coming in but we'll be able to get parts for them to keep them running. "Things like that the city has lost out on by not having a mechanic," he said. "Not everyone is mechanically inclined, so if they think they've got a bad engine, they'll just sideline it. But it usually doesn't take long to fix and then they're back in service. "I knew it was going to be a challenge and it has been a challenge," he said. "The employees from the other departments are there anytime I need help. They have no issues coming over to help, whether it's holding a wrench or lifting something. That's impressive; to come into an organization with different departments and everybody wants to help." Some of Schartz's immediate goals are keeping maintenance logs on every fleet vehicle. "When a new vehicle comes in, there's a file started on it. Some departments have their own maintenance records, but I've started files of my own," he noted. "I will be making checklists going through every vehicle in the fleet and evaluating them; tires, brakes, hoses, engines and conditions of every vehicle so that we can get a handle on what kind of shape our equipment is really in. It will take a little while to do that, but that's one of the projects I've gotten started. "I would like to invest in flush equipment in the shop, transmissions, coolant, power steering. I'd say probably 90% of our fleet needs a transmission flush. If we keep up on those kinds of things, the longevity of our vehicles is going to go up, too." After securing his lift request, Schartz noted he was a little nervous about making his first staff report to the council. "I could do regular reports if that's what the city council wants me to do," he said. "I don't have a problem with that. With the shop being empty for 12 years, and starting from the ground up, a report every once in a while would be nice because the city and the community needs to know what the tax dollars are going for. "They listened to me and I got what I wanted, so I must be doing something right so far."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Portsmouth neighbors' frustration builds, waiting for answers surrounding group home in residential neighborhood
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — For the second time this month, the Board of Zoning Appeals has continued a case involving a group home in the Pinehurst community in Churchland. Investigation: Portsmouth neighbors concerned about Nansemond Indian group home Fishing Point, the healthcare affiliate of the Nansemond Indian Nation, purchased the home last September at 4533 Wake Forest Road. Fishing Point intends to operate the 3,600-square-foot Cape Cod as a group home, but opponents in Pinehurst, along with adjoining Green Acres and Sterling, say it will be a business and will harm property values. Diana Williams of the neighborhood association was ready to address the board until it granted attorney Bryan Plumlee's request for a continuance until June 25. She said the entire process has been anything but transparent. 'We were shocked because we thought that if this was going to be the use of our private property in a private neighborhood, a civilian neighborhood, that we should be informed and at least given advance notice, and none of that was done,' Williams said in an interview outside the meeting. Plumlee declined to go on camera. However, he said the home will house eight women or fewer, but did not say for what. 'If word gets out and it already has,' Williams said, 'that this community does not recognize the distinction between commercial and residential use, and will allow anybody to put a business operating anywhere.' Neighbors say they have no beef with Nansemond Nation, rather, it's what they see as the erosion of their community for monetary means. 'It's not the residents. It's not even the company,' said Jane Jackson, who lives on Wake Forest. 'It's the commercial business setting up in a residential neighborhood. There is no way that it will not lower property values. None.' Technically, Fishing Point needs a special permit to operate a group home in a neighborhood that's zoned residential, but Plumlee cast doubt on that as he addressed the board. 'As a federal facility we're not required to abide by the zoning ordinance,' he said, 'and your zoning ordinance recognizes this.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Resident wants Fairmont City Council to consider a new backyard chickens ordinance
FAIRMONT — A man made an impassioned plea for chickens at Tuesday night's Fairmont City Council. Fairmont Resident Josh Miller resuscitated the backyard chicken debate, arguing that as egg prices soar, maintaining a flock could help residents become independent from the grocery store egg prices. 'Since COVID, a lot more people are going to more of a homestead type approach, be more self sufficient' Miller said. 'I think this is a great way to do it. They're easy to take care of. I have a nine year old who's terrified of stinkbugs and he loves playing with chickens.' Backyard chicken flocks are currently illegal within the City of Fairmont. Only one citation for livestock has been issued since January 2023, according to Fairmont Police Chief Steve Shine. Miller said the city used to grant variances for backyard flocks, but the body which issues those variances no longer exists. A couple tried to obtain a variance in 2019 but was denied by the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. Miller argued for the benefits of homegrown eggs. He said they have less cholesterol and saturated fat, triple the amount of vitamin E, six times the amount of vitamin D, and last significantly longer. Miller also wanted to address some of the prevailing counterarguments that have been brought up in past iterations of this debate. He said chickens sounds are significantly higher decibel levels than dogs, don't stink so long as the coup is regularly cleaned and if the hens get lose, they don't reproduce at catastrophic rates like cats do. He also said the cost of building a coup isn't cheap, providing a barrier to people who aren't serious about committing to taking care of chickens. Miller pointed to Barbourville as an example of what ordinances Fairmont could adopt to allow backyard flocks. Miller also said this could be a first step toward mini-gardens or orchards. In other business: The West Virginia Division of Highway's partial resurfacing of the most heavily pothole damaged parts of the Gateway Connector did not go unnoticed by Council either. City Manager Travis Blosser gave kudos to WVDOH and Marion County's legislative delegation in his report. The connector itself is due for more in depth work in the coming years. 'While we are going to see a lot of the significant pothole issues taken care of, that roadway is slated for a complete asphalt repaving in FY 27,' Blosser said. 'Prior to that paving, there would be a lot of ADA work. We've had some discussions with the state about how we as the city could potentially help pushing that along much quicker.' Nick Fantasia told council that the Marion Regional Development Corporation's work continues on the three pads the organization is preparing for development at the High Tech Park. He also teased the possibility of a new industry coming to the city. 'I can't get into a great deal of detail, but we've been successful and are very encouraged that this sports equipment manufacturing entity from Boca Raton, Florida, to come into West Virginia, come into Fairmont,' Fantasia said. 'We expect further discussions with the development office. Once the discussions with the development office are put to bed, we should have an official announcement for the location and time frame.' Council also introduced several zoning ordinances designed to update City Code. Among the items the city wants to update are rules around boarding houses, make it easier to build townhouses within city limits and regulate fireworks sales tents. Last year, the city had to deal with an unexpected flap after a fireworks tent opened in a residential area thanks to an unintended consequence of longstanding zoning rules. Council will vote on the zoning changes at its next meeting on March 11.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
St. Paul City Council deadlocks around Ryan Cos. plan to add one-story buildings along Ford Parkway
A developer's efforts to add a series of single-story buildings along the outer edges of the Highland Bridge development have been rebuffed by a tie vote of the St. Paul City Council. The Ryan Cos. recently sought zoning variances to add four squat buildings along Ford Parkway, each of them no more than 12 to 18 feet tall, on parcels of land where city zoning calls for a minimum of 40 feet. Variance requests for building height and floor area ratio were denied in January by the city's Board of Zoning Appeals after some members likened the proposal to a strip mall, thrusting the issue before the city council. Council Member Saura Jost, who represents Highland Park, urged her fellow council members on Wednesday to vote in favor of the Ryan Cos. two appeals of the BZA decision, noting that 'almost all projects at Highland Bridge have approved variances from the zoning code.' The council then voted on Jost's motions, deadlocking 3-3 on each of the company's requests for zoning variances on the two land parcels. Council Members Anika Bowie and Cheniqua Johnson joined Jost in voting yes, and Council President Rebecca Noecker and HwaJeong Kim joined Nelsie Yang in voting no. Given the tie, the motions did not pass. Council members noted that the vote could be reconsidered next week if a council member changed their vote. Spanning more than 122 acres, the former home of the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Highland Park has been developed into hundreds of housing units, commercial offices, multiple playgrounds and a Lunds & Byerlys grocery store, but residential construction has slowed. Representatives of the Ryan Cos. have expressed concern that filling an additional series of sizable commercial or mixed-use buildings will be difficult given an economic climate marked by high interest rates, a difficult lending environment, sluggish city population growth, remote work and the city's rent control ordinance. Just prior to the vote, Jost said the Board of Zoning Appeals had erred in identifying Ford Parkway at Cretin Avenue as a 'neighborhood node,' or a potential transit and development hotspot, when it's not listed as such in the city's Comprehensive Plan. She also noted the Ryan Cos. had expressed concern about navigating Ford Parkway's steep slope, shallow bedrock and perched water, as well as pedestrian easements that cut across the lot diagonally, which had been a city priority. 'Buildings ultimately bear on the soil below them,' Jost said. 'These are challenges not created by the landowner, but by the land. And as I mentioned before, they impact the entirety of the design.' A Twin Cities developer unimpressed with the concept plans told the BZA — and the city council, during a public hearing last week — that construction challenges around slopes and bedrock are common and not insurmountable. While the Ryan Cos. had not provided a geo-technical analysis to prove their point, neither had he, Jost noted. 'I strongly disagree with a local developer being an expert when it comes to sub-surface soil conditions,' she said. 'They're not expert design professionals.' Taking the opposite tack, Yang said the BZA had relied on credible testimony from a developer with experience in the field, and she could not support the company's appeals. 'I did not find an error in the decision-making,' she said. Local News | Ryan Cos. appeals denial of Highland Bridge one-story storefronts Local News | Ryan Cos. to appeal negative zoning decision at St. Paul's Highland Bridge Local News | St. Paul Board of Zoning Appeals blocks Highland Bridge 'strip mall' proposal 4-2 Local News | St. Paul: At Highland Bridge, Ryan Cos. seeks less height, density along Ford Parkway Local News | St. Paul free mental health clinic reached more than 100 visits since opening in October
