The City of Wamego’s burn pile sees a lot of traffic from not only city residents but also those living outside the city, and maintaining the site has become an issue. Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem addressed the county commission Monday about the possibility of the county working with the city to keep the site open to everyone. “We redid (the site) about five years ago. That was the attempt to be able to maintain it easier, and now it is definitely going to require some changes of some sort,” explained Eichem. Eichem said they may need to consider hiring someone to maintain the site, or else limit usage to city residents only. “We do have an ordinance that we have not enforced that says the burn site is for residents of the City of Wamego,” she said. “If it were to stay open to county residents, we would have to probably man it.” Commissioner Pat Weixelman requested Eichem come back with a specific proposal of how much the city would need the county to participate. “I’d be interested in seeing some type of proposal,” he said. “It would be easier to go down the path knowing what was expected of us.” Commissioner Greg Riat suggested signage be put in place to inform people that the site is for city residents only. County residents can dispose of limbs and leaves at the landfill for $5 or $10 depending on the load size. Eichem was concerned that limiting who used the site would be received negatively by the public. “It may be a negative impact, but at the end of the day it’s a city service,” responded Riat. “The way it works now, I think it’s good for everybody,” replied Weixelman. “I’d say come up with a number on it and let’s study it that way.” Eichem agreed to get with the city commission and create a proposal for the county.
Source: themercury.com
