City of Olathe News Brief

City Council Special Business Items Recognize Employees and Martin Luther King Day
City of Olathe Considers Company for Grade Separation Project's Utility Relocations
City Offices Closed January 16
Children Can Enjoy Historical Stories at Lucinda Mahaffie's Storytime: First of Three Storytimes Begins on Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Santa Fe Building
Winners of Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest to be Announced at Noon Observance

City Council Special Business Items Recognize Employees and Martin Luther King DayScheduled special business for the Tuesday, January 10 City Council meeting:

The Council will recognize Olathe Environmental Program Coordinator Carly Adams for receiving the KACEE (Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education) Rising Star award at the 2005 Kansas Environmental Education Conference in October. The award recognizes individuals who are new to the environmental education field in Kansas, but who are already making an impact. Carly was nominated for this award for her efforts to help develop and implement new environmental programs for the Olathe Municipal Services Department. These programs include the Lake Olathe Watershed Protection project, Olathe AquaFest, the Earth News feature in the Olathe Link, Think WOW! (Wise Outdoor Watering), stream stewardship activities, and teacher workshops. KACEE is a private, non-profit association whose mission is to promote and provide effective, non-biased and science-based environmental education throughout the state of Kansas.

Major Andrew Rook, a field services supervisor in the City?s Municipal Services Department, will present the Council with a certificate from the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, recognizing the City of Olathe as a "Patriotic Employer." This designation recognizes the City for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America?s National Guard and Reserve force. Major Rook has 21 years of military service as a combat engineer and is currently a member of the Missouri Army National Guard.

The Council also will recognize 40 City employees for assisting Gulf Coast cities following Hurricane Katrina and proclaim January 16 as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.


City of Olathe Considers Company for Grade Separation Project?s Utility RelocationsThe Olathe City Council will consider awarding a contract to Dennis Johnson Construction Inc. for the utility relocations necessary for the construction of the East Track Grade Separation project at the Jan. 10 City Council meeting. This is first of three phases for the $32 million project that will lift the eastern tracks over four major downtown intersections.
The project consists of the relocation of sanitary sewers, storm sewers and waterlines necessary for construction of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Grade Separation - an elevated double track structure adjacent to the west side of the existing BNSF Fort Scott subdivision tracks to eliminate the exiting at grade crossings at Loula, Park, Santa Fe and Ridgeview.

The utility relocation project is Phase I of the Santa Fe Grade Separation project and will be funded with GO Bonds. The work on the first phase is expected to begin in February 2006 and is expected to be completed in April 2006.

The bid opening for Phase II is Feb. 21 and consists of the majority of the work - construction of four bridges and the elevated rail structure. Phase II construction will begin in April 2006 and is expected to be completed in September 2007. Phase III will be bid in 2007 and will include the reconstruction of Loula St., Park St., Santa Fe Ave., and Ridgeview Rd. Reconstruction of the streets could begin in September 2007.


City Offices Closed January 16City offices will be closed Monday, January 16 in recognition of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Residential trash, yard waste and curbside recycling will not be affected by the holiday.



Children Can Enjoy Historical Stories at Lucinda Mahaffie?s Storytime:First of Three Storytimes Begins on Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Santa Fe BuildingMahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site?s first Lucinda Mahaffie?s Storytime will be from 10:30 ? 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 14, at the Santa Fe Building, 100 W. Santa Fe in Olathe.

There are three to choose from this winter. All will be at the same time and location.
Join us for a cozy morning on a winter Saturday. Enjoy stories with an historical theme, along with a period craft activity and a snack related to the themes. The following are the storytimes schedules and themes:
January 14-Mahaffie staff dressed in historical clothing will read about stagecoaches. The day?s activities will include making thaumatropes and snacking on biscuits.
February 18-Stories about the Presidents of the United States
March 11-Stories about the Civil War
Storytime is for three to six year olds and pre-registration is required.

Participants can register through the City of Olathe?s Parks and Recreation Division at (913) 971-6263 or visit www.olatheks.org/ActiveLife. The registration for Olathe residents is $10 per child or you can register for all three storytimes at once and save $5. The cost for non-residents is $11 per child.

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm Historic Site is operated by the City of Olathe. Open hours, stagecoach operations, living history activities, special events and programs vary seasonally. Access is limited in the winter months and the site is closed all major holidays. Please call or visit our website for current times and dates, www.olatheks.org/Visitors/Mahaffie, (913) 971-5111.


Winners of Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest to be Announced at Noon ObservanceWinners in the 2006 Annual Dr. martin Luther King, Jr. Essay Contest cosponsored by the City of Olathe, Olathe District Schools, the Olathe Human Relations Commission and the Olathe Chapter of the NAACP will be announced at a noonday celebration honoring the civil rights leader on Friday, January 13.

The celebration will be held in the Olathe City Council Chamber, 100 E. Santa Fe, and will be presided over by Mayor Michael Copeland.

A record 1,047 entries were received from students in the Olathe school district?s eight junior and four senior high schools using the theme, ?If you look at schools today, what would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. say about his dream of diversity.?

After a preliminary screening by the school district, a panel of judges from the Olathe Human Relations Commission and the Olathe Branch of the NAACP narrowed the finalists down to three junior high and two high school essays.

On Friday, the high school finalists will read their essays during the hour-long memorial. A panel of judges from the community will judge these finalists on several criteria including delivery.

The high school winners will be vying for cash prizes of $200, $100 and $50 and the junior high students will be competing for savings bonds awards of $200, $100 and $50.
The winners also will be invited to appear at the NAACP banquet to be held on Monday, January 16.

Interpreters for the hearing impaired will be provided. For more information, call 913-971-6490.

For more up-to-date City of Olathe info. including Construction Areas and Job Opportunities, visit the City website at www.olatheks.org.