MORAN — Moran’s five full-time employees were given raises of 25 cents an hour Monday evening following individual reviews conducted in executive sessions.
Two of the employees are salaried, which means they will receive annual raises of $510.
Employees also were awarded holiday bonuses of a $30 gift certificate which may be redeemed with any Moran merchant.
Council members were appraised of a water supply rate increase of 40 cents per 1,000 gallons by Public Wholesale Water Supply District No. 5, Iola. The district draws its water from the Neosho River and purifies it at its plant northeast of Iola. The plant processes water for several small cities and rural water districts.
Moran residents won’t see an increase in their rates, however. The city raised water rates earlier this year and the wholesale rate change will be absorbed by the city.
Councilman Jerry Wallis, who represents Moran on the District No. 5 board, said the district had the lowest rate of any in Kansas at $2.85 per 1,000 gallons before the 40-cent raise. The highest is $6.
Wallis said the raise is necessary because the district is having to replace three pumps, each of which will cost $30,000.
Chief of Police Shane Smith was told to sign a new five-year contract with Taser, the company that provides his body camera. The contract is about $412.50 a year. Smith said he may be able to reduce the fee because he doesn’t need the storage space for the audio visual recordings that a larger department would require.
Smith has worn a body camera since one was authorized by council members a year ago this month.
“It’s a good thing,” he said, in that what it records, verbally and visually, protects “me and the city.”
In other news, council members:
— Discussed briefly but came up with no ideas for Boy Scout Alex Sager to pursue for an Eagle Scout project. Mayor Phillip Merkel said he noticed disc golf courses elsewhere and one might be good for Moran’s park. A walking path was mentioned by Councilman Bill Bigelow.
— Smith said he was making a dent in cleaning up trash and unsightly appearances of residences. “If people will make an effort, we’ll work with them,” he said.
— The Marmaton Valley High Future Farmers of America proposed a community garden project, which council members embraced at an earlier meeting. The next step is to find a place.
— The Moran Methodist Church was given right of way to send out carolers Wednesday evening on a tractor-drawn hay rack. Smith foresaw no problems on Moran residential streets.
Moran boosts employees’ pay
