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1. It’s now Spring 2017. What’s the latest on the sewer project?

The second round of the scheduled tiered rate increase will appear on the April 2017 utility bill that will be received in the mail in late March. Sewer rates are tied into the customer’s water usage in the months of December, January and February. Those months are chosen as they should be some of the lowest water usage months out of the year as lawn watering and other high uses attributable to summer hasn’t hit yet. Rates will increase by $9 for the base rate and 0.85 cents for usage. The base rate for the first 1,000 gallons of water used will be $27 compared to the previous rate of $18. The variable rate per 1,000 gallons will be $7.15 compared to the previous rate of $6.30.
For the average household that uses 4,000 gallons of water, the sewer usage on the monthly utility bill will increase to $48.45 from $36.90.
The good news is the estimated cost of the wastewater treatment plant has been adjusted from a high of $15-$16 million to $12 million. Louisburg is also in a housing boom with almost 50 new home permits issued in 2016 with that growth anticipated to continue into 2017. The more users the city has, the more the costs gets spread over those users. Each year, city staff review rates and cost estimates to ensure the rates are not unfounded. This is the last year for the base rate increase although the variable rate is slated to increase again in 2018 and 2020, the year the plant would become operational.
Louisburg’s rates do move it higher up on the list when compared to neighboring communities’ rates. The average monthly wastewater rates are Paola: $38.20; Osawatomie: $39.85; Spring Hill: 42.80; Basehor: $48.04; Louisburg: $48.45; Gardner: $48.85; and Baldwin City: $49.52.
Louisburg is also in line to receive a low-interest loan from the state to help with the financing. City staff also continues to aggressively search out other low-interest loan or grant opportunities.

2. What is wrong with the City of Louisburg’s current sewer system and why are changes needed?

The Environmental Protection Agency has tightened the regulations on nutrients that sewer lagoon systems can discharge. The City has two lagoon systems – the North lagoons, located west of Broadway and N. Third Street, and the South lagoons, located west of Rogers Road between 287th & 295th streets, to the southwest of the City’s public works location.
The City received a letter from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state agency that monitors sewers, in March 2015 to notify the City that the EPA has tightened the ammonia limits on lagoon facilities that discharge to stream waters and the City’s lagoon system is not within the acceptable range as determined by the EPA. The City had to evaluate the current system and submit a plan of action to KDHE by Nov. 30, 2015.

3. Why is the City of Louisburg being targeted to make changes?

The EPA is looking at all communities that are served by lagoons. There are 800 municipal/commercial lagoons in the state. Louisburg is tied as the fourth largest city with a discharging lagoon system.

1: Ulysses, population: 6,100
2. Iola, population: 5,700
3. Russell, population: 4,500
4. Baxter Springs, population: 4,300
Louisburg, population: 4,300

4. What was the City’s next step?

The City contracted with Larkin Lamp Rynearson, a civil engineering, survey, planning and consulting firm, to evaluate the City’s sewer system and make recommendations on what, if anything, the City could do to become compliant.

5. What did the Larkin Lamp Rynearson report say?

The City Council received the report at the Nov. 2, 2015, meeting and had a work session to discuss the findings Nov. 9, 2015.

The report gave the City three options to consider:

Option 1 is to do nothing, which could eventually involve hefty fines levied on the city by KDHE and the EPA and/or revoking the City’s permits to operate the wastewater system. The EPA could also force the City to make upgrades at the EPA’s choosing, taking the decision away from the City.

Option 2 would be to modify the existing lagoons at a ballpark figure of $6 million.

Option 3 would be to build a mechanical wastewater treatment facility at a ballpark figure of $15-16 million.

According to the report, the City would face multiple violations for ammonia and BOD. Additional findings show areas of concern in not having 3-phase power at the South Lagoons, the reliability of the current equipment and nitrification bacteria loss in cold weather. Without 3-phase power at the South Lagoons there is no availability for back-up power if we have a major electrical outage. Nitrification loss means cold weather kills the organisms that break up waste so it’s much harder to treat the waste.

In addition, the report advised that there very likely could be further restrictions imposed by the EPA further decreasing acceptable ammonia levels and quite possibly placing restrictions on nitrogen and phosphorus limits in the near future. Our current system does not have the ability to meet those potential requirements.

6. I thought the City upgraded the lagoons several years ago and those changes were to be sufficient for 20 or more years. What happened?

Yes, that is correct. At the time the City upgraded the lagoons it was based on the decision that the modifications would be sufficient to meet the current standards set by the EPA and last for many years. There was no hint the EPA would tighten restrictions in less than 10 years. At the time the modifications were made, the city took a calculated risk that by the time a wastewater treatment facility would be needed, in about 15-20 years, the population of the City would have more than doubled. That would have spread the cost across more users.

7. What’s the historical timeline of the current lagoons?

The original North lagoons were built in 1962 and expanded in the 1970s. In 2009 the North lagoons were expanded again, adding 2 more cells for a total of 5 cells at that site. Currently the North lagoons can treat 0.42 million gallons per day.

The South lagoons were built in 1990 and consisted of 3 cells. In 2006 the site was upgraded with 2 additional cells. Currently the South lagoons can treat 0.60 million gallons per day.

8. The City has decided Option 3 best fits the City’s needs. Why?

At its Nov. 16, 2015, meeting, the City Council decided, at the recommendation of City staff and the Larkin Lamp Rynearson staff, that this would be a permanent solution to the City’s wastewater needs. The Council determined that by choosing Option 2 the City would just be putting a band-aide on the City’s lagoons and quite possibly constructing “throw-away” infrastructure. The consultants, through their findings and after talking with KDHE, are anticipating further restrictions by the EPA. If the City proceeded with Option 2, we would once again be out of compliance. The City Council feels it is in the long-term best interests of the community to proceed with building a mechanical plant. The recommendation is to not overbuild a mechanical plant. It would be built to address the new requirements. If future tighter regulations are imposed by the EPA, then equipment can be added to the plant to address those concerns.

The Larkin Lamp Rynearson staff gave the City a ballpark of $16 million but thinks it can be done for $1-2 million less. They based that figure on a plant similar to what we would need which they recently built in a Missouri city of similar size.

9. Now the big question. What does this do to sewer rates?

Unfortunately they will go up. The City has benefitted from extremely low sewer costs for many, many years. Sewer rates are based on the user’s water consumption. City rates changed most recently in 2007, increasing by $2 on the first 1,000 gallons water consumed and 20 cents per 1,000 gallons thereafter. Prior increases occurred in 2005 and 2002. The current rate structure - $11 for the first 1,000 gallons of water consumed and $2.30 per 1,000 gallons thereafter – is the lowest in the area when compared to Paola, Osawatomie and Spring Hill (see information below). At its meeting Nov. 16, 2015, the Council is considering step increases to sewer rates to begin to build some money to pay for engineering and other upfront costs. The City of Louisburg is in an area of the state that is growing and the city is poised to grow as the economy improves. The estimated population in 20 years is expected to be almost 10,000 at an average growth rate of 3.5 percent per year. As the population grows, that will help lower sewer costs for all as the cost can be spread to more users. The City is considering some kind of tiered plan where the biggest sewer contributors will pay more than a single household. The City Council is just beginning to grapple with this need and has lots of decisions to make that will affect Louisburg for many years to come.

Per 1,000 gallon average cost for residential customers based on 4,000 gallon monthly use and additional sewer charges:

Louisburg $4.48 $17.90/month
Osawatomie $9.02 $36.08/month
Paola $9.55 $38.20/month
Spring Hill $10.40 $41.58/month

Detailed Information:
Osawatomie – $4.33 user charge per month, $21.75 net capital charge per month and 25 cents/100 gallon Winter Average (December and January);
Paola – $23 per month sewer service charge plus 38 cents/100 gallon Winter Average (mid-December to mid-February); and
Spring Hill – $16.14 for first 2,000 gallon, $8.22/1,000 gallon thereafter and a $9 per month service charge.

10. Where can I find the report to learn more?

The Larkin Lamp Rynearson complete report, including findings, is here:
Complete Report

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1. I smell gas, what do I do?

If it is an emergency, such as blowing or “hissing” gas, exit the house immediately and call 911. Do not operate electrical switches, controls, door bells, etc. Get out immediately and call from a neighbors house or cell phone. For other suspicious leaks, please call 913-837-5371 during office hours or 913-837-5373 after hours to page the on-call responder.

2. The sewer at my house is not working properly, what can I do?

Contact the Public Works Department. The sewer main will be cleaned by the city if necessary, however the service line from the house to the main is the responsibility of the homeowner.

3. The culvert under my driveway is clogged, will the city clean it out?

Yes, please call Public Works. If the homeowner requests that the culvert be replaced, the homeowner will be required to purchase the culvert - however in most cases the city will afford the labor.

4. There is a pothole on my street, who do I report it to?

Please call Public Works at 913-837-5371 or email us the location of the pothole.

5. Are boat motors allowed on the city lake?

Gas motors are prohibited, however electric trolling motors are allowed.

6. How can I contact the various city departments?

Review our staff directory.

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1. Is open burning allowed?

The burning of leaves is allowed on Fridays and Saturdays and no permit is required. Anyone burning must call the Miami County Sheriff's Office, 913-294-4444 option 4, prior to any burn. Additionally any outside burning shall be attended at all times by the person who has set the fire, or his agent; a person shall not initiate burning during the night hours, which for the purpose of this regulation shall mean the period from two hours before sunset until one hour after sunrise; that the person shall not add material to a fire after two hours before sunset and before one hour after sunrise; and no person shall burn when the wind speed is in excess of 15 mph. Burning in the street is strictly prohibited. Violations can be reported to the Fire Department or Police Department.

For those living in Fire District #2, outside the city limits, a burn permit required. 

2. Are dog tags required?

Dogs older than six months are required to be licensed per City Code. Tags are good for the calendar year and are payable by May 1 to avoid a penalty. Cost of the tag is $3 for a spayed or neutered pet and $5 for a non-spayed or non-neutered pet. A copy of the pet's rabies vaccine is also required. 

No more than three dogs and only five pets in total are allowed per household.

For more information, contact Jessica McGowin at 913-837-5317.

3. Will I need a permit to build a fence?

Permits are required for fences, structures, additions, re-roofs, interior remodeling and other projects as well. For further clarification, please contact Planning & Zoning at 913-837-5811.

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1. What are Rural Housing Incentive Districts?

• Available in Kansas since 1998
• Created for rural communities within rural counties (population thresholds by statute)
• Intended for counties or cities that have not seen residential growth despite best efforts of the governmental entity to encourage the same.
• Based on four criteria:1) There is a shortage of quality housing of various price ranges despite the best efforts of public and private housing developers; 2) The shortage of quality housing can be expected to persist and additional financial incentives are necessary in order to encourage private sector to construct or renovate housing; 3) The shortage is a substantial deterrent to the future economic growth and development of the City; and 4) The future economic wellbeing of the City depends on the Governing Body providing additional incentives for the construction or renovation of quality housing in the City.
• To form a RHID a housing study must be completed and approved by the Kansas Department of Commerce.
• An approved RHID is allowed by state statute to use property assessment/taxes to pay for the cost of public infrastructure and utilities—streets, sidewalks, water, sewer, natural gas, electric.

2. Why are RHIDs being considered?

• Lack of available housing.
• Shortage of buildable lots.
• Expense of extending public infrastructure to add buildable lots.
  • In recent years developers have asked if the City would consider incentivizing residential development by paying for a portion or all of the cost to extend public infrastructure and utilities to new subdivisions.  Historically the City had not paid for any portion of extending infrastructure, but Council could consider such an idea.  No developer has taken the effort to approach Council, but others continued to ask City staff the same question.  Staff looked at existing economic incentives approved by the City in 2017 for options to encourage residential development.  Residential development is the most likely type of development to occur in Louisburg in the near future.  Of the approved economic incentives, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) may be the most applicable.  A financial advising firm the City has used on other projects provided information about the use of TIF, but noted City might want to explore an alternative incentive allowed by the state—Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID).  To proceed with an RHID the City had to complete the housing assessment, receive state approval, and obtain approval from the required taxing entities.  The housing study, completed in March of 2019, was utilized by three separate developers to consider the type of housing they feel are marketable in Louisburg based on the needs identified, the cost of infrastructure and pace of development.

3. What does this proposed incentive cost current taxpayers?

• Nothing.
  • Since the increased assessment/tax within the development district is used to pay that cost down, no other existing property in Louisburg is expected to pay any portion of the work.  There is no cost to current taxpayers for new infrastructure or housing.

4. Are there other potential costs that will increase my property taxes?

• No.  At least not in a significant way.
  • There is no expectation that the City will need additional employees or the new homes will require additional costs beyond normal maintenance.  City streets are maintained annually and any new streets may change the annual maintenance of any given street from a 13.5-year cycle to a 14-year cycle.  In Louisburg, like all municipalities, sidewalks are typically the obligation of adjacent property owner to maintain and replace, but the City is making effort to maintain and add sidewalks for safety.

5. What about burden on, or capacity of, utility systems?

• No risk to Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)
  • The City is building a new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).  That plant is designed to accommodate 0.7 MGD (700,000 gallons of wastewater per day).  Using a population equivalency of 100 gallons per capita (person), per day, that would accommodate a population of 7,000 at maximum capacity.
• No risk to the wastewater collection, water or natural gas systems
  • The burden on the wastewater collection system, the water system, and the natural gas system is not significant with the addition of residential properties.  For all these utilities a greater number of monthly rate payers will help spread the cost of the system across more people and could drive down the overall cost for each household.  For the new WWTP, the more customers paying into the system – without exceeding the current capacity – the faster the City receives funding to pay off the debt of the WWTP.  A quicker payoff of the debt could potentially decrease the rates for that utility.  In recent years, City officials have discussed the need to possibly see an increase in water rates.  Having more rate payers without a significant increase to operation costs should postpone the need for a water rate increase.  The natural gas system has not had any recent rate increases and none are expected if the new homes are built.
• New houses pay fair share for system impact and depreciation
  • Each housing unit will pay a water/sewer/natural gas connection fee of approximately $5,700.  Natural gas is not required, and there are various sewer connection fees.  With the first two development districts, at full buildout, the City will receive approximately $969,550 for new utility service connection fees (excluding optional natural gas).

6. The City will lose out on a lot of taxes over 15 years.

• What is the tradeoff?
  • By law the City was obligated to run a financial analysis of the proposed improvements, the estimated eligible costs, and the estimated increase in assessed valuation/taxes.  There is a known tradeoff for this incentive.  Each district and development would see a reallocation of the tax revenue.  The City would look to forego the collection of property taxes for a fixed number of years to capture those in the future years once the eligible project costs are paid for.  The City will still collect sales taxes for any purchases these new residents would make within the City.
• Is there more housing to be had outside of these districts?
  • The City of Louisburg is comprised of existing housing and a certain quantity of buildable lots.  Aside from those, there are approximately 1,100 acres of potentially developable land within the City limits.  Approximately 844 acres of that is identified for future residential development, including the districts under consideration.  The two districts have been platted for the proposed development for over a decade, and they collectively account for only 5.16% of the future residential land.
• Why are builders unable to extend infrastructure at their own cost?
  • With the minimal number of buildable lots (those that have existing infrastructure immediately available), the City may not otherwise see additional residential development if a developer is not willing to use the traditional method of paying for infrastructure and recouping the costs through lot or home sales, or by using special assessments.  Special assessments have been used by the City in the past to collect the cost of providing public infrastructure to subdivisions and other areas, but it has proven to be a less desirable approach.  With the past defaulting of developers for cost of new infrastructure, those failed developments were paid for by banks and eventually sold off at artificially low costs.  The RHID approach is arguably more stable from a cost/benefit standpoint of a developer.  The City stands to lose nothing currently available.  Even if the City is not collecting property tax revenue on homes in the RHIDs for 15 years, there will be tax revenue from those homes far into the future.  As unimproved land the City receives very little tax revenue on those properties.  If these properties were developed now, City officials will know there will always be tax revenue.  If no development occurs then the City is in a wait-and-see approach as to if or when the properties are built upon.  Aside from the recent construction at Rockville Place, that built out all available lots in that subdivision, there has been little significant development inside the city limits since 2007.

7. Why is the City considering this incentive now?

• In much the same way this city competes with other cities for businesses, Louisburg also competes for people.  A common statement has been in regard to the character of this community, and a desire not to lose that character.  That is a desire at all levels.  The reality is that Louisburg is still competing for people.  Any other city similarly situated that allows for building and sale of more affordable houses, all things being equal, will stand to attract more population versus this city.  A lack of growth will always run the risk of overall stagnation, and eventual decline of population.  A declining population will no doubt present additional costs to the remaining population/tax base.

8. How will the City benefit from growth?

• A continued growth of a wonderful community.
• Additional customers to local businesses.
• Additional volunteers for local organizations.
• Places for those that work in Louisburg to live and grow.
• Places for those that want to live in Louisburg to lay down roots.
• Growth may eventually lead to additional workforce, additional businesses, and an overall better community.

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1. Who provides gas and water in Louisburg?

The city provides these utility services. For further information, contact Jessica McGowin at 913-837-5217.

2. When does my utility billing cycle begin and end?

Subject to inclement weather, meter readings are taken from the 15th to the 15th of each month. Bills are then mailed out to customers during the last week of each month. Payments are due on the first day of each month and remain payable through the 10th. Penalties accrue at a rate of 4% thereafter.

3. Can I pay my utility bills online?

Yes, you may now pay your bills online.

4. My water pressure seems low, can the city check it?

Please call the Public Works Department at 913-837-5371 and a work order will be initiated to check the water flow at your meter.