by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — What will the year 2032 be like? How about 2052?

There are a lot of things that could happen, but the City of Wellington is still likely to be part of the Kansas Power Pool – a consortium of Kansas municipalities that “provides electric utilities in the state with the opportunity to combine electric resources, load and other abilities to better serve their communities.”

“The power pool is intended to give Kansas utilities more leverage with other regional pools to compete for the purchase of electric power,” KPP organizers said when the organization was formed in 1995.

The Wellington Council voted unanimously to “pledge” its support as a member of the KPP for another 20 years, which is set to expire in 2032. Wellington was one of the original six municipalities in the consortium, which has now expanded to 31 municipal cities. Wellington, along with Augusta and Winfield, are the largest cities.

Both City Manager Shane Shields and Jason Newberry, Director of Utilities said membership in the KPP has been positive overall.

The move is needed to shore up possible long-term contracts by demonstrating that the involved city municipalities are in it for the long run.

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In other business:

•The council heard a report on why the FAA has declined to participate in the sewer extension portion of the runway extension project. Currently, the city is seeking a federal grant which will fund the extension of the runway at the municipal airport to accommodate medium-sized private aircrafts.

In the original plans, the FAA said it would participate in the extension of city sewer to the airport. However. it has since recanted stating that some of the sewer extension serves private business. Only the portion that directly affects the airport will be funded through the grant.

•The 2017 Chemical bids for the water treatment plant was approved. There were eight different vendors providing low bids for eight separate chemicals. The cost to the city is $119,237.

•The council went into executive session to discuss matters considered privileged in an attorney-client relationship. It took no action thereafter.

•Wellington City Clerk Carole Mericle informed the council that they have received several applications for various advisory and authority boards. However, there still needs to be applicants for the boards of the Airport Authority, Library and the Board of Zoning Appeals.

•No work session was set for possible changes in building code rules.

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