ALTAMONT — The Altamont City Council last week agreed to set aside money to help some residents move gas meters as part of a transportation improvement project.
The Kansas Department of Transportation is funding most of a $1,528,469 project under its Transportation Alternatives program to connect Labette County High School to the Altamont food retail establishment with a sidewalk. The city has no match to pay for the grant, but it is responsible for utility relocation and right-of-way acquisition for it, according to Altamont City Administrator LeaAnn Myers. Project cost overruns will be paid by the city as well.
Because of that, the city council recently agreed to set aside $25,000 from utility funds to help customers along the route to move gas meters. The city will offer $1,000 per customer from this pool of money to move gas meters using the city’s approved contractor, Jon Day. If the cost is less than $1,000, the remaining money will be kept in the city’s capital improvement fund for future offsets. Council members said the estimated cost to the city for the project is about $20,000.
The council also agreed to purchase a new Bobcat for $53,300 and new Palm Pilots and associated hardware and software for utilities for $16,646.25.
