Equipment rental costs settled

Kimball City Council passed resolution 2015-10, setting rental rates for city-owned equipment to private sector businesses and citizens at their regular meeting, Nov. 17.

The item was tabled during the previous council meeting for further review by council.

“I think the only changes we made in here was adding the first line, just that all equipment and labor are rented in one-hour increments with a one hour minimum,” Mayor Keith Prunty said. “So, an hour and ten minutes will come out to two hours, basically.”

“I believe there was also a portion there requiring city administrator’s approval on all rentals,” City Adminstrator Daniel Ortiz said. “We have to address the issue of priority as well as requests outside the city limits.”

Equipment rental prices do not include the cost of an operator except the cement saw, which includes the cost of an operator. Labor will be charged at an additional $45 per hour during regular business hours, with that cost jumping to $60 for nights and weekends in the same hourly increments and with the same one hour minimum.

With the exception of a plate compactor and a jumping hack compactor all units require at least one operator.

Ortiz addressed the recent town-wide power outage during his report to the council. Crews began working on multiple issues about 12:30 Tuesday morning beginning with the East sub-station, before moving on to lines throughout town and completing work just prior to 8 a.m.

Mayor Prunty reported that the owners of the Longhorn Restaurant building attended the recent brownsfield seminar and it is likely that they will begin phase two, an assessment of partial clean-up costs, soon.

“It was very interesting information,” Prunty said. “The same day John (Morrison) and I were at a Goodhand meeting trying to get the Goodhand Theater back. We had a lot of concerned citizens and different groups involved. I think we got some good direction, so hopefully on a temporary basis we can try to get it open.”

Prior to concluding the meeting, Prunty added that council members will likely receive his committee appointments at the next meeting, Dec. 1, and that the city clerk position is still open.