Published: May 10, 2008 08:05 pm            

Town closer to deputy, minor road construction

By Trent Moore

trentm@cullmantimes.com

Dodge City residents will be seeing a new deputy and a bit of road construction in the coming months.

The Dodge City town council met Thursday night and further discussed the municipality’s plan to hire a deputy to patrol the area.

Dodge City has ordered a patrol car and equipment through the county sheriff’s office, which cost $28,128 and was paid for by the town.

The council is still waiting for a personnel decision to decide exactly who the deputy will be.

Dodge City will pay approximately $37,564 annually to the sheriff’s office for the deputy. That will include both his salary and benefits and come from the town’s general fund.

The starting date for the deputy still depends upon the personnel decision, but Mayor Perry Ray said he hopes that question can be answered soon and someone can get started within the next few months.

“We want to get that going as soon as possible,” he said.

In other news, the council discussed plans to begin some minor road construction around the town hall. The proposed work would attach the town hall parking lot and road to Howard Circle and also Bullet Drive.

“We’re just putting together a nest of roads back there,” Ray said.

The work will be done by Good Hope Contracting according to the county bid and cost approximately $40,000, which will come from the town’s general fund.

Ray said he hopes the work can begin within a month.

Other business included:

* The town council decided not to charge a qualification fee to run for local public offices such as town council or mayor.

* The council also approved a decision to purchase a television to place in the town hall’s basement storm shelter so that citizens using the shelter can watch the news. Approximately $500 from the town’s general fund were earmarked for the project.

“It’s all about helping the people,” Ray said.

        

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