Crazy, Classic Life
Summing Up Baldwin City Summer
Fall reset means looking back and forward both at once.
This summer saw some lovely Third Friday Markets, fun celebrations and concerts, improvements to Firetree Park, and work on cemetery roads, as well as the beginning of the Maple Leaf Trail. There were also some nasty storms, including the one that did serious damage to Ottawa’s electric system. City employees were happy to lend a hand to restore our neighbors’ electricity when asked for help. Here is a photo recap of some of this summer’s moments.
Curbside Recycling FAQ
What can be recycled curbside in Baldwin City? Great question, thanks for asking!
Aluminum cans
Tin, steel, and bimetal (more than one kind of metal) containers
Newsprint, such as newspapers, coupon flyers, etc.
Paper of various kinds, as long as they don’t have food on them
Corrugated containers
Rigid plastics, like plastic jugs and bottles
What cannot be recycled curbside?
No plastic bags, not even to hold other recyclables
No glass
No plastic wrap
To sign up for curbside recycling call City Hall at 785-594-6427, or sign up here.
Citywide Cleanup October 14
Got more stuff to get rid of than you can set out at your curb? Citywide Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, October 14, from 8am to 1pm. This is event is for city residents only, although you do not need to reside inside city limits. You do need to have a Baldwin City address, however.
City Resident Survey
Baldwin City is excited to announce the launch of a statistically valid survey aimed at collecting valuable insights and feedback from its residents. This initiative is part of the city's ongoing commitment to enhancing community engagement and understanding the evolving needs of its residents.
The survey, conducted by the ETC Institute, a renowned private market research firm specializing in government organizations, is designed to gather opinions on a range of topics affecting Baldwin City residents. All households in Baldwin City should receive the survey via mail, along with a postage-paid return reply envelope, enabling them to conveniently share their perspectives. Additionally, recipients will have the option to complete the survey online for residents who prefer to complete the survey online. Residents should complete only one survey for their household and should complete their survey with all household members in mind.
To ensure a comprehensive outreach effort, residents may also receive the survey invitation through various channels such as text messages, emails, or phone calls from ETC Institute. The survey's promotion will also extend to online platforms including some resident’s social media feeds.
Use the button below if you’d prefer to fill out the survey online.
Maple Leaf Festival
With the advent of October comes… you guessed it!… Maple Leaf Festival on October 21 & 22. Whether you intend to studiously avoid all activity or throw yourself heart and soul into this community-wide event, the Maple Leaf Website probably has information you need. Like how to sign up for the Maple Leaf Run, how to register to enter the parade, and much more.
Hometown Halloween
Downtown Trunk or Treat and all the other Hometown Halloween events are happening actually on Halloween this year. Save 5-7pm for downtown fun!
September Council Recap
City Council met at the public library on September 5th, beginning the meeting with three hearings:
2024 Budget Hearing
Revenue Neutral Budget Hearing for 2024
Rural Housing Incentive District (RHID) Hearing for the proposed Trail View Subdivision.
The Consent Agenda consisted of minutes from 8/15/2023 and four separate special event applications, including:
Golf Tournament fundraiser for the Chamber of Commerce
Baldwin High School Homecoming Parade
Baldwin Golf Association alcohol sales fundraiser during Big Hair on the Square
Adult Only Carnival by The Maple
Mayor Simoneau made a Suicide Awareness Proclamation with members of the Kansas Suicide Prevention Headquarters and BTSK.
Moving into the business section of the meeting, the 2024 Budget was approved. The Trail View RHID was presented as a first reading, with no council action. This development is planned to have 37 lots.
Bids for restoration of the Bauer Building were submitted, and Council approved a contract to Lloyd Builders’ in the amount of $2,370,700 with 3 yes and 2 no votes. A final version of a Citywide Survey was presented by the Strategic Planning committee, and approved by Council. It will be in resident mailboxes sometime around the first week of October.
September 19th, Council returned to the library for their second monthly meeting. Three Council members were present, with Councilman Smith and Councilman Lauridsen both absent. The Consent Agenda included minutes from the September 5th meeting and a special event application for Brat Fest. The Council approved the annual Standard Traffic Ordinance, which incorporates annual updates to traffic laws into City Code. They also approved the annual Uniform Public Offense Code, which functions the same as the Standard Traffic Ordinance in keeping laws current.
City Council heard presentation regarding the bid opening and tabulation for the Orchard Lane Culvert Replacement Project, and unanimously awarded a contract in the amount of $100,654 to WCI, Inc. Afterward, City Council heard a citizen request for a change to the City’s Building Code, allowing Flexible Metallic Conduit in a business located in the downtown area. Council voted to amend the fire code ordinance, allowing Flexible Metallic Conduit in stacked row buildings in the downtown area.
It was a short council meeting, and concluded by about 7:25pm.
Calendar of upcoming events
October 3, City Council Meeting
October 4, BHS Homecoming
October 7, BU Marching Band Festival
October 14, Citywide Cleanup
October 14, USD348 School Board Forum
October 17, City Council Meeting
October 21 & 22, Maple Leaf Festival
October 28, Maple Leaf Gravel Grind
October 28, Maple Leaf Beer, Wine, and Spirit Fest
October 31, Hometown Halloween