By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – An Overland Park home builder and real estate developer has asked the Mound City Council to become a partner with him in building “affordable, aesthetic, energy-efficient” homes on vacant lots in Mound City.
Dustin Lewis, owner of Middle Water LLC, made his pitch to the council at its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 4. He said hopes to build as many as seven affordable houses over the next year to 18 months.
He noted the need of housing in the area.
“If you can be creative for us, we can get dirt moving in a very short amount of time,” he said.
While he was not specific on the kind of investment he wanted the city to make, he mentioned working with sales tax and revenue (STAR) bonds and making lots available. STAR bonds are a financing tool that Kansas municipalities can use to finance development.
Lewis said the price of the units for a two-bedroom 1,500-square-foot house would run $200,000 to $225,000 and a three- to four-bedroom house would cost up to $275,000.
He said the company’s intent was to build inside city limits where utilities are already located, and use local trades people to build the homes.
With an eye on two lots already available from the city, Lewis said he could complete five houses in the second half of 2025 with another two completed in early 2026.
The council discussed the ways the city could help after Lewis left the meeting but made no attempt to move forward on it that evening.
The council also heard a request by former council member Shayla Lamb, who appeared on the agenda representing the Power of One project. Lamb said the group wanted to install a garden where the former swimming pool was located west of the Food Fair grocery store on Main Street.
Lamb said the volunteer group wanted the garden to be visible to visitors and resident driving down Main Street. The group hoped that it would become a focal point for the community with a bench where visitors could sit peacefully. She also asked for free access to city water at that location.
Later in the meeting City Superintendent John Bruns said the old pool had been filled in with rock and dirt and wouldn’t be an area suitable for growing. He suggested that if the Power of One group wanted to to plant their regardless, raised beds would be the best alternative.
In other business, the council:
Approved a revised version of a contract to operate a trash compactor under a license with the state with Linn County. Click here to see the related story.
Discussed how to handle a situation at the city lake where a man living in a pop-up camper had been stranded there after his wife took off with the vehicle and did not return. Codes officer Jake Bush said the camper was reaching the 14-day limit for length of stay. The council discussed updating the campground rules to allow a second stay of up to 15 days, but couldn’t agree on a solution. They turned the matter over to Bush and City Attorney Mark Hagen to propose a solution.
Approved spending up to $6,000 to purchase a used 20-foot-long equipment trailer for the public works department.
Was in consensus not to let recreation league teams from Blue Mound or Pleasanton use the city’s ballfields. According to city consultant Josh Baldwin, Blue Mound summer ball officials cast the deciding vote to not accept a Mound City team in their league, and the Mayor Wade Doering said that Mound City teams couldn’t join the league Pleasanton is in. Doering said Mound City summer league officials planned to ask Parker and La Cygne programs about forming a league.
Discussed revising an animal control ordinance that specifically names pit bulls as dogs that are not allowed to be kept in the city. Council Member Megan Purvis said the language should be changed to focus on dangerous dogs instead.
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