The Parsons City Commission on Monday accepted the lone bid for removing the leaking, slanted windows at Parsons Public Library.
Greg Hinman will serve as the general contractor and oversee the subcontractors for the project that will cost $417,000.
The project involves removing existing sloped windows in the building and upgrading to new vertical windows. The sloped windows leak. The new windows will be 20-foot by 12-foot. The building will see some changes to support the vertical windows.
The sloped windows extend out and limit usable space where they are. The new windows will be vertical from the building’s exterior lines so the library will gain additional space.
Library Director Samantha Graven said last week that two 10 foot by 15 foot quiet rooms will be added on the east side where the windows will be replaced. The floor now drops down for the angled space created by the sloped windows. This will be made level with the rest of the library floor. The south side windows will be replaced and this space will be used as a reading area for periodicals. Coffee would also be available in this space.
The exterior of the building in these areas will match the existing structure “We are going to gain so much usable space,” Graven said.
Decorative tile will be added as an accent as well.
She said Hinman was the same contractor who completed other interior work in the library during the pandemic and build the exterior reading area.
Once the grant paperwork is complete, Graven said she, Laura Moore, the city’s community development director, Hinman and subcontractors will have a preconstruction meeting with work to commence after that.
The library received a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce for $237,685 for the project. The library will use $213,917 of its funding and the city will kick in $23,768. The project was estimated to cost $475,371.
In other matters, commissioners: — Agreed to recommend a $12,000 distribution to the Care Cupboard hygiene pantry from the D.V. Reed Trust. A district judge will decide if the grant follows the trust requirements of benefiting the needy poor. The pantry distributes feminine products,
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toilet paper and other hygiene items from First Baptist Church in Parsons. In 2024, the pantry increased its budget to $57,000 for essential kits based on serving 300 families per month. The 2025 budget increased to $76,000 with a goal of serving 350 families a month. A survey of those receiving the items indicated a need for more laundry detergent and toilet paper. These additional needs will cost another $12,000 for the year, which was the basis of the request. Care Cupboard received $7,500 last year from the Reed Trust. After this grant, the trust will have $36,151.18 left to distribute for the year. David V. Reed was born in Union County, Ohio, in 1842, and moved to Labette County in 1867 after his Civil War service. His land and business dealings prospered in Labette County. He relocated to Parsons in 1903 and lived at 1402 Grand. He died at age 86 in early 1928. Reed set up a trust ranging in assets from $65,000 to $80,000 and left it to the Southeast Kansas Home for the Friendless Association. In 1934, that group became the Parsons Old Ladies Home and moved from Grand to 1607 Main. The home ceased operations in 1977 and interest from the trust was transferred to the city under directions in Reed’s will. The city receives interest income from the trust once a year to be used for the “needy poor.”
— Agreed to contract with Green Horizon, owned by Denis Overman, for mowing Oakwood and Pefley cemeteries during the mowing season. The cost will be $6,010 per mow. The other bidder, Turf Bros, bid $6,257.50. Turf Bros handled the mowing in 2024. During a discussion, Turf Bros’ owner Steve Krewson said his company mowed the cemeteries 24 times last year and manpower averaged five to seven crew members each time. Overman said he had eight workers and two 61-inch cut mowers, along with plenty of string trimmers and leaf blowers.
— Agreed to increase the permit fee for fireworks stands in the city from $160 to $600. Retailers would get a trash dumpster on site plus two trash pickups. The current fee breaks down to $50 for the permit plus an upfront payment of $110 for a two-yard dumpster and two pickups. City staff researched what Kansas communities are doing and found fees ranging up to $5,000.
— Approved a franchise agreement with Ideatek (ideatek.com) from Buhler to provide residential fiber network connections for internet service. The city will receive 5% of all gross revenues the company earns in the city as well as a one-time $2,500 application fee upon approval of the franchise agreement. James Krstolich of Ideatek visited with commissioners about the franchise agreement. The fiber would be buried around town but the lines would not be buried to the residences. He said the company’s expected investment in Parsons is $8 million. The build out will be in small sections at a time, he said.
— Accepted the low bid of $125,901 from Hucke Hauling to rehabilitate the dam at Parsons Lake. The contract would improve 400 feet of the dam, which will refortify areas where rip rap moved. Commissioners heard that it may be possible that Hucke could improve more of the dam, if the state approves, as the grant amount was $212,000.
— Heard an update from Fire Chief Brad Boss on the Labette Community College fire school that took place earlier this month. This was the 43rd year for the fire school and participants and instructors totaled 178. Commissioners asked about the status of the planned demolition of the three houses used in the fire school. They were told that the city’s insurance agent, Bob Wood, was looking for options to cover the city’s demolition work. The insurance carrier, EMC, “was not very fond of that in the past year,” City Manager Debbie Lamb said of the city crews’ work. “Our insurance company is trying to get coverage to cover us. At this point, we do not have it.” The agent is trying to find someone to insure the city’s demolition work. Commissioners discussed possibly bidding out the demolition work with options that include city crews clearing and restoring the sites.
— Approved another five year lease of the shooting range to the Parsons Gun Club LLC. The gun club operates and maintains the shooting range, which is owned by the city.
