Reaching New Heights Through Strategic Infrastructure Pursuits
2023 Kansas Water Environment Association Awards
- KWEA Safety Award
- Best Plant in Class 4 Award
George W. Burke Facility Safety Award
Design-build Award for Hillsdale Water Treatment Plant Expansion Project
Certificate of Achievement for Exceptional Electric Reliability
Addressing our infrastructure needs is paramount for our city,
as we recognize its pivotal role in fostering accelerated economic development, supporting ongoing growth, and enhancing the overall well-being of our residents. In 2023, significant strides were made to meet these demands, including preliminary design work for the expansion of the Kill Creek Resource Recovery Facility, a crucial initiative aimed at enhancing our wastewater management capabilities. Simultaneously, we undertook extensive upgrades to our utility systems, ensuring greater efficiency in delivering essential services to our community. Through our Pavement Management Program, necessary road improvements were also implemented, encompassing essential curb and gutter enhancements and mid-block crossing installations. These collective efforts underscore our commitment to sustaining and improving the foundational infrastructure that supports our city’s prosperity and quality of life.
Kellen Headlee
Public Works Director
This year, Public Works emphasized improved connectivity and efficient infrastructure, continuing our partnership with the Kansas Department of Transportation to finalize plans for the Gardner Road/I-35 interchange replacement and initiate planning for future improvements to the US-56/I-35 interchange. We completed significant improvements to our arterial road network on Main Street/US-56 and Moonlight Road and completed planning for future improvements on 167th Street. We utilized the Pavement Management Program and the Community Development Block Grant program to renew deteriorated curbs and gutters throughout the city and improve pedestrian access in various city areas, leveraging grants to stretch our funds to preserve and enhance our transportation network assets.
Gonzalo Garcia
Utility Director
Gonzalo Garcia
Utility Director
The city continues to make an effort to upgrade its existing, aging infrastructure to foster economic development and keep the community moving while anticipating future needs. Specifically, in 2023, the Utility Department placed emphasis on the construction of a new wastewater collection infrastructure east of I-35 and began the preliminary design of the Kill Creek Water Resource Recovery Facility expansion with a planned operation date of 2026. The department also performed corrective maintenance on Gas Turbine #2 and began upgrading Substation 1 and Transformer 2 to provide additional power to the east part of town. The city will continue to invest in improving its infrastructure system as it serves as the foundation on which it thrives.
Completed construction of the Quail Meadows Trail
Completed construction of the Center Street sidewalks
Completed reconstruction of US-56, Sycamore to Old 56
Completed design of the Santa Fe sidewalk project near Conestoga
Completed design of the South Center Street trail resurfacing project
Completed the 2023 Pavement Management Program
Provided traffic and stormwater reviews on all private development projects
Upgraded electrical, water and wastewater equipment to maintain consistency and efficiency of service
Completed preliminary design and land purchase for new substation 4
Completed overlay project on Moonlight Road, from I-35 to Buffalo Trail
Completed preliminary design of 167th Street from Center Street to Moonlight Road
Did You Know?
The city received $3 million in federal funding to help finance wastewater system improvements south of I-35 Highway.
Teddy Manes
Line Maintenance Superintendent
Wastewater Specialist of the Year
Line Maintenance Superintendent Teddy Manes was named the Wastewater Specialist of the Year by the Kansas Rural Water Association! This prestigious award recognizes his strong advocacy for line maintenance and implementation of cutting-edge technologies in the division’s toolkit. Teddy’s achievements were highlighted in the July 2024 issue of the Kansas Lifeline, further acknowledging his remarkable contributions to the city.
Gardner works for you.
49 Miles
of overhead
Power Lines
105 Miles
of Underground
Power Lines
1,086 Million Gallons
of Water Produced Annually
953 Million Gallons
of Wastewater Treated Annually
126 Miles
of Sanitary Sewer
143 Miles
of Water Mains
