City commission considers funding part of St. Andrew's playground, reopen part of 14th Street

Three noteworthy items were discussed by the Abilene City Commission’s during their study session June 10.

Funding school playground

Representatives with St. Andrew’s Elementary School approached the commission asking for funds to help with their school expansion, specifically the first phase of the playground with a walking path around it. While they did not ask for a specific amount, the cost of the playground they are planning is $163,592. Cynthia Deters said at the time they had raised $20,000 for the playground. They have applied to several grants for the playground. Father Peter O’Donnell of St. Andrew Church said the playground is open to the public after school hours. Their playground is the only one in the southern part of Abilene, and children have to cross two railroad tracks to travel to other playgrounds. The playground will be constructed at the end of July.

Kollhoff said he would be willing to give between half of the amount needed after learning what grants the school garnered to $50,000.

“I can’t help but be a little bit amused that we just gave a multimillion dollar company city property, and now we’re questioning whether or not to give a church group money for a playground that local kids are going to use,” Kollhoff said at the start of the commission’s discussion.

Commissioner Wendy Miller voiced her concern that donating toward this project may set a bad precedent for the city.

“If we set the standard, then others can come back and reasonably expect the same thing,” Miller said. “That’s my concern. If we have the money, I think it is a great benefit, but we have to look at being fair across the board.”

The agenda document for the item reads that city staff’s recommendation is that using tax dollars toward a private project is not a good practice. The document also lists that the city’s master parks plan has a goal of updating playgrounds on city property.

Brandon Rein, city mayor, said he would be open to giving a small amount.

Commissioner Trevor Witt said he would be willing to contribute money toward a specific piece of equipment costing between $5,000 and $15,000.

Commissioner Amy Meysenburg said she would be willing to fund the project.

The commission will discuss the item again in a future meeting.

Truck routes

Kollhoff wanted a discussion about preventing trucks from traveling past Abilene Middle School and Abilene High School on NW 14th Street. 14th Street is designated by the city as a truck route. He thinks now is the time to take action on this topic before NW 14th Street opens up again.

Crosswalks are planned to be added to the street as part of the NW 14th Street project, City Manager Ron Marsh said.

Brad Anderson, public works director, said truck routes also serve as alternative routes in emergency situations. He shared Kollhoff’s concern about trucks going past the schools, but keeping a secondary emergency and truck route is important. Also, he wants to keep trucks away from the downtown area as much as possible. For historical context, NW 14th Street was the U.S. Highway 40 bypass and constructed as a truck route before Interstate Highway 70 was built.

Kollhoff suggested making Seventh and Eighth streets more convenient for trucks so that drivers take 14th Street less. Anderson said he would need to know more information from businesses and engineers about whether that is possible.

Kale Strunk, fire chief, said children are also crossing and walking by Seventh and Eighth streets because of the Central Kansas Free Fair, the baseball fields and the Abilene Community Center. More children will be in that area if a sports complex is built. He estimated children are walking along those streets more often than NW 14th Street. Preventing truck traffic on 14th Street will also affect farmers hauling grain from the Flint Hills area to the west.

The conversation ended with no clear resolution or direction.

Reopening 14th Street

Also at his request, Kollhoff proposed opening NW 14th Street from Vine Street to Van Buren Street for local traffic. The request was initially made to the commission in their May 28 meeting by two residents who live along NW 14th Street west of the construction. The second and final phase of the NW 14th Street improvement project currently occuring is on the section between Cedar Street and the Abilene Middle School exit. The Vine Street to Van Buren Street section is currently closed to prevent large trucks from turning onto NW 14th Street and then having to travel on local roads such as Vine Street and Cedar Street that are not built for semi-trucks.

Marsh said the contractors requested the section stayed closed, and Marsh himself recommended the section stay closed.

“I think the experts set that up. I just question why we would change what the experts say,” Marsh said.

“I would sort of question the ‘expert’ moniker,” Kollhoff said in response to Marsh. “But I feel like that is done certainly for contractor convenience, and it’s to the inconvenience of our constituents who are paying for it.”

Amid discussion, the commission realized that, while the 14th Street project is the city’s, NW 14th Street from Vine Street to Van Buren Street is a county road, not a city road. Aaron Martin, city attorney, said generally the city cannot shut down county roads. For a more indepth answer to address this situation, he would have to do more research.

Kollhoff requested the commission vote to reopen that section of 14th Street in their next meeting.

The Abilene City Commission will next meet at 4 p.m. June 24 in the Abilene Public Library.