By KELSEY UNRUH

Staff writer

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, members voted to approve a $153,800 bid for a Case 621G front-end loader from Victor Phillips of Kansas City.

Finding a bid for a front-end loader was a more difficult process than originally thought, city street supervisor Dale Dalke said.

“You have your preferences before you bid on something, and then most of the numbers come in, things change and you demo them,” Dalke said, “So our preferences change and you get a different feel for things.”

Dalke did a demonstration on all but one of the front-end loaders submitted for consideration.

“So he’s had some experience with these pieces,” city administrator Larry Paine said.

One thing that made Dalke more confident in a Case model was that the city of Marion also bought one in 2010.

“They have been really happy with it, and no major issues,” Dalke said. “They liked how it performs and how it feels and what it does for them.”

Mayor Delores Dalke asked if the machine needed to be serviced in Kansas City.

“Wichita,” Dale Dalke said. “Or they have service trucks that come down plus mileage, but that’s the same as anybody from Wichita or Salina.”

In other business:

• Members approved a $17,428 bid to purchase a rope climbing apparatus for Memorial Park. “It looks like a lot of fun,” council member Dave Loewen said. The equipment will be paid for out of a special park fund.
• A $39,800 bid with Mid-America Courtworks to rehabilitate eight tennis courts at the sports complex was approved by council members. The city, USD 410, and Tabor will share costs, and Paine said Tabor will add wind screens to the west courts as part of their contribution.
• Cynthia Fleming and June Shreve were re-appointed to the Community Planning Development committee through Feb. 21, 2017, while Frank Johnson, Eric Driggers, and Gary Tibbetts until Feb. 21, 2020.
• Larry Paine reported to the council that the tornado sirens were run on Tuesday as part of a test for turning them on by a landline rather than by pushing a button. The buttons will remain active.