By Quinn O’Hara

During the Wakefield City Council meeting on March 5, Wakefield Superintendent Kyle Murphy reported on the need for city roads to be repaired, a large water leak in the city’s Industrial Park, and upcoming controlled burns.

Murphy reported that several sections of city roads are in need of repair and that the city should prioritize repairing them.

Murphy said most of the needed repairs at the moment are fairly small.

Murphy noted that the recent winter weather and freeze-thaw cycle has been especially rough on Wakefield’s roads. Murphy said he and the Council plan to make a more robust action plan and list of street repairs in the future as they become aware of them.

Murphy also reported on a significant water leak that was recently discovered in the City of Wakefield’s Industrial Park. He reported that the leak was caused by someone in the distant past driving over a curb stop which shuts off the water. He said the leak was not always visible due to its location and the freeze thaw cycle of winter.

Murphy said he expected repairs to be finished by Thursday, March 7. Once repaired, he estimated the City of Wakefield would save a combined $10,000 in electricity from running the water pumps to that area and from the cost of the water the leak had lost.

Lastly, Murphy reported on the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department’s plans to perform controlled burns in and around the Kansas Landscape Arboretum.

Murphy said the Arboretum was last burned two years ago, and the surrounding areas roughly 25 years ago. Murphy said the Wakefield VFD has a plan in place to make the burns as safe as possible.

Murphy said the public should stay away from these areas during the burn.

Murphy believes the burn itself should take 24 hours to complete and said smoke may not fully dissipate up to a week after the flames die out. Murphy said that the City of Wakefield will put out notices of the burn on their Facebook page and other media before they start the burns.