Neighbors voice concerns about city public works moving into welding fabrication shop
- Roger Sims
- Nov 10
- 3 min read
By Roger Sims
MOUND CITY – Neighbors of the property on the corner of Seventh and Walnut streets voiced their concerns about plans by the Mound City Council to purchase the property and use it as a city shop at the council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The property is home to JRK Portable Welding, a metal fabricating company owned by J.R. Kerr that is located in a residential area. Since the business was established before the city enacted zoning in that area, its commercial zoning was grandfathered. In the October meeting, council members and staff discussed moving the city shop from the current building next to the splash park on South Sixth Street by the ballfields complex.
The council for some time has been talking about making the city shop with its high ceiling into a recreation center. According to city officials Kerr is asking $175,000 for the property and seeking to move his business to a new location.
Nick and Tabitha Stults, who live across the street from the business, asked that the property be rezoned to residential once the welding business left. They complained about the company’s start-up time of 6 a.m.
Another complaint was deliveries to the company and shipments out were usually made on semi-trailers that blocked the street. They also questioned the amount the city was going to pay for the property.
City Clerk Shelby Murray said that under city ordinance the property would go back to residential. However, the structures would not conform to that kind of zoning.
John Bruns, city superintendent, tried to assure the Stultses that the city operation on the lot would be much different than it is currently. City workers don’t start until 7:30 a.m., he said, adding that almost all deliveries came on smaller trucks and the only truck the city owned was a 3/4-ton pickup.
He also mentioned the possibility of installing a fence on the property to keep it from being unsightly, adding that it wouldn’t be like the county’s shop at the corner of Main Street and Kansas Highway 7.
Both Mayor Wade Doering and city consultant Josh Baldwin said the $175,000 figure was Kerr’s asking price but the cost to build a new structure that size would be considerably more.
“If we do something with it, it will look a whole lot different than it is now,” Bruns said.
Doering estimated that it would cost $300,000 to build a new building that size.
“I think the neighbors will be a lot more happy than what J.R. is doing with it now,” the mayor added.
Nick Stults said that he would like for surrounding property owners to
at least receive a notice of hearing letter where they could voice their opinions on the matter. The council did not respond to that request.
In other business, the council:
• Voted to postpone a decision on an outstanding $600 water bill on a rental property owned by Karen Schuler. According to Dustin Schuler, who was representing his mother, the former tenant passed away leaving the water bill unpaid.
• Discussed waiving the late fee for Paul Meyers water bill due to post office error.
Council decided not to waive the late fee.
• Approved signing a letter of support for Tri-Ko operations.
• Discussed the compactor position that will be open when John Metcalf retires at the
end of the year.
• Approved the renewal of Lorna Turley’s position on the Planning and Zoning
Board.
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