WATER, SEWER, SOLID WASTE (TRASH AND RECYCLING) are billed by the City of North Newton. The bill is prepared and mailed monthly on the 1st. Your payment is due the 15th of the month. A 5% penalty is applied to delinquent accounts on or around the 15th. If payment has not been received by the first of the next month, water service is disconnected. To restore water service, the customer must pay the delinquent bill plus a $15 re-connection charge at City Hall.
WATER meters are read during the middle of every month. The minimum charge is $9.95 for zero to 300 cubic feet of water consumption. Charges on usage above 300 cf are based on a graduated scale. A one-time charge of $15 to set up your services will appear on your first bill as a miscellaneous charge.
SEWER is based on the winter quarter (mid-November through mid-February) water usage. Sewer is re-averaged yearly on your April bill and rates are fixed for the remainder of the year. The minimum charge is $24.35 for zero to 300 cubic feet. The charge above the minimum of 300 cubic feet is $4.60 per 100 cubic feet.
SOLID WASTE: Trash service is contracted with South Central
Recycling. Trash is picked
up every Wednesday morning. If trash day falls on a holiday the regular schedule is followed with the
exception of Christmas Day. Trash bags (75) are furnished by the City and are delivered on or before
January 1. These trash bags should be used for household waste only and should not be used for yard
waste. Please furnish your own bags when your supply is depleted.
Recycling service is contracted with South Central Recycling. Recycling is picked up on the
1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. If recycling day falls on a holiday the regular schedule will be
followed with the exception of Christmas Day. Blue and green bags are provided by South Central
Recycling. Leave a note on recyclables when you put it out if additional bags are needed or stop
by City Hall. The charge is $10.30 a month for trash and recycling.
AUTOMATIC BANK PAYMENT OPTION: Customers may sign up to have their utility bill automatically deducted from their bank account. Withdrawals occur on the 15th of each month or the first business day after the 15th. A pre-authorization period must occur after you sign up before automatic bill pay begins.
PET ORDINANCES: North Newton ordinances require that all dogs and cats within the City be
licensed annually by March 1.
Proof of current rabies vaccination is required.
The fee is $2.00 for fixed dogs and cats and $3.00 for unfixed dogs and cats.
According to North Newton City Ordinance 162 Section 7 "No owner, keeper or harborer of any dog shall permit the same to run at large within the City of North Newton, Kansas."
A 2003 ordinance requires the removal of animal feces from public or private property (including public walks, streets, recreation areas, and parks) other than the property owned or under the control of the animal's owner, and that the feces be disposed of in a sanitary manner.
BUILDING PERMITS: Building permits are required on additions or alterations to your home or property, including but not limited to: home additions/alterations, detached buildings, re-roofing, egress windows, decks, curb cuts/driveways, sprinkler systems if on city water, plumbing, mechanical, and electrical work. Permits are obtained at City Hall. Reports from inspections during the work project are kept in a permanent file for your address.
4TH OF JULY: Fireworks can be discharged in North Newton only on July 4th between 10 a.m. and midnight. The current ordinance defines fireworks as "class C fireworks" and as "common fireworks".
INTANGIBLES TAX: North Newton is one of two cities in Harvey County that levies an intangible tax. This is a tax on interest and dividend earnings. Persons who have such income are required to complete Kansas Tax Form 200. This form is filed with your Kansas income tax form each spring. The State of Kansas notifies the Harvey County Clerk of the filing. The County Clerk in turn posts the tax on the individual property tax statement. The tax is then collected in the same manner as the property owner's ad valorem property tax. Your accountant should be aware of this requirement. If you have recently moved to town and/or if you prepare your own State income tax forms, this is a matter of which you should be aware.
HARVEY COUNTY TRANSFER STATION:
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility; 3308 SW 24, Newton
1/2 mile south of Wal-Mart on S. Kansas and 1 1/2 miles west on SW 24
283-5439 Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am - 5pm
ELECTRICITY - Westar Energy; Billing & Customer Service 800-383-1183; Power outages 800-544-4857
GAS - Kansas Gas Service; Billing & Customer Service 800-794-4780; Gas leaks 888-482-4950
TELEPHONE: AT&T (www.att.com)
Establish, move or change service: 800-288-2020
Repair Service: 800-246-8464
CABLE TV: Cox Communications
206 W. 6th, Newton
888-438-6673 or 877-502-2253
MAIL: North Newton Post Office
2525 N. Main; 283-6350
Some North Newton addresses require a Post Office box. Please
check with the Post Office.
KANSAS ONE CALL: Call before you dig, 800-344-7233 for free location of all utility service lines. For example, if you are planting trees call 5 days in advance.
COMMUNITY ROOM: The North Newton Community Room is available to North Newton residents for $30 and non-North Newton residents for $50.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS: Monthly City Council meetings are held the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00pm. at City Hall. The meetings are open to the public.
VACATION HOUSE WATCH: When you are away from home let the North Newton Police Department know at 283-3191 and the Police Department will watch your home for you.
VOTER REGISTRATION: Voter registration forms are available at the City Office.
MAYOR & COUNCIL
Mayor Ron Braun, 283-7990, 7 Jasper Court,, North Newton
Ron Ratzlaff, 284-2566, 3002 Wildwood Court, North Newton
Jim Goering, 283-0786, 301 Bluestem, North Newton
Paul Harder, 283-8262, 309 Old Colony Court, North Newton
Gregg Dick, 283-1366, Box 295, North Newton; Bill Hake, 284-2328, 3314 Woodside Drive, North Newton
NORTH NEWTON CITY HALL
2601 N. MAIN
P.O. BOX 87
NORTH NEWTON, KS 67117
Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm, Friday 8:00 - Noon
Phone: 283-7633 Fax: 283-6660 Police Dept: 283-3191
NORTH NEWTON IS 69 YEARS OLD!
During the 1870's and 1890's, opportunities in the new frontier attracted many
settlers from Europe seeking a better life. Among the settlers were large
numbers of Mennonites from Prussia (now Poland) and Russia, and others from
Pennsylvania, Illinois, Germany, and Switzerland.3
The Great Plains of the United States were mapped by federal surveyors to provide a legal basis for property ownership. Twelve meridian lines were established north and south across the U.S. intersecting the east-west latitudes. The Sixth Principal Meridian cut through central Kansas and provided the point of departure for plotting railroads, homesteads, and townships. The Sixth Principal Meridian was used to plot lands settled by Mennonite immigrants.3
In the late 1880's a group of Mennonites felt there was a need for a church college. In 1887 Rev. David Goerz, a Mennonite immigrant and Newton businessman, surveyed the open prairie in what is now North Newton in preparation for Bethel College's first structure, the Administration Building. With its natural limestone exterior, the Administration Building is now a National Historic Landmark at the center of a growing campus and cultural center.1
North Newton grew up around Bethel College. After Bethel College was chartered in 1887, a primarily Mennonite community began building around the campus. The community's residents were mostly people associated with the college. As the college grew, so did the community, which continued to be closely associated with the college and the General Conference Mennonite Church.
Although the college was founded in 1887 and a public water system installed in 1912, it wasn't until September 20, 1938, that North Newton actually incorporated as a city.
John F. Schmidt, a former mayor of North Newton, said sewer problems spurred community leaders to incorporate the city. There was no sanitary system of sewage disposal on campus. Federal funds were available, but only to incorporated municipalities.
"Newton didn't want to take on any more area in those days, in the Depression years," Schmidt recalled. "There was no provision for jump annexing," he said, explaining that, at the time, land north of 12th Street in Newton was mostly undeveloped and rural.
Thus, residents incorporated North Newton in order to take advantage of one of then President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal grants and establish sewer lines between Newton and North Newton. Residents had originally wanted to call the new city "Bethel" after Bethel College, but couldn't because another Kansas town already carried the college's namesake.
Although there was no visible division between Newton and North Newton, each city grew up with is own post office, separate postal zip code, its own city government and law enforcement agencies.2 North Newton's original post office was located on the lower level of Bethel College's Administration Building. The first mayor was J. E. Regier, police judge was J. H. Doell, and councilmen were Paul Baumgartner, S. J. Goering, E. L. Harshberger, and J. F. Moyer. Appointive officers included Dr. Leonard C. Kreider as clerk, Dr. A. J. Regier, treasurer, Albert C. Bartel, marshall, and Fred Ice, city attorney.
According to a 1981 interview with former city clerk, Leonard C. Kreider, many of the new city's officials were full professors at the college or businessmen. "We probably had the best educated and sharpest council of any city of the third class in Kansas," he said.4
NORTH NEWTON'S CONNECTION TO THE CHISHOLM TRAIL
From 1867 to 1872 more than a million longhorn cattle were driven 900 miles north from Cuero, Texas to railheads at Abilene, then Newton in 1871, and to Wichita by 1872. The Texas cattlemen followed a route laid out by Jesse Chisholm, an Indian trader. The cattle drives covered seven to ten miles on an average day. The trail narrowed at river crossings and widened to three or four miles in the open prairie.5 The completion of the Santa Fe Railroad promoted settlement along its right-of-way, including the town of Newton, which was founded in 1871. That year cattlemen drove their cattle to Newton rather than Abilene, ending 30 to 40 days on the trail.2 Once the railhead was established in Newton, the area where North Newton now lies was eliminated as part of the cattle trail. Traces of the rut marks can still be seen, however, in North Newton's Chisholm Trail Park.
A COMMUNITY WITH MUCH TO OFFER NOW
North Newton has grown in population and public services. The City has the look and feel of an attractive well maintained college town where walking is a primary mode of transportation. It is a full service community providing all municipal services except fire/ambulance services and wastewater treatment. These service are purchased from Newton by contract.
Sand Creek Trail - When Bethel College was established there was an open creek (Sand Creek) east of the campus and a small stream (Kidron Creek) that flowed south on the west edge of the campus to empty into Sand Creek near Newton. To alleviate frequent flooding of the campus from Kidron Creek on the west, a drainage canal (Kidron-Martin Canal) was dug in 1925 from a point near the present Kauffman Museum eastward past the campus to where it drained into Sand Creek. A walking trail has evolved with the growth of the college and the North Newton community over the past 100 years. The trail took on new life in 1997 when retiree and new resident to the area, Jacob Goering, provided leadership for its improvement and expansion. A layer of wood chips covers the path for the length of the trail making it suitable for all weather use.6
Chisholm Trail Park - Completed in 1988, the park is situated north of Kauffman Museum. It features an open grassy area for picnics and gatherings and a tranquil path along Kidron Creek.
Trail of Two Cities - Completed in 2006, this wide biking and walking path connects North Newton to Newton's Centennial Park and Sand Creek Trail. It follows Kansas Avenue, 24th Street and runs through a portion of the Bethel College campus.
References: 1"Of Land and People-Mennonites of the Central Plains", Kauffman Museum. 2"A Tale of Two Towns", by Connie White. Newton Kansan, Nov. 22, 23, & 24, 1993. 3"Immigrant People", Kauffman Museum. 4Interview excerpts with Leonard C. Kreider, former chemistry professor at Bethel, May 3, 1981 (922.87A #55-56 at Mennonite Library and Archives, Bethel College). 5"South Central Kansas". A Map/Guide to Mennonite Communities. Writer/editor, Robert Kreider. Copyright 1995 by Kauffman Museum. 6"Sand Creek Trail". A brochure developed by the Sand Creek Trail Committee, April 2000.