Arma Establishes Land Bank
Land Bank Update
July 20, 2015
ARMA — A new economic development engine may help return abandoned property to productivity.
Following the lead of nearby Pittsburg, the Arma City Council authorized creation of a land bank to foster projects supporting home ownership, improving neighborhoods and more.
“It basically allows us to establish the land bank with us being the governing board of it and would allow us, that if property is available and we wish to get involved, we would be allowed to,” said Mayor Buddy Bualle.
Council members will serve as the trustees for the land bank, and asked about their flexibility and decision making ability as they administer the bank, and were told that they would be able to operate with fair flexibility.
Following a brief discussion, the council approved Ordinance 603 establishing a land bank for the City of Arma and also accepted a land bank policy, governing the land bank, as presented.
Council members also discussed the city’s goal of continuing to work on drainage problems.
Bull noted that work has been done in the Perry Street area, but some areas of town are still problematic.
“One is on Fourth between Perry and Williams,” Bualle said, adding that the rain backs up where train tracks once went through.
Council member Richard Kerley said he has studied the situation and thinks there could be a solution.
“I was watching it the other day,” he said. “To me, I think it needs wing walls built on it – build them as high as that street is there.”
He said the same type of situation impacts the intersection of Palmer and Fifth and recommended putting a box in there.
In other business, council members opted not to pursue extended warranties on a backhoe purchase, and authorized the purchase of a Kansas Highway Patrol vehicle, utilizing a lease-purchase from a local bank, for a price not to exceed $20,000.
Police Chief Jeremy Allen also reported that four nuisance letters were sent out Monday for tall weeds, tree limbs and abandoned vehicles, and asked that council members notify him of any other concerns around the community so he can send out letters in time to have properties cleaned up for Arma Homecoming.
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