EudoraNews.com

No. 9 After passing a $45 million bond issue in November 2007, Eudora USD 491 broke ground in early April on the new elementary school, which was one of six construction projects planned. The $27 million school was the flagship of the bond issue and it will house students in grades first through fifth. Construction then began in August on expansions at the middle school. The additions will include a new science pod and classrooms on the southwest area of the building, and a larger kitchen and commons area on the northwest area of the building. The district encountered many speed bumps that threatened to slow the projects, none of which delayed construction. No. 10 2008 saw the Main St. Wall, which sat barricaded for about two years between 706 and 714 Main streets, finally taken down. Two different parties owned it: Darrel Keim, of Lawrence, and the Denton family of Lawrence, who have the rights to it as the result of a trust. The wall was part of a long-standing dispute between the City, Keim and the Denton’s. The council formally condemned the wall April 31. Then after a public hearing in August, the Eudora City Council unanimously approved a resolution declaring the retaining wall unsafe and dangerous. The resolution directed the owners of the wall to repair the structure and make it secure within 30 days. If the owners failed to do so, the city would condemn the wall, make repairs and charge the owners. City Administrator Cheryl Beatty said the problem originally was over the appearance of the wall, but safety soon became a bigger concern. “It’s unfortunate that we had to go through this process, but it’s always good to get another problem resolved, in particular since the downtown project will be finished soon and we’ll be encouraging all property owners to do their part and make things look good,” Beatty said. The Eudora City Council added 10 days to the contract of RD Johnson Excavation, who were working on the downtown beautification project, to fix the wall. The work cost about $16,775, which will be charged to the owners of the wall. The wall finally came down in mid December.