Kingsland Moves $30,000 To Fund Wastewater Fixes, Approves Resolution To Become 'Town in Black'

KINGSLAND - The Kingsland City Council unanimously approved a motion to transfer $30,000 from the city's general fund to the wastewater fund to pay for some major renovations that are currently underway at the city's wastewater treatment facility. Mayor Sharon Crosby told the city council during its regular monthly meeting last Thursday night that Joe Freyer, the utilities manager for the City of Rison who is working on a contract basis for the City of Kingsland, has been busy repairing several faulty systems in the city's wastewater treatment plant. Crosby said the total in parts alone, less the labor, was already at $17,585.49. She noted that Freyer told her he was able to repair some of the parts without having to replace them. A list of the parts that was submitted to the city by Freyer included everything from pumps to fittings. Included in that amount shifted from the general fund to wastewater was about $3,800 that was left over from the city's federal COVID relief money fund. Last month, the council approved Crosby's recommendation to hire water operator Kaleb Parker of the West Saline Water Users Association at New Edinburg to serve as water operator and Freyer to serve as the wastewater operator. Both hires were on a temporary basis until the city's new manager for both systems, Stan Miller, renews his operator licenses with the state. The temporary, part-time hires were initiated after former water operator Lloyd Purifoy and wastewater operator Mark Garrett resigned last month after learning that the city was going to hire Miller on a full-time basis to handle both operator positions. Purifoy and Garrett were working of the city part-time. Miller was in attendance at last Thursday's meeting. "The Town in Black" Also during the meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution declaring Kingsland as the "The Town in Black" for April 8, 2024. The resolut...