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John “Jack” Helin
(Articles are in reverse chronological order)
TAB 5
The Chieftain (Bonner Springs, KS)
July 22, 2004
Council Puts Final Touches on ’05 Budget
Author: Caroline Boyer
Improvements to Kerry Roberts Park, an infrastructure study, and pay increases for City Council
members may be in the future for the city of Bonner Springs. The Bonner Springs City Council
has met three times to discuss the city's 2005 budget, and will meet for a final discussion
Monday. Major concerns thus far have included parks, infrastructure and an increase in the City
Council budget that made some Council members uneasy.
The 2005 city budget almost offered a chance to get a proposed skateboard park off of the back
burner, but the Council had other plans for the money.
At a budget workshop July 6, city manager John Helin presented a general fund budget for the
parks and recreation department that would include $15,000 set aside for skate park equipment.
But at Monday's budget meeting, the Council decided the money would best be used for
improvements to Kerry Roberts Park. The city applied for a grant from the Tony Hawk
Foundation last year for a skate park but was denied. Helin said he saw a need for the skate park,
though the money would buy only a launch ramp, quarter pipe, launch box and a grind box.
Council member Amber Sechrist, Ward III, said the parks and recreation commission does want
a skate park, but she thought putting equipment in Kerry Roberts Park was higher on their
priority list. "It was my opinion that a skateboard park would get more use than playground
equipment," Helin explained. But Council members disagreed. They recommended combining
$15,000 set aside for a Kerry Roberts Park picnic shelter in the Parks and Recreation special
revenue fund and the skate park money to create a $30,000 fund for improvements to Kerry
Roberts Park.
Helin also has been concerned with mapping out the city's infrastructure and preparing for future
development. Fees for mapping have been moved to the new budget for project manager Kevin
Bruemmer, who is now in charge of the mapping. A $75,000 sewer study and $55,000 water
study have also been included in the wastewater collection and treatment and water treatment
enterprise funds. The studies will find out how much development the city can currently support.
Helin said the city currently doesn't know what size of a water and sewer treatment system it
would need in areas of new development, and how new water and sewer lines will impact the
sewage treatment plant and water supply. "Now as we're seeing the growth, we need to know
ahead of time if we can support this system," Helin said.
Up for discussion is an increase in the total annual salary of all Council members from $5,105 to
$10,070, discussed at the July 6 meeting. The increase came at the suggestion of Helin, though
Council member Jeff Harrington, Ward IV, said it would need to be addressed again before
approval. "I just felt like you deserved it; you've been dealing with some pretty big issues," Helin
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