Abilene City Manager Minute October 2015

 Abilene City Manager Minute - October 2015

by David Dill

David Dillner - image from Eagle Communication "Our Town"

There's a lot to be hopeful of in Abilene these days. As you may have noticed over the last few weeks, new construction is taking place throughout Abilene. Schools are being improved and constructed. The Brown Memorial Foundation and Edward Jones are building a new building on Buckeye Avenue. Great Plains Theater is performing at its new location at the former Alco corporate office building on Cottage Avenue. It is my understanding that they will soon be showing movies too. Thunderstruck, Inc. has been busy converting the other side of the Alco building into its new headquarters. Kwik Shop will soon continue its development plans and Casey's is working on its own expansion. Shopko has also been a great new addition to the community.

With all this activity, it is difficult not to be excited for Abilene and its future. We can even see how all this activity is benefiting the City. Sales tax is up 4% compared to year-to-date last year. Total sales tax receipts for the year are $983,375 compared to $945,143 through the same period from last year. I am confident that we will see an increase in assessed valuation next year as a result of the construction activity, although it is difficult to know how much of an increase we will see on the tax rolls.

The City, Health and Wellness Coalition, and USD 435 have partnered together to revisit the Abilene Cowboy Trail concept. Leveraging investments in sidewalks by the School District, the City is planning to implement Phase I of the trail to provide a safe way of getting from the Abilene Middle School and Eisenhower Elementary School to Eisenhower Park and the Community Center using a strategic route that will include Mud Creek levee. Eventually, the trail will extend throughout Abilene and provide Abilene residents will a safe way to bike or walk through town. A public meeting to discuss options for the development of NW 11th Street and its connection to the Abilene Cowboy Trail will be held at Abilene Middle School on October 22nd at 6:00 pm. You're invited to attend to learn more about these two projects and to provide input on the final design.

The City was recently recognized by KMIT, the City's workers compensation provider, as a Gold Star recipient in the KMIT Loss Prevention Certification Program. Achieving this level in the program reduces the City's premiums for workers compensation and demonstrates the City's commitment to a safe work environment. Lower premiums mean lower operating costs for the taxpayers we serve. The Gold Star rating is really attributable to the front line employees who are committed to using safe work practices everyday in the provision of public services. 

The Fire Department has been providing building inspections in lieu of hiring a new building inspector. This idea was brought forward by the Fire Department, and seems to be working very well. Staff will be meeting in the next few weeks to discuss the initiative's progress and to determine if it will become a permanent change. If successful, the Fire Department would take over building inspections and would allow the City to hire a swing position that has been unfilled for several years. I appreciate the Fire Department's willingness to take on these responsibilities as a pilot as we explore if such a transition will be beneficial to the community.

As you can see, there's a lot going on in Abilene and in the City's organization that will no doubt have a positive impact on the future of Abilene. I am proud of the services we provide the community and especially the hard work and dedication of the employees who provide public services to the citizens of Abilene.

Keep up-to-date with everything in the Abilene Kansas Community!!

GET The Free Mobile App HERE.