The Chandler City Council approved the installation of eight new stop signs at their monthly meeting on Dec. 10.
Mike Keller, assistant director of public works, said the City’s focus on future growth inspired him to send a team out to find intersections that needed new stop signs. They returned with eight areas in need that Keller followed up on to determine the necessity of signs.
“It’s not high-traffic areas, but as we grow, we feel that we probably need to have these stop signs in place,” Keller said.
The signs will cost about $35 each, not including the poles, with the total cost to land at around $280. The intersections that will get the signs are Oak and Ponderosa; Key and Oak; Blaine and Chigger Road; Blaine and Thunderbird; Ash and Oakwood; Plum and Oakwood; Keokuk and 14th; and Keokuk and 13th. The motion passed unanimously.
The Council also heard a briefing from Councilperson Robin Crouch, chair of the Wind Energy Committee. Crouch outlined where the committee was in drafting a new city ordinance to better address industrial wind. She said they plan to put height restrictions, setbacks, and other related parameters in place, as well as protect city land around the lake and Chandler’s drinking supply. Currently, city ordinances only say that wind energy is allowed on land zoned for agriculture without much guidance. The new ordinance is meant to better guide the planning commission. It will also continue to limit wind energy to only agriculture zoning.
The committee hopes to present City Attorney Larry Lenora with a draft for his review within the next week or so.
Other motions at the City Council meeting include approving an agreement with Enchanted Castle Studios, LLC for the construction of the 66 Man Statue in McClanahan Park and establishing meeting dates for the Chandler City Council for 2025.
The Pool Board Committee presented recommendations for improvements to the municipal pool at the Chandler Municipal Authority Meeting before the Council meeting. Matt Radcliffe brought forth the committee’s proposal to retain the existing pool size while improving the facilities.
“We truly felt that retaining the general size and configuration of the existing pool would be more in line with what, as a community, we could provide support and maintain,” Radcliffe said. “We wanted to really address and improve the curb appeal, elevate the design and dignity of the facility in alignment with the comprehensive plan and other intended developments along this section of Route 66.”
This includes building a new bath house with more privacy for showers and changing areas and moving the covered pavilion to the east or northeast side of the pool. The kids’ pool would also be moved too.
The committee also recommended expanding the pool to allow for ADA access or zero entry, bringing the pool up to modern code.
Crouch asked for a ballpark figure, and Radcliffe said possibly $2 to 2.5 million, based on similar-sized facilities in other municipalities, though this was by no means a solid price and it would depend on many variables.
City Manager Jason Orr said the next step is to get a more accurate estimate and then look into financing options. One possibility he suggested was for the City to finance part of the project while the rest was put to a bond.
The MunicipalAuthority then approved the purchase of a new vac from Vermeer Great Plains for the Public Works department at the price of $100,000.