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HOMESTEAD AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INC.

P.O. Box 1007 115 West 4th Street,

Suite 200 Holton, KS 66436

Homebuyer Education Seminars 2008 *Classes to be held in Holton, unless otherwise noted.

6 to 10 PM

115 W. 4th Suite 200

IT TAKES $$$$'s

Unfortunately, it takes money to help run any worthwhile program or organization! Two civic groups presently need your support, if at all possible.

CHAMBER DUES ARE DUE - Enclosed in this newsletter is a Statement for your 2008 Chamber Dues. The new yearly dues structure is:

$25 Individual

$50 1-5 Employees

$100 6 + Employees

You will also notice there is a heading of Donations to Activities Fund. This heading will allow those members who would prefer to make a montery donation, instead of working at fundraising event, to do so.

Please mail your dues to us at PO Box 278, or you may take them to Jaynee Jepson at Morrill and Janes Bank in Onaga. Dues are due in January of each year. If you have already paid, we thank you!

Also, Please Notice: CHAMBER HONOR SYSTEM - If you make a reservation for a Chamber meeting and do not call to cancel prior to meeting, please make arrangements to pay the cost of the meal! You wouldn't be too excited if folks ordered perishable items from you and then never picked them up, so let's treat our restaurants fairly.

THANKS

REMARKS: It is the recommendation of the Nominating Committee if the members desire to not have the same officers year after year, they need to present names of a qualified members who are agreeable to serve if elected, for nomination, or volunteer themselves.

Respectfully Submitted: Karen Harder & Lois Loucks

Contact person: Tom Bishop 785-364-0110

Call to make free reservations and check for schedule changes before driving to a class.

Training text used is "The Road to Homeownership" by United Guaranty/AIG and the trainers and certified homebuyer education providers.

Class is required to qualify for some USDA home buying programs, which is still available. Contact Tri-Cities Econ. Dev Office 889-0151 or 889-4430 for information and applications.

STREETSCAPE DESIGN AND WORKING PLANS ARE SUBMITTED

Since September, Brian Kingsley, Streetscape Engineer from BG Consultants of Lawrence, along with Lois Loucks, Tri-Cities Economic Development Director, has held meetings with the major Stockholders/Business Owners in downtown Onaga, regarding our Streetscape Design.

This committee consisted of Janice Comer, Marilyn McCourt, Wayne Leiker/Barbara Teske, Loretta Pinick, Bob Venneberg, Karla Boyd, Joe Harder, Dan Peters, Patty Manguss, and Dale Renfro worked out the design details. Sometimes the meetings got "a little vocal", but by addressing one part of the design at a time finally a consensus was reached on all times. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THIS!

Then an article was placed in the Onaga Herald, Dec. 20 (front page) and an Ad. Dec. 27, 2007 in the classified section; to notify all interested citizens in a Public Hearing that was held on Jan. 3, 2008 at City Hall beginning at 7 pm. Believe it or not, this was the "mildest" meeting we had!

Finally, the Streetscape Design and working plans were presented to the City Council on Tuesday, Jan. 6 where they were approved for submittal to KDOT for their Field Check.

Click Here for a detailed Map of the Streetscape

Major Specific topics tackled included:

February 12	* February 16
	9am Kaw Valley Bank, Wamego
March 18	April 8
May 6	June 10
July 8	August 9
September 9	October 14
November 11	December 9

Item	How varies from original plan
1. "Bump-Outs"	-Reduce 1/2 in size, allowing 39 foot of driving area. Parked cars will extend approx. two feet further into the driving area, than the bump-outs.
	-No longer on a curve, runs straight lines (Thanks to Bob Venneburg who actually stopped and measured the size & layout of "bump-outs" he liked, while on vacation.)
	-Totally eliminated set of "bump-outs" mid-block between 3 & 4 Sts.
	-Will be planted with Lirope, instead of ground cover rock or grass.
2. Parking	-Various angles were studied and for the most spaces they will remain as it is now. However, often vehicles are now parking in spaces that are by regulation too close to corners and some "turn-in" drives. Also by law, the handicap spots will have marked loading & unloading spaces beside their parking spots.
3. Handicap Accessible	-All Streetscape projects will be to ADA specifications, except sidewalk grade from N to S, going up or down hill between 2 & 3 Sts.
	-Everything possible will be done to make as many businesses as possible Handicap Accessible. IF the grants are approved for water improvements then the street grade can be changed that will help raise the sidewalk to accomplish this.
4. "Theme"	-Changed from using bricks for accents to a Limestone Theme. Curves under planters, around light poles, our benches, trash containers & planters will all be limestone or "limestone like" colored cement "flat stones".
5. Lights	-A total different "old style" look. 12 1/2', single lights mid block, 21', double lights on corners. (Dale Renfro was a great deal of help figuring technical and practical lighting.)
6. Work Schedule	-Work accomplished on 1/2 on one side per block at a time. Schedule water/sewer work in conjunction with streetscape work. Contractor will work with each business as they are doing sidewalk in front of entrances.