City Council meetings
Regular Wayne City Council meetings are at 5:30 pm on the first and third Monday of each month at 513 Main Street in Wayne City Hall. Come be an active citizen participant in your City government!
Waters Edge Subdivision
There is a new subdivision platted just to the west of the Prairie Park lake, Waters Edge Subdivision. The last item to make this project go is a final TIF vote at the CRA next week. The City Council at its last meeting approved the subdivision agreement for this development, the rezoning of property form R3/I1 to R5, and the redevelopment plan (TIF) for the area.
With these approvals, Quad County Property Management LLC can continue working toward its subdivision with 52 duplex units on 26 lots. Wayne technically now has some lakefront property on which to build (still no oceanfront property; that’s only in Arizona!).
Electric rate study approved
The Council has approved the first part of an electric rate study to be completed by JEO Consulting. The City last adjusted electric rates in 2019. As we all know, prices have gone up significantly since that time.
The City is also making some major infrastructure improvements with a new substation. This new substation will provide redundancy for our power needs as well as split the town to be served by two sources. This will help the wear and tear on a nearly 50 year old transformer (at the existing substation).
The new substation will also be larger than the existing one, providing growth opportunities on our internal grid. Council is hoping to re-evaluate rates in a year or two after the City has been in the SPP as its own market participant and determine the need for any additional adjustments. The City must balance the needs of the system (security, reliability, performance) with the wants from the public (back up generation for minimal electric disturbances).
If you want to talk about electricity, give me a call!
Mowing/growing season is upon us
It is that time of the year with rainy and cooler weather where vegetation, both “good” and “bad,” start to grow rapidly.
Per City code: “It shall be unlawful for any owner, owner's agent or occupant of any premises…to allow to grow or to maintain any weeds, grasses, or worthless vegetation 12 inches in height or greater.” If the code is violated, there is a process of notification to cure the violation, and if the violation is not taken care of, the City has the right to force the property into compliance (ie mow the yard).
No one wants the City to mow their yard. First, we won’t be as particular as we are in the parks…and second, we charge $300 per hour! We are very overpriced.
Overall, the citizens of Wayne do a really good job of maintaining their properties, especially during the mowing season.
One thing property owners want to avoid while mowing is throwing/blowing grass clippings into the street. Yes, that is unlawful as well. Precisely, “It shall be unlawful for any person to place or permit to leak in the gutter of any street, dirt, rock, gravel, leaves, grass, trash, waste gasoline, kerosene or high lubricating oils.” In other words make that first path with your side discharged mower to the interior of your property and keep that grass out of the street. Or if you do happen to “drop” grass clippings into the gutter/street, please blow or sweep those back into your yard.
I know this causes more work, but we want to keep those storm sewers free of debris and the water flowing during those heavy rains.
Questions, comments, concerns?
Contact Wes Blecke, City Administrator at 375-1733 or wblecke@cityofwayne.org
