City Council - Regular Meeting

At least my Okay, I have 7:00. We call the meeting to order. Let's stand and start with the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Teresa, please take the role. Okay. Mayor Jones here. Carlson here. Bowen here. Project here. Shilling here. and um Matson and Kil are absent with notice. All right. Do we have any additions, changes, or action on the agenda for tonight's meeting?

I'll make a motion to approve the agenda set forth. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Yes. Shilling. How about the minutes from the 33 26 meeting? Make a motion. Motion to approve uh the minutes from the previous meeting of March 3rd. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Shilling, yes. Rochek, yes. Bowen, yes. Carlson,

yes. All right, the bills are in the packet. Any discussion or action on the bills as presented? Just a question on the water when we buy the bulk water. Is that monthly or bimonthly that we buy water? I should know this. Monthly. Yeah. Water. Yep. We get a big monthly bill. Okay. Make a motion to approve bills as submitted for payment. Right. Second. Any discussion? No. Hearing none, we'll vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Harach, yes. Chile, yes. All right, public comment. I think everybody else

I've got one public comment. When Craig gets back, um, and I um I would love to see those pickle ball because I think last year we had to wait for the ground the ground to saw out before we got the nets in at the pickle ball courts. Yeah, cuz I know we got some nice weather. But yeah, cuz the stakes actually go in. I'm sure he's on it, but I know I'm going to have people calling me once it gets nice out. Say as soon as we get in. So I'll make note though. Craig. All right. Anything else? All right. Applications, agreements, hearings, resolutions, ordinances. First up tonight, special event permit for uh Hartford. Downtown or is it downtown Hartford? Downtown Hartford.

Downtown. You guys didn't change, did you? No. DHR. So, do we have start keeping track again, Teresa? That's one. Okay, there we go. Okay, downtown market, correct?

Palitution. Uh, thank you. Um, and good evening everyone. So, uh, the application is similar to years in the past. um few few changes on it that I'll point out, but um we are requesting for a street closure once again that goes um should be second street here all the way to South Bar. I'm not sure if I made that mistake. So, Second Street to the south bar. So, that is one um edit on there. And then um one edit that we have or a difference from years past is we're actually asking to close for a street that goes from the alley um east of the brewery all the way to the alley west of Maine where typically we we stop right at Maine. We're actually wanting to extend it a little bit further. Um and I can get into some details about why that is. Um, the closure time will be from 3 to 9:00 p.m. Actual event runs from 5 until 8:00 p.m. So, that gives us time to set up and then tear down and clean up um as we typically do. The request is for use of alcohol within that um closure area uh street, sidewalks um nowhere beyond that. And then we also had a request to utilize um a chalk paint. Um, I'm not sure if you saw where we kind of did the murals that were for the kids to use uh sidewalk chalk.

We can power wash it off so it's not permanent. And so we thought, what if we use that same kind of temporary paint? And then our thought is if we could mark 12 ft along the sidewalk. That way our vendors have a very strict perimeter of where they need to set up so that we are able to um be a little bit more efficient with our space that way because I'm not sure if any of you were able to attend last year, but we pretty much were filling up the entire space, right?

And so we want that opportunity to be able to make sure that we're being efficient and we can fit as many as we can within um those parameters. So that's where the markings come in. Um, a little bit of a difference of how we're going to lay it out this year is we the committee talked about having our food trucks down at this end because we did have a little bit of a conversation with some of our vendors saying that sometimes people don't come all the way to the end. So, we thought if we put our food trucks at this end and then fill our vendors all the way down that we can fill that space. The reason why we're wanting to expand it also down first is so that we have space um for kids activities primarily and also more vendors because we're getting a lot of requests for vendors which is really good. Um and we've we have actually turned some away because they um there's like you know like we don't necessarily want to have five bread bakers if we can't support that amount. But we we continue to get more and more new vendors. Plus, we have 100 plus vendors that have come previously. So, we want to be able to accommodate if we're able to fill the street fully and then also start to expand um for street wise. So, that's that's why we're asking for that extension along first. Um again, we are requesting that we're able to do the chalk murals on the sidewalks and also be able to paint the plow in September. kids loved that event. I think it's really fun for them to get to see that plow come through. Um whether it's um the what's the hometown Christmas parade, you know, that you can see that.

So, um

a new request this year is that we're asking for assistance from the city to help us put up portable toilets. Um I'm choosing the Veterans Park area because that's a public space. Um we did ask we did request that maybe it could be put on one of those empty lots um downtown but um the owner of those lots declined that request. They said we can utilize that for parking but no vendors no no portaotties nothing extra. And so, um, the idea is that, um, there's basically one business that's downtown that opens up their doors free to everybody that comes through. That, um, that that's a lot of usage of the to four toilets that are in the brewery space. And also, um, full transparency, that business is now listed for sale. And so there we as the committee don't know when a new ownership comes in if they're going to be accepting of.

So this is just a good precedence to maybe start having a public um restroom available. Yeah.

Um if you don't agree that Veterans Park is the right location and I we are open to any suggestions where you think that that should go. Um, the other request that is out of our norm, typically we don't ask the city for any funding. We're we're completely self-funded up until this point. Um, it we're requesting for around $5,000 that we can utilize towards marketing the event. And I think that I kind of list it out in there. I'm not I don't have it right here in front of me, but I did include um we already got quotes for what we would utilize all of that marketing budget towards and we just really think that this is a great opportunity to we like our vendors are already doing a lot of marketing for us. They're inviting other vendors to come. So, we really want to get the word out to the broader community to be able to come here, experience the farmers market, spend money in Hartford, enjoy some time downtown building community. And we we feel that now's the time to really start putting more focus on the marketing side. Um whereas before it would been we've printed flyers, Facebook post. So, this this really helps us to kind of open that door more. Um along with that I think I think I covered pretty much everything. If you guys have questions oh it's again sorry um the dates are again the last Thursday of the month from May through September and so um that just seemed to be a a good day to stick with and um vendors appreciate that day of the week and it works for our committee. So, we're continuing with that as well.

Twice a month still too much. Um, at this point, I would say for the committee probably um for our vendors, I think that if we were to do it twice a month, then our vendors would split. We would have some that come one day and some that would come the other. I'm not entirely Some might come both for sure, but I don't think that they all would. Yeah. And so kind of just depends on do we want to keep it like a really big event or do we want to, you know, disperse it a little bit. Y just asking because I always ask. Absolutely. You guys need more volunteers, right?

You know, we never turn volunteers away. Sean, don't I put nothing in. None. Sean. Sean, can I borrow your charger? Absolutely. So, there's really no changes in the alcohol policy, I don't think. Is there uh no changes to that? No. And we're we're not we don't want to sell the alcohol. We're just asking that at least if they go to any of the businesses that do sell it that they're allowed to bring container out into the space.

Have there been any issues with the complaints of traffic or the businesses or anything so far? or maybe like the people I mean you know for the blocking off the street. Uh yes there absolutely has um and I think that um the main the main I think complaint is just that we are blocking off traffic for you know during during the business day. Um, you know, I I would But are we expanding towards that business or wiper lift or It's a downtown. It's It's cutting off, you know, in front. Um,

and I I typically don't have any, you know, I've got 20 people that come to my office, so I just, so I'm looking I've got the map pulled up. I'm like, "Okay, where are my 20 cars going?" Right. Absolutely. And I I'm okay with having my guys, but they're going to be part, you know, I look at North Oaks like then they're going to be filling up residential spaces. You know what I mean? Residential and also the the open lot um where Homestead Hills is completely open. That is open to parking. Yes, we ask for permission for parking.

And they've got both. They got the one on the south side. So So I can tell my guys So can I show you? I'm just cuz like that I just So like they own that right there. So my guys can park there if they need to. Okay. That's open. Um we the only thing that we need to do is just sign um remember what it's called. Your insurance essentially liability thing. Yeah. Essentially. And so then um and I I completely respect that there are businesses that are operating downtown.

The only I think counter that I have is that it's it's literally five days out of 365. And you know, if you counter the benefit that it is for the community versus the two hours a day that is an inconvenience, they can get I'm partial for sure of my my leanings, but I I I think it's worth the sacrifice of having to shift. And you're a business owner downtown as well that it affects your Oh, absolutely. Yeah. And

um Kelly, I wonder about uh the porta potty across the street and have having kids crossing the street over to Veterans Park. Mhm. When I read this yesterday, I thought that was the first thing that I thought it'd be nice if we could come up with another place to put that so kids didn't have to because you know how that goes. If they're on their own, absolutely. They're probably not looking to cross the street. um several of them are going to be passing it on their way to get to the market. You look like most people are crossing the street to get here. But um

that was my that was my only thought and that I had that same concern. I just wasn't really sure where else is an accommodating location. Um there's everything else is pretty much, you know, um what about between the I wonder if there's library or something? Yeah, I was thinking between the library and the city hall. I'm just I don't know what that space looks like. I'm looking on the map, but I don't know if you get one in there with a bike rack. Yeah, there is a bike. Yeah, there's some that parking lot or is that too far away? I suppose probably hard for people to find to the alley. Yeah. I don't know if anybody would know it's there and would utilize it. I'd love to put one in my courtyard, but

Oh, yeah. But I will not put a bathroom back there. I would. Yeah. No pun intended. You know, we could check with Craig, too. Maybe maybe they could slip it into the in between the library and the city hall. Yeah. I just wonder what that space looks like. Rack just temporarily or something. I don't know. And are you trying to get a bathroom placement just on more on the north side or you're just trying to add an extra just in general to have someplace? What about between the brewery and payroll va wall? Isn't there a pretty good space there? Like on the north side of the brewery, there is I mean there's a little bit of a sidewalk that goes between the two. Um I do know that some of our vendors utilize that to Okay.

you know, park and then come through, but Gotcha. I I maybe I I believe that that would that particular space is it would be Paula's property. Yeah. So I I mean I could I could ask her but I mean you have you know on the other side of city hall but that's owned by you know Michelle Thompson and across the street but also a place that's owned by Aaron Junk now. So, I mean, you'd have to contact those private property, but they may be spots, green spots where and if you're moving the food trucks to this end, I almost wonder if we would be better off putting it right dead center at the street just down from uh Southbar. Put it right dead in the center of the street.

In the street, they don't pick them up right away. I'll tell you that much. Well, then that gives something, you know, people can swallow them the next morning cuz if we wanted them diverting around the board. Yeeha. I just know from like January days the one come out right away to get them. Just a thought. I think we can work with that. We'll figure out a place for it. uh the $5,000 uh Teresa put in her report to us that you know we know you guys got some money in the in the account because we see that uh did you did you consider using money out of that fund or you got plans for that fund or

so considering that we it was kind of an afterthought you know our our committee source meeting in in February which is long after your you know July budget meeting and so um when we discussed it. I don't think that um I'm not personally opposed to it coming out of the DHI budget because um it's something that goes towards an event that you know we we coordinate and we put on. Um, I think that some of the funds that were in that were spoken for like in that account that haven't been used yet, like were dependent on, you know,

putting more lights down the street, but it doesn't make sense until sidewalks or anything. Correct. You know, working on the bridge. That didn't make sense cuz the the trail didn't actually extend, you know. So like some of the reasons why we requested some of those funds can't come to fruition because of right you know de development issues. So I don't I don't see why it wouldn't. Um I think that you know depending on how this marketing campaign goes and the success of it will probably be a budgeted item this coming year. So I'm not saying we don't pay for marketing because we give money to Jambburye. We give money to downtown or hometown Christmas. I mean it's not like we don't do that.

Yeah. Just like Jamie home Christmas comes with us. They figured that out. So next year you just figure it in as a budget request. Yeah. And you guys haven't came and asked for any money. No. And but like I said going, you know, if we can do this this year going forward just be a budget request from DI. And maybe that would be if that's if that's acceptable to you guys, maybe we'd look since it's kind of an after the fact. But then by all means, if when you guys come to budget time, if you want to

Yeah, I did reach out to Caitlyn just because I couldn't remember what some of the um quotes were for some of the projects that I do know that we have coming up. Um but I I think that we have enough in that account. I'm not going to any of those particular projects that we do have. Yeah. Yeah. Because one of our main the big ones is um replacing all the hanging baskets this year. Yeah. Those are all shot and Yeah. But I would say, you know, going forward, I'd say that there would probably be no issues including that on a budget request.

But this year, maybe it'd be better if we can swing it that way. I looked at your list. Yeah, it looks like you're I mean you're not spending crazy money, you know, and it's it looks like it's very good good spent advertising dollars. All right, any questions from the council? Any action we want to take to get this approved? And so we are

I can make a motion to approve the special event permit for the Hartford well downtown Hartford Incorporated downtown market as is. Second. I got a question on that. So thank you for doing that. Is this motion appro approving everything within the request summary? I assume yes. Yeah, because that that's presented. So what's in the request summary because that kind of covers the whole event and then we utilize the funds out of what they have here out of their account. Not well. So that's where they're Well, if you look at their application, we're approving their application.

We're approving their application. But do we are they requesting to use any money out of their account is where I'm going at. Is that going to be another process or another? I think just in the motion say you know added funds. That's where I'm going. Yeah, that's where I'm going at because I think just amend the motion to conclude that the funding requests come out of the fund. Yep. Out of DHI account with the city. So we should let that Can you amend that, Keith? I'd like to amend the previous motion to include the payment from downtown Hartford, Inc. their funds, not the city funds. Correct.

Second. Still a second. All right. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Can I just ask y just because um like it's it's our habit to make payment out of like our basically through our DHI account from our own um for all of these expenses. Would we still do that and then turn in a a re for a reimbursement or how does that work? Well, you're requesting $5,000. So, I think we just turn over $5,000. I'll just cut you a check. 5,000 out of that account. That makes That's easier.

Sure. it much easier and then just have you guys pay it. Yeah. Okay. Pay the expenses. Okay. That good. Yep. Anything else? Carlson. Yes. M. Yes. Parach. Yes. Sh. Yes. All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. Y. Thank you. Um, one more question before I go. Oh, I don't know. Just because there's a concern about maybe perhaps placement of where the port would go. Should am I taking an action item then to contact some of these businesses to find out if placement can go on your property or is that something that the city will take care of first?

I think I think Teresa you can talk with Craig and you guys kind of take a gander of I'll I'll throw that one at city staff for right now. Okay. Just let me know. Well, we'll know before we get to May. Let's say that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for your guys' work. Maybe we'll uh maybe we'll see if we can get crossing guards. Hey, you know, you could even get like one of those reflective vests. You're really looking for You know what? I got one. I have one because when you're a guy like me, you got to wear that stuff. Throw it away. You know, a lot of volunteers.

There's people aiming at me. No, I want some. All right. Second up, resolution 2026-9, South Dakota Game Fishing Park Recreational Trail Program Application. This is for uh proposed bike trail from West 12th Street to Swinson Park up uh on the east side of the Harford Area Development Foundation or the Oaks Industrial Park as we like to call it, North Oaks Industrial Park. and this is a grant we can apply for and the application due and really the resolution basically says that I can sign the grant.

Y as discussed at our last meeting you know we are applying for this grant there are several things you need to include in it. One of them is basically this resolution that just allows the mayor to sign the paperwork the application and um states that if we get awarded we will cover our 20% because it's an 8020 grant that we're aware of that. So um just kind of lays that out. This signed resolution will need to go in with our application in April. So that's the purpose of it. Okay. Action from the council. If we got this grant, um, when would the construction on that start? Would that be a 2026 project or 2027?

2027, more likely because we won't hear on this grant probably till summer or maybe even early fall. And by the time you design it and survey to design it, it's going to be a 2027 project, which come on, Michael. Something like this, you don't want to bid too late in the year. You're going to get a bunch of call it junk bids at inflated prices. Sure. At that point, better holds off. We know how you guys are dragging your feet on our bikes. Is there pro probability that we'll um get the

They are really good. I think we got have a good application eventually. You know, we're trying to get a safe way to get kids up to that sports complex. And you know, we have hundreds of kids that use it. I've got numbers that I can submit with the grant. And so, obviously, you don't want them riding their bikes along Western. So, I mean, I I think we have a good chance. I mean, you never know. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Well, exactly. There we go. And I will say that GFMP is a lot easier to work with than the state. So, this is a good grant to get a motion to approve resolution 2026-9. Second. Any discussion?

I love these grants. These 20% that we pay, 8% somebody else. So, no. And it's and I think you're right. The good path to that uh sports Netflix is uh well right into my ward so I'm all for this. Of course you are. Yeah. All right. No other discussion will vote. Shilling. Yes. Yes. Bowen. Yes. Carlson. Yes.

All right. The next one up is also a grant uh or agreement between the city to apply for a grant for an AED here in city hall. Ours is about 10 years old. United Way, Sue, Empire United Way has great grant program. This is a 5050 deal if I'm not mistaken. And I did apply for you and go right online and I heard back and Oh, yeah. We already I think we've already received

We got it if we want it. Like it's a 5050. Um I did talk with Linda Hartman because Craig had said, you know, the fire department may know some grants. She said this is probably the best one out there too for adds. Um comes right through Sue Empire United Way. Um, this we use the same grant when we got the one up at the sports complex and very easy to work with, too. Like I said, you hear about it right away. They they're very accommodating, get it out to you and yeah, I I think it's Is it 10 years old or 20 years old? Cuz that's 20 years. So, the one we have here is 20 years old. Oh, yeah. Holy smokes. Battery's still working on it, though. We check it every month. Wow.

And we order new pads when they expire, but but it's at its test the guinea pig. Do they shock you, Karen? Is that how they test it? We're testing it. It's testing time, Karen. Now, this is this is another great thing, you know, because I mean, not many people keep up with their CPR, so this is Yeah. And and as you know, all the staff here, I mean, we're CPR and AED certified. We go do get it every two years. So, we we're already have met all the qualifications for the grant. So, awesome. All right. So, we go ahead, Darl.

I'll make a motion to approve the agreement between the city of Hartford and Sue Empire United Way for the AED grant. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Rach, yes. Shel, yes. Oh, and I wanted to say and they we've moved on quick. Uh, also thanks to HADF because didn't they give us the land for that bike? So, yeah, every developer has to donate either land or funds. So, we part of their development and I didn't get it said before we moved on. So, yep. Yep. It was the fact that they worked with that. So,

on the you might want to check with the heart hospital. They gave us $400 if we gave them our old one. Oh, we got this grant as well and then we got an additional $400 from them. Oh, so Stanford or through our hospital. Yeah, on their website. Oh, I didn't know that. So, yeah. Oh, definitely. Thank you. So, we got ours on about $276.

So, Dr. Knight's here helping us get money. Come on. They all need it, man. All right. Thank you. All right. We're going to move down to visitors. the visitor we have listed tonight. I don't want to be nice to her. Deb Jones is here to discuss the upcoming community garden at Christ Lutheran Church.

So, my name is Deb Jones and um Ardan has asked me to come more. This is more about sharing what I'm doing, but I do have one request. It's not financial. I'm not asking for money. So, but I do have one request. um about last summer and by the way I'm there's a lot of comfort zone things for me the last two years and this is one of them but um last summer I started thinking about a community garden and um we have landed our church so I asked our council if it was okay if I could use it so we have dug it up it um it is I don't want sitting but 30 by 70 or lots that are 10 x 12 we're hoping 16 lots. We had it dug up. We've had it till we have to try and till it one more time. But that's my hope um is that to fill it up with 16 and want to make it expandable. So if if it's a really if it go really well, we can make it larger. Um my whole thing was that I wanted to offer something for my my whole project. My whole where I'm at is congregational care and community care. And so it's kind of both. I'm offering it to our congregation first. I just put it in our newsletter. I wanted to give them first serve because it's on our land, but then what's still available, which I'm sure there will be. I want to offer it to the community that they can have. Um I have written up a contract and it's $25 for each lot. Um I have um Judah Women is going to build a fence as an Eagle Scout project. So I have done a couple um grants. I did the roundup through Sou Valley Electric and I did the Hartford area one last week. So, I'm hoping that between the two I get money to pay for more for the fence than anything because I'm trying to keep it net zero, no cost to the church. I thought I was going to have to dig in water, but we found another solution and Nordon can explain

that a little bit because he worked on that more than I did. But we're feel I'm hoping that with the if we get the grants that that'll cover um more nominal cost than what the digging the whole pipe system digging in a pit.

So we're hoping to do that and um and it'll have a monitor. We're hoping to do a monitor so that we can shut the water up in the win when we're not using it and pay the our church will pay for it and then we just pay them. I'm hoping that my $25 per lot will help to pay that. One of my things, one of my requirements on the contract, the very first thing is that it is my this was my well actually I think kind of said it, but I really liked it and that I want it to be a um now I didn't put it on there first. To use a c garden as first fruits, you have to offer first fruits to someone in need. either the someone you know that's in need or the food shelf, the daycare, whatever. But I want the that's the Christian part of it that I want it to be first fruits. What am I forgetting or

then you want to Well, the part that I want the request I have is that I have a contract. Like I said, I put it on our newsletter. So, it's already out to my congregation. I want them to have a couple weeks and announce it. But, I'm wondering if it's possible to put it in the newsletter. Is that something I can do so I can get the word out to the most people and I don't know if is it possible to put it on the screen? I don't know. So that's my request if I if it's possible to do that. Yeah, we can put a little message and then we'll just direct them to a spot on our website to actually get the contract. But yeah, and I didn't know how that worked on our newsletter. Can we do stuff like that? Is that a

Yeah, we might just want to direct them to a link in our newsletters so they can get you know this would be a lot to put just what Kirsten did was she I did a little blurb for the church and I could probably do the same they could hit the thing Yep. We'll just put a link and then Yeah, we'll have it where they can just link it to it and they can print this out. So, is this on the land to the west of the playground area? Yes. Yes. And how many plots are you having? 16 right now. Okay. The only thing I haven't quite figured out is like a walking path or a

lot each block. That's the one thing I got in my head that I haven't figured out yet. I got a rookie question in here. Is it how about the separation of church and state? You know, I I I don't think the city should be involved in I mean maybe in any of the church matters. I don't know community garden, you know, then right, we're all good. But I don't know if there's a problem with that. I don't think that there is a problem with that. I mean, you know, we

it's not like I, you know, we're promoting local events. The Jamberee Day, you got churches that are involved in that. I mean, you know, we're not we're not saying as a city, you know, we're not enforcing um we're not enforcing it's probably I don't think that there's an issue marketing something that's done by a church. We were just talking about that. I think I think it's more of a community garden versus anything, you know, related to the church. It's just there because that's where they got the land. So, yeah. And I feel like a church putting on a potluck, right? And it's kind of the same concept the churches put on a potluck and what's that? Does that go up on the screen?

Well, I don't No one's ever requested put up on the screen, but I would have no issue with that, you know. So, this would be like of an event that I think we just promote more of a Yeah, it's good question. Community event. Yes. Community garden. Yeah. So, it's not it's not promoting Christ Lutheran or any kind of church. It's just a community event. Yeah. And I know uh Michelle and a group, you guys made a run at this a couple years ago. And really the thing we couldn't figure out is a good place. I know like well it was Callie's vision to have a have one downtown like in in amongst

somewhere and you know it's just to find the land and water. So we have u if you want a picture of that that's what I we have to change a water line that runs from the church out to our playground and there's a irrigation box there we could put in there and I talked with Tony and his irrigation guy we think we could knife in over to the garden put in a spigot there it'll be able to be blowed out in the winter and I and I I had uh Jesse from the city and Craig come down and take a look at plumbing in the church just to see how if everything I was thinking could be done and I think we can make it make it work. So

yeah, because in reality like when like Callie's vision too where it wasn't just downtown like it would be nice to have community gardens in scattered. Yeah. Throughout, you know, for different areas of Hartford. Uh but it's really difficult to find one land and then two the water to it. Um, the only other thing I will add, uh, when Judah Wibbon came to us or we started talking about the Eagle Scout project, we're going to have him probably permanent the poles in on one side and leave them not permanent on the other. So, it'll be expandable. There is so much room there. When we first went out, I mean,

we could have a hund we could have a literally have a hundred spots up there. We have room to grow in the south. Yeah. And did you say what your plot sizes were? Yeah. 12. I might have, might, might not. 10 by 12 is what I have right now. I don't think I put it in. I I think uh I'm first and foremost, I think this is a phenomenal project, and I love your the the values behind that, too. Um I think cuz it's really not a community garden. I mean, it kind of is, but it's not. Cuz when I think of community, I mean, I don't know how community gardens operate, but it's, you know, it's on private property, right? That's owned by by the church. and the church is is opening up. Hey, we have a select amount of spots cuz yeah,

you know, I don't know how many members of your church are going to want a spot. Maybe only two or three, maybe none, you know. Um, so I just wonder in the in the marketing of it, the messaging cuz when I think of and I'm sure on these community gardens, they all like are those usually city ran? Like I've I don't you know I don't know kind of I mean we had one a few years ago. So the the ones in Sou Falls typically are the mini haha master gardeners are the ones that kind of coordinate that because I know there's one on the campus. Okay. And that it's the mini like you have to there's an application process and you know you I think we have their contract.

Yeah. typically like there is already water available and there's a lot of parameters around it but I think that it's maybe a combination of the the parks program and the mini haha master garden but it's so so in that function it's still a community garden and this is operating essentially the same way just it's own you know you got it's private property you take care of there was one a few years ago that Orland puns they don't live here anymore but lived on Main Street they had an empty lot and they had allowed people to come in and have plots for community garden and that was on private property. So I think I think it's great. I'll keep an eye on the rabbits for you cuz I live up in that neighborhood.

Well, that's why we decided on the fence right away cuz we figured if we don't put a fence around it, that'll be the contract idea they took from another it's from another church in Sou Falls and I think they call it a I think that one's a community garden as well. Denny Fonder actually is he's a retired pastor. He was the one originally wanted to do this and that's so kind of helping me a little bit. He's an older gentleman. I'm glad he doesn't have the energy. So, it's on me. I think it's a great idea. You're going to keep um keep staying in charge of it and you're going to be the the head for now. Yeah. Till I get old and don't have any.

Oh, wait. I am old. Not yet. You got about three weeks. Are we sort of calling it? I think we're calling it, aren't we calling it a community gardener? Community garden at Christ Lutheran is kind of Christ. Community garden, but but maybe we'll call it community garden at Christ Lutheran. Maybe something to that effect. So I just Yeah, community garden at Christ Lutheran, you know. Kind of like uh what is it? Water for a dead saint. Yeah, there you go. You know a lot about that. I'm checking them out.

Do we need to uh vote on her being able to allow to do that or is that I gave her a copy, but I'll have to change the title. We just changed the title of it. Just are you okay? You're good. It's just under visitors. I think it's the consensus for all this and the plan. We will I think it's phenomenal. Move forward then. boy. Hey, you made it. He was nice to you. All right, let's move down to reports. First one up is the fire fire department report. Uh I think Todd comes next month. Next month. I'll say, did he already get fired? Nope, I don't think so. But

I did talk to Todd this week. Uh him and I are going to meet uh meet for lunch next month. Did he put his report in there or am I just not missing it? I mean I must have so far down. Here we are. See you later. Hey, did we have a fire here a couple of days ago? It's all pretty smoky out there. You know what? There's uh on the south side of the interstate off the exit. They they burn a lot depending on that wind. Yeah, they burn a lot out there. All right. Uh let's move down to Kyle's report. Building Inspector Code Enforcement. This stuff's in the packet. Any questions on my report?

I don't believe I had any. Anybody got any questions for Kyle? He's been out watching the snow, I think. Huh? Looks like a good meeting you'll be going to, right? Yeah. Oh, yeah. We need to approve that. He does have an action item. Yep. So, yeah, I'll make a motion to uh to accept Kyle's Chrisson's request to attend the SODC or SODAC spring training on May 6th to 7th, 2026. All right. Do we have a second? Second. Any discussion? As I say with anybody going and I think this is great first and foremost um

Teresa has probably heard me say this. I I you know always want some type not even I don't necessarily need a report. I need something that there's you're g and then it's more of a ch like if you're going to go to this thing bring something back that you can bring to the city. You know that's that's a big thing. But I think it's great and if you've seen it in the report Kyle is actually second vice president. So, does that put you in line eventually to be the wheel? So, are you the vice to the vice president? Paul Clark is actually president right now. Okay. Um, yeah. So, he moves out and then you everybody moves out. So, I got like three years for I'm president. Okay. All right. So, we had a motion, a second. I don't think we voted, did we?

No. No. Shelley, yes. Rach, yes. Bowen, yes. Carlson, yes. Thank you. Anything else, Kyle? Cool. All right. Most exciting part of the evening, engineer report. You weren't here last meeting. Neither was I. So, wasn't very exciting.

Wasn't very exciting, I don't think. Uh, good evening, everyone. Uh, following up on a couple items from last weekend, we're work or last meeting. Uh, we're working on reviewing some of the storm water management uh, ownership practices, reviewing what adjacent cities are doing, as well as expanding that further just so we're not staying uh, closed by on the region. We'll present those to you at the future meeting. Um, as uh discussed earlier, we're working with COG to prepare items for that uh GFP grant that is due April 10th. Works on a little bit this afternoon. Uh, just waiting for Craig to get back just to discuss lights and figure out what style he'd like to, you know, to to maintain once those are installed. Um, as far as project updates, uh, uh, Tap Grantson Road got a project schedule created, uh, for that project. have reached out to the DOT to schedule a project breakoff meeting and we will uh be sure to update you once that is scheduled and get that get that one moving. That's all I had for ongoing projects. Happy to answer any questions.

Did we get the cabinets installed at the wastewater treatment plant? Yes, we did. Those were a couple. Yeah, we were short a couple of them. Um basically Craig decided there's plenty out there. we don't need him cuz it would have been waiting months again for him. So he just said forget it. Give us a deduct and we'll I've got one more question on the wastewater. I've been driving by there on the interstate and um I I I remember at one time were we going to put a fence around the water, you know, um the the treatment tank. Yeah. Was that was did we have conversation about that? Was that ever

I believe we did. Um, I think I believe since it is elevated out of the ground, it is not necessarily trip hazard. The the structure itself actually acts as I believe if it was only exposed a foot, we would need a railing so no one would accidentally fall is where I was just I was just thinking like you know you hope nobody falls in there or some you know it's way up you know it's not go up the stairs. Yeah, like you said elevated itself. Do is there any requirement that we have to have something on the steps to stop people or no like a gate you're referring to? Yeah, maybe a gate or cuz I don't know if you could faced the whole facility is gated

gated that thing. So that's I wonder from like if people got a pool. Yeah, I'm like an insurance. I don't know if we need like a think of it as a pool. Not that you want to swim in it, but we do have fencing around the whole facility. So it is fenced. So we we meet our right requirements. But I do think because of the height. Yeah. I I do remember that because it's so far out out of the ground. Another dumb question on a trip.

Do we have And this is a because we're down this rabbit hole, but I just got because I've been on those boardwalks a couple times, you know, and do we have is there like life u like kind of at a pool, right? You have those life rafts or the rafts you can throw. we have anything like that out there like okay let's say one of our guys falls in he doesn't know how to swim and let's say there's a you know a death that happens and all of a sudden the insurance you know we get sued it's like no you guys have a life raft out here I'm just you know I'm thinking of like the worst pay but like how easy is it to put something there if somebody falls in you know this could be 10 15 20 years down the road there's at least a life raft you can throw out

and that's more to cover our tail end So we don't get sued into oblivion for a wrong wrongful death. The only Yeah. The only caveat there is since those basins are arrated intermittently. That water is actually less dense. So you can't even swim up in it. So it' be have to be a pretty sizable flotation device to to save them. So I believe I believe the proper protocol for any sort of maintenance on it is is you would have two people out there, one you know supervising. If anything went wrong, they could shut the aation off so that they could swim up. intro. It's just something to think about. Worst case scenario, I mean, these crazy things happen. All right, that's all my questions. All right, I see you have an action item on here, Michael.

Correct. Uh Justin mentioned at the last uh council meeting uh slurry seal bids did come in from the city of Sou Falls. Uh they have accepted their portion of the bid. Um Hartford's portion came in at $224,421.17. uh that is over the budgeted amount of $200,000. Um discussion was at the last meeting since there's not many capital plans upcoming this year and to stay on top of maintenance to pull those that that excess dollars take take the extra out of the budget because if we we can cut back you know do less streets but if we do that we're just then pushing those streets we didn't do this year into next year that means we're cutting back next year. I mean it's kind of a domino effect. So you know with not having major projects having you know some funds in reserve my recommendation is that we go with the bid of 224,000 and getting all the streets completed like we you know wanted to that we had in our bid. The biggest thing I think that is we didn't budget so much is that when it went out for bid um basically they the mobilization was a lot higher than it was in past years. They kind of um divvied that out between the cities a little differently than they had before. So mobilization really went up and then um we got more uh dollars going into striping too as well. So those two items were higher than what we thought. But my suggestion is, like I said, since we uh you know, the bid did come in at 24,000 over budget. I I'm suggesting that we do go with the 224,000,

right? Then we'll probably adjust the budget for next year for Yeah. Yeah. And then next year we can Yeah. look at knowing if like this we'll have to up the mobilization. We would at least use this as our base. Sure. Right. we'd at least base up to this. For frame of reference, last year mobilization was $11,700. That is pretty similar across all the similarly sized towns, but this year jumped up to 25,000. So that's that's 14,000 of it right there. Oh, okay. Prices bid bid prices for the actual slurry and um striping did come in. You know, there were no surprises there.

Okay. Was Aztec the lowest qualified bidder to Sou Falls? Thanks. So I think I've seen the overall the lowest bid. Y you had you don't need a poll. I'm just Yeah. Y there's They're the ones that have done it the last two years, too. So I mean they This isn't their first time doing it. They do do a pretty good job with it. So yeah, I think I seen that in here someplace that they Yeah. All right. Action from the council. I'll make a motion to approve the 2026 slurry seal bid to Aztec in the amount of $224,000. Uh $224,421.17.

Second. He got He got me. All right. Any discussion? That one today hearing none. We'll vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Project, yes. Shelly, yes. All right. Uh, anything else, Michael? Thank you. Welcome back. All right. Karen, finance officer report.

Yeah, my report's in the packet. Anyone has any questions on anything in that to answer them? Um, at our last week catchup uh meeting, we talked about sales tax and how our sales tax numbers were down. So, you noticed I asked Karen to pull some numbers together and she put them in her report here looking back at the last five years and yeah, our we really spiked and now we're really sliding and

and I got a good reason for that. It's not like we had any business shut down or you know um last year you know you think some of the legging would be with the construction maybe some of those business dairy clean and whatnot out there had a little bit to do with it but um now that this first quarter people can get to those businesses you wouldn't think it would keep going down. So you know u we do are expecting one more tax payment for this quarter yet. So right a larger one. Yeah. And that's usually larger ones. So, you know, I guess we'll see what that number is. But, you know, so far, yeah, it has been trending down. And so, hopefully it'll turn around, promote people to shop local.

Is that maybe that is that dispatchy place there? It's supposed to open in January, right? Which the marijuana place. Oh, yes. And I And they're not quite open yet. So, Okay. It was January. I know. I've been wondering the same thing. All right. Yeah. I think the last I talked to them, they kind of touched base with me. I think they're still working with the state to get their state licensing. So, yeah, because they've been really quiet. I've had a couple people ask me about that, too. That could almost be I don't know what kind of sales they were having, but not very not good enough to stay open. There you go. All right, Karen, I see you have an action.

Yes. Our CD is coming up for renewal here next week or maturity next week. So, we need to decide what we want to do with that. This is the CD um that is part of our customer deposit funds that we can't really touch because they're deposits on the account, right?

We just put part of this in a CD to make a little bit extra money. So, um I reached out to both Reli Bank and First Interstate on current rates and Reli Bank is a little bit more competitive. So, our suggestion is um going with the fivemon CD again and taking a little bit more out of the checking to bring it down to about 20,000 moving more into the CD. Okay. I'll make a motion to approve the five CD for reli,7456. Second. Any discussion? hearing. None. We'll vote. Shelley, yes. Harachek, yes.

Bullan, yes. Carlson, yes. Karen, anything else? No, that was it. All right, Teresa, what do you got?

Um, well, I'll give you a little public works update if you want me to. Not here, just to let you know. Um, the restroom by the pickle ball court is pretty well finished. There's a couple of minor details, but it'll be open this spring with all the other restrooms and whatnot. So, that's done. The park shelters, we um we're putting, you know, the tin roof and the signs on them. Um we're just on to getting two of them to finish that up. We've got the biggest one and a couple other ones done. So, um they're still working on that. Um we did Neil did get we have in budget to run electrical to the new shed that's out by the sports complex. You know, we put that shed up, you know, a year ago. We didn't have any electricity there, though. And so this year's budget, we have it in there to put electricity in it. Neil went out and got three bids on that um or quote I should say for it because um couple we have 9,000 in budget. A couple of them were,000 or 2,000 over that, but one came right at our budget amount. So we're going to go ahead and go with that one. So we'll be getting electrical this year out to the shed then since that came into budget. Um we um are getting a new two to five year old play system. I think that's mentioned, you know, through the park board. They recommend that. Supposed to get delivered this week. Hopefully with the snow everything's on time. Um I haven't got the exact delivery date, but they thought either Thursday or Friday. So they'll get delivered and we're looking at installation um in April here. So

was there something in your email about that place? I think you put 2027. And I was like, "Holy smokes." I'm not trying to correct you if you're Yeah, I thought I saw something. I was like, "Man, I Okay, it might have been my mistake. I thought Okay, that's good though that it's getting installed. It's getting installed in so maybe wrong date in there, but um it's supposed to get Oh, yeah. Right here. The new play set for two to 5-year-olds for Lions Park is scheduled to be delivered next year." Oh. Oh, next month. I meant Okay. I was like, it's next month. I was like, that's crazy. Yep. the mine. Um so yeah, so we should be getting that and then we um

have got um egg lime delivered. We're going to be redoing the egg line in the ball field, the big ball field down in Lions Park as well. And that was in budget. So got that delivered. Working with ISG to kind of get it marked out blue top to figure how much we need where and we'll get that distributed to. So those are my little updates. Oh, and I um the concession stand out there. We have confirmation that we do have um Dave Duran with the Humboldt Street Park. He is going to for the season be running the concession stand out there. So, yay. Awesome. How about that this week? So, we've got somebody who's running it. So, Wow.

Yeah. So, got them updates. Um what I had in my report just to highlight a couple things. We've talked about having a meeting, you know, with the property owners on Kelly Avenue to discuss, you know, the various various drainage options. Um, talk, you know, obviously about ISG present. We thought we would do that at the kind of before the second meeting in April. So, it' be like the 21st. Um, that way we know ISG is available, whatnot. We thought we're looking at like 5:30 to have that meeting, 5:30 to 6. And then of course then we do have our our 5:30 6:30 and then we can have our council meeting at 7. We don't want a quorum present but um you know hopefully the people in that ward so Michelle and Cindy can make it to it and if we can have another one present it's open to whoever wants to attend and that way then we can have that kind of meeting then we can kind of have an update for the whole council at the council meeting. So

there should be a briefing need somebody. Okay. April 7th. 21st. It'd be the second meeting. I think that's the 21st. Yeah. April 21st. Yep. That's good. Pretty good. Are you good? Okay. So it' be great if you there and I think I'll I think I'll come. So Keith, Sandy, Michelle, Michelle, and you? Yep. Yeah. Okay. And that way then we can um have that meeting, see what kind of feedback we get, if everybody's a favor or not, and then Yeah. They've had a few months to think about it. Excellent update. Yeah. Right. Yep. Okay. Well, I'll work on getting a letter out to the residents then and inviting them to that. So, good. Sound like plan. Okay.

Um otherwise, um we talked about that um AD grant. Um I did apply for a small grant through the community Harford Community Foundation for hopefully some funds. We know we need a new dishwasher at the senior center. So, I did apply for that grant as well. Like I said last meeting, have not heard anything on that yet, though. So, um hopefully we'll maybe hear from consult something before the next meeting there. Also, just want to give you a little update. Um our bridge inspection, um as you know, we've got four bridge structures or pulvers. Um it was on the rotation that two of them needed to be inspected every two years and two of them every four years. So now they've done a little and we're told I thought we were only going to have two inspected this year. Um after talking with the state, the Fed, the actually the federal um uh commission actually made some changes in the requirements for inspections. They're all need to be inspected every two years. So we'll have four structures that will be inspected this year and then two years we'll have all four again. And and that's a a change on the federal level that they did. So, just wanted you guys to be aware of that. Um, that's kind of the highlights. Any questions for me?

I don't necessarily have a question. This is I'm just going to it's something I probably brought up a couple years ago and I I was just doing some research on it, but this this would probably be more in like the city maintenance site. So, when I was over at the wastewater treatment plant was here, I was looking probably before that when I was looking at all of the equipment, right? there's a lot of equipment within that structure.

Um, and then you look at all of our mowers, you look at all of our vehicles, you look at, you know, as obviously as a city, we're expanding. And one thing that I I think that we lack on for sure on the public work side is we're I don't think that we're utilizing technology in a in a like a day-to-day management way. So, you know, like there's softwares out there where you can put in work orders, the maintenance guys can see it, you can do maintenance, you know, you can track all your maintenance that needs to be done on everything. I just wonder if there would be not necessarily now, but like I guess I want us like we have technology and I think that there's ways that we can implement that technology to making sure that we're maintaining the stuff we have to work more so our guys are working more efficiently. um you know

we we have looked at a couple of programs like that. Um I mean always there's vendor companies that want to introduce their project products to you. So we've looked at some things. Um it kind of comes down to yeah how much are you saving versus the cost of of implementing that? You know we we do track all of our maintenance and and right now we're kind of doing the old fashioned way with spreadsheets and we're not on the computer whatnot. So, I mean, it's not like we're not tracking anything or whatnot. Um, we're keeping all the records. We we print our own work orders in house and we, you know, have a system for, you know, tracking them and for filing them or whatnot. So, I mean,

I I understand what you're saying to yourself. So, but like I said, it is it's me and Craig have talked about and we've also kind of looked at, you know, tracking vehicles and fleet. It's like what does it come down to? Um I I don't know if we're quite there to justify the cost. I think that's kind of where me and Craig are at. At some point we will be like you said as we're growing. Yeah.

We will Yeah. No. And I appreciate your break because I don't know the inner workings of it, but um you know some sometimes be nice like okay like how are I don't want to micromanage people but it'd be nice like I know like within my company there are certain tasks that people do and I'm like okay I want this tracked so I know how long it takes so we can plan and prepare and budget. You know I'm just throwing it out there. talk or sound like we've had those talks and we've kind of looked at a couple things and you're right at some point um there are things out there that

I think that'd be one Teresa maybe to put on our list when Craig and Karen and you and I sat down and talked for you know at least to have you know keep it in the forefront. Yep. Yep. Yep. Good idea. Like a maintenance ticket system.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Anything else, Teresa? Anybody got any questions for her? Not, we'll move on. Old business. Uh there's one item in here and it's on uh America 250. Teresa's just really giving us a update. Tyler was here last meeting. She has talked with the Jamberee Committee and the women's today and they are going to use America's 250 in their as their parade theme and Jamberee name scenes. Uh, we talked a little bit about the um I don't know if you put that. Oh, yeah, you did. Uh, that we should really seriously talk about a Fourth of July community. Yes.

Celebration, hot dog pops, whatever. Uh, free swimming. Maybe get somebody to do some fireworks. A little bit of a community. Kind of a community meal like like the mayor said. I think we should swim, you know, just have something in the park. Um, we kind of push that a little bit. I think what we should do is kick something out maybe in the next newsletter on the website and see if we can't pick up three, four, five citizens that would make up a committee to be the local Hartford 250 committee. Okay. Yeah, we can do that. And it's on a Saturday this year. Yep. It is on a Saturday this year. Incredible.

Um like the mayor said, you know, the Jambbury the prethe's going to be American 250. So that's great. Um, next meeting I thought I'd prepare a resolution, you know. Yep. In there. Tyler suggested just, you know, preparing a resolution. So, I'm going to do that. Are you guys interested in me getting some prices and like banners downtown and maybe a couple flags and whatnot? Because I think that would be nice to be able to show it off that way. We could put a, you know, in the park we have the flag polls and maybe um work with the downtown Hartford committee and at some point be able to put banners up as well. So I can get some pricing on that as well. I think that would be something easy enough to do that would be very visible to the community or whatnot.

So we'll um maybe even too who is in charge of like you can have you purchase a flag and they put the post in your yard. Optimus. That's the Optimus Club. Maybe they I don't know how they're funded or anything or maybe even if the city could help where we have a commemorative flag during that time, you know, I mean, it might be, you know, use that. Yeah. Use that. I think the Optimus Club would have for sure some interest in getting involved. I'm a member, I guess. Do you know Do you know what's I don't know how. Okay. First thing is maybe see what size flag they use and then I think those are 3x5.

I think the only problem and I for just so you know I love the idea um is that you only use that. So it depends on who's buying cuz right I just became a our business became a member. So we you know we become a member then you get the flags right you know with the 250th flag you only become you know they only get to use that flag once. Yeah, that's But I think you bring up an interesting point because the Optimus Club, I'm sure that they're going to do something for that, but I think Well, they hang a plague no matter what on July 4th. Oh, yeah. I forget it's July 4th. Yeah. Yeah. But um so I mean the flags will be there. You would have to replace Well, not replace them, but put an old different flag. Yeah. 250th

or but even maybe even members within the community, maybe they don't have an optimist flag, but maybe they have a flag pole. Maybe they have a flag pole on their home that they would be interested in purchasing a flag for their home. I've already been looking. I'm going to cuz I have a nice flag pole right now. You can put it out to the community and say, "Hey, we're, you know, get your orders of flag, you know, people, you know, hey, get your orders of flags in." Yeah. Here's the price. Yeah. You know, we would love to encourage as many of the community to come in and purchase a

I think that you just volunteered yourself to BE ON THE COMMITTEE. YEP. I THINK GET SOME PRICES. I would bet uh I would bet if you wanted to since uh market maximum's big in this I bet he would come out. Yeah. And that's I mean sponsored with it. So I was just call Paul Nelson's brother. Yeah. He I would venture if you called if he'd come up

or even a lighting light your homes up like Christmas, Fourth of July. I mean there is a lot like try and get all of Hartford and the community members themselves involved in their homes and like let's celebrate this as much as possible. Do we allow we allow fireworks on New Year's Eve? Man, I'm losing my mind. Obviously July 4th. Yeah. Does that go does that does that start on the third and go to the fifth? Typically in the ordinance we've talked about this, right? So it's is it the second through the or third through I want to say it's the 3rd through the fifth. Yeah, which is good enough. Maybe it's the second through the fifth, but it it's conversation

couple days before. I would say Teresa, keep plowing forward. Let's get this going, but get a note out. Kind of kind of revisit this every meeting and let's see if we can't get somebody to jump on the committee. Yep. I think that's awesome. So, any message for the optimist? They actually have a meeting at 6:30 at the Hartford State House this week. Optimistic. Are you in the club? Yeah. You should just see if they have any level of interest in getting involved. You're in charge of that one. I'm just saying no because it'll be put out to play, right? But no, but I would be curious. Yeah. Answer's always remember you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, you know.

But yeah, we'll see. But yeah, I'll I'll just mention that that he's thinking about mention, right? That'd be great. I guess and Dr. Ben Jones is a friend of mine, so I should He's the head of the whole deal. So, yeah. There you go. All right, let's move to new business. Sorry, Tim. Now you're here. You're on. First up is budget fund request from the Humboldt Ambulance Service. This is uh budgeted for this year. Tim's here. This is kind of a good chance for you to give us a little report, but I had a question. Can I ask a question before you start? Absolutely. Do you either have it or be able to find it? Okay,

good answer. Um, how what are your numbers of calls in do you I know you track that between Hartford and is your numbers of calls in Hartford high or normal or typically? Well, I'll start for those who don't know Tim. Uh, sorry. I threw you off with that. Yes. Uh, this past year in 2025, we were down slightly on call volume from the year previous to that. We had about 303 calls for service of which there was just a little over 200 calls to the Hartford zip code.

We do not break it down by township. We do not break it down by Miss Valley or or not. It's by zip code for us. Um, I guess going forward if you want that I'm not doing it, but I can request and see if I shot. I'm just I'm just curious. But yeah, it typically stays about that. The last few years it has been. Uh, we were been running uh like I said this year down a little bit to just a little over 300. We've been as high as 340 calls for service. Um, but the I guess the percentage stays roughly the same for the partnered exhibit. Okay. Okay. Sorry, I did I have been thinking about that

and that's like I said, it's been running that way for the past several years, but uh um as I we were out beginning of this month going to all the township meetings for their annual meetings. Uh we do go there requesting funds from them. We do get funds from the municipalities of Humble, Hartford, and the county. Um, all the money we bring in from that will go towards staffing. Um, to staff an ambulance with a medic and by the time you get your work count and your liability insurance, you'll go north of 200,000. So, the money that we bring in is going towards that. In past we've been kind of supplementing some of it with uh monies that we bring in obviously from billing for calls

right

but uh I did check with uh our salesman around the beginning of the year for an ambulance um the price of that our ambulance will be 5 years old come in another month it will be um not looking to replace it right now but uh just out of curiosity I asked and he said that same ambulance has now gone up $100,000 from 5 years ago. So, we're in the process of we're going to start setting a little more money aside to replace an ambulance. Typically, we when this will go back a long time ago, when I got on the ambulance, um when we got a new one, our old one went to Mexico. Nobody wanted it. Um so, we switched from that mentality to trying to trade out a little more often before we have some issues. Um and we were doing it about every six years. Um, we're not going to be trading every six years now. It's uh the cost of although you would probably retain a little more uh money in our old ambulance. Um, our old one when we got rid of that, we sold it privately. We did not trade it because we could get a better deal going private. Uh, I think we got uh that one went to Colorado and we got like 35,000 for it.

Okay. Um, would we see more out of this one? If we do, you know, and the kind of the kicker of it is he said if you ordered this was the beginning of the year. If you ordered it then he said two years before you will see an where that kind of that's different. Usually you know you have them within six to nine months pretty easy all now it's kick down the road a little bit further. So, um, we're probably going to possibly look at the end of this year, talk it over, see what things look like, and maybe get in the building queue of if it is going to be two years, you know, obviously then we'd be looking, you know, at 8, 9 years old by the time we see the replacement we have.

I'm assuming, Tim, that's similar to the fire department when they did theirs. They had to put so much money down to get a spot in the line. He didn't say that. I didn't ask that. Okay. I didn't want to ask. I had him say yes. Yeah. Um, so like I said, we're requesting release of funds for the 26 calendar year and uh like I said, we are supported by county municipalities and townships. All we kick money into that. So, um, yeah. Well, when you need you, you need you.

Yep. Then today we were needed. I guess we had three calls this morning, but I had to go to a county commission meeting, but uh, yeah, it was Yeah. Yeah, three calls this morning between uh 7:30 and noon I think it was quieted down this afternoon that yeah in the way it looks right now um tracking we're kind of on the same numbers as we were last year at this time when we were at this meeting. Okay, our numbers were extremely high and we said we're going to be over and above what we normally have. things quieted down. So, it es and flows. Yeah. But, uh, right now we're on pace, I guess I would say that. So, what is the lifespan of an ambulance then?

Well, as I said, um, you can run the wheels off of them. Um, not picking on Bell Rapids, they're getting a new ambulance. One of their ambulances getting replaced. and talking with the guy that runs their service. Uh he he said that thing started to cost him so much money to try to put on the road and it's not reliable and they got caught flatfooted and said now we need an ambulance. They didn't set money aside and they're scrambling right now. They got a new one coming. Uh they got a demo unit coming. They're going to pick up in another month. But uh um for us, like I said, if you want to run the windows often, you can, but it's going to start costing money. And like I said, as you said, when you need it, you need it, you need it.

Yeah. It it wouldn't sound like mutually. No. Uh seven 10. I I I wouldn't want to go past 10. Okay. Personally, the miles we put on are hard miles, I guess you might say. Um we don't take it to church. Well, excuse me. We go to churches. We uh but you know, when we go, we go fast. As the bumper sticker says, get the hell out of my way. I'm late for church. So, uh but no, it it it is harder miles that get put on them. You you run them hard. Mhm. Yeah.

But, uh and then from the hospital back to at least Dairy Queen, it gets run hard and then we meander back to Humble because we got a couple people in our department that do not pass that. We're thinking about maybe getting them on a roster so they can get the tone that they if we got a call they can go open up. We got some guys that really like the race. But so but uh I did see the ambulance. We've been there several times. The drive-thru. We've we've tested that early on. So but uh no I would say like I said the last several we we've shoed for about six years. this one. I would think if we push eight or nine is probably where we're going to be at realistically just because the the cost has gone up so much.

I got a question, Tim, and I'm just going through the um the budget, I guess. So, so this is from 20, you know, all 2025. So, ambulance payroll expenses is 200,000. Explain that to me how that breaks. I'm just kind of curious. So, well, and with that, you know, so and I'm running off memory. Yeah.

And like Mr. Roch can say you should know your numbers. Um it was it 8760 is what six am I had? 24/7 is what you have to have. And by the time you throw some overtime with that um and I I want to bump up our our wages of our medics. We've got a good crew. Um we have realized um that we just brought a new medic on here at the beginning of the year. Um it used to be you went and kind of tried to cherrypick from other ambulance services is where you went

if you wanted a paramedic that's where the paramedics were. Um we have learned through this last process of bringing an individual on there are now uh clinics in Sou Falls that instead of hiring another nurse can get by cheaper if they hire a paramedic. So now the medics aren't just necessarily an ambulance service or something that they're going to clinics where you got a controlled work schedule. Correct. Um you do not have to get up in the middle of the night.

You do not have to go down the road ditch. Um you have air conditioning in the summer and you have heat in the winter. um paramedics are starting to look at that as a better option than and and again we don't you know we don't run on average we don't run a call a day but now today we had three you know it'll keep you busy for a while but there there's downtime but as I said to some of the uh the township boards um when we get a call it's typically not hey do you want to you know come grab a bite to eat it's there's something wrong um it's a high stress maybe low volume type call. So, yeah, with that um

so you have like three or four people on that are on uh No, we got about seven seven, right? Well, otherwise overtime would kill you. Exact. Okay, that makes sense. But running 12 hour shifts is very tough to get away from overtime. Yeah. You know, it's just the nature of it. You'll run into overtime pretty quick and then there goes the wages. But, uh um yeah, like I said, we've got an excellent crew. Um, do you have any medics that live in Hartford or people that work that work for the Humble Fire and Ambulance that live in Hartford? Yes. Okay. Yep. And but see, we got living quarters on the on the hall.

Okay. So people Okay. I I'm just totally nude like so someone is there a few years back um well John Jarding was chief at that time and we sat down and talked about it and said the way this is going and if we go to advanced life support ALS 24/7 we're not going to be able to rely on before it was basic life support and it was just people of the community um we said with that we are not going to be able to have people living in Humboldt that can be on call so we added on uh two extra bays for the fire hall. Yep. Just for one ambulance. Put on two uh put in a small meeting room in the living quarters uh with a kitchenette and bedrooms, shower. Yep. Yep.

All that that got put on because we said we got people that come from Harrisburg Sou Falls. Some live in Humble. Okay. Here, you know, it's just uh part of it, I guess. No, it's I'm oblivious cuz I'm thinking they get an ambulance call, maybe they drive there, get the ambulance, but no, there's someone waiting for that phone to ring. Unless they're Yeah. The kicker of it is for us um to stretch the budget out a little better, we do put a volunteer, somebody that's willing to leave their job. Yeah. No matter, you know, what time of day you can we have people that leave and it's a that's an unpaid job, right, to go along with the Mac.

Okay. So, but yes, the medics are paid volunteers. We do pay a a weekend if you want to take shifts on weekends. That means you will be within a certain distance of the hall. We don't so much time. So, we'll we'll kick some money in just to make sure that um for a while it was who's on call, who isn't type thing. For weekends, it kind of freed up and lets other people know, you know, unless it's something real serious, then we'll get more people showing up. But if it's just your I should say a standard call, but if it's just a normal call, you know, it's covered. Okay. So, that's crazy. Thank you. Thank you for doing that. It's it's rewarding, I guess. But, uh, you know, there's times I spent most of my day today in meetings.

Yeah. For for this thing. But, yeah, I think if you double my pay, I think it still equals the same. I want to * All right. I'll make a motion to approve the uh release of budget fund request to Humble Ambulance Service in the amount of $25,000. Good job. All right. Any discussion? Be careful. We're sitting by. will vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Yes. Shel, thanks, Jim. Thank you.

Thank you, Tim. And if I may, it is St. Patty's Day, and I am halfIrish. If I may. Yes. Oh, okay. A saying that I I saw today that said, "May the winds of fortune sail you. May you sail a gentle sea. May it always be the other guy who says, "This drinks ON ME. DRINKS. HEY.

All right, that's good. Thanks, Jim. All right, next up we have Dr. Knight here to talk about the school's request for their or discuss their application for our economic development funds. Dr. Knight, sorry you had to sit here for so long.

No, it's all good. Thanks for having me again. mayor tonight, superintendent of West Central. A couple weeks ago, Teresa had emailed that the city was accepting proposals for economic development. And one area that uh we try really hard to expand in is our career technical education, but they're really high cost programs, whether it's welding, we have some simulators now, um um all of our home, we don't call homech anymore, but home classes, uh all those high cost programs. There's lots of um funds going in with not a lot coming out. But one area that we have some coming out is our residential construction. Uh and that's where this proposal kind of has its basis. I don't know what you have or what you don't have. So I'm going to give a

10,000 ft view and then if you have questions, let me know.

Um so in our residential construction class, students start the first year and they build and sell two sheds. the revenue from those sheds buys the materials for the next shed usually and hopefully uh replace some tools or equipment depending upon what they need. After they take that class, then it's a two-year cycle to build a house. And so they might be in the first part where they're framing and windows and that or they're in the second year um where they're drywalling, chingeling, and doing some of those things. Um, after the 2-year cycle of building the house, we have an auction and we sell it. And so in 2019, we sold the house and Centerville, I was there at that time, got to increase its student population, got to increase its population as a city because the house went there. In 2021, the house went to Flander. Same type of deal. In 2024, um, couple summers ago, it went to Freeman. A family, young family bought it. They had two kids and Freeman got to see reap the benefits of it. And so one of the things that Mr. Moss, instructor, and Dr. Baron, our high school principal, we talked about is what could we do? Why are we doing a lot of work? Why is he going to other communities to make their places better? What could we do here? And we just don't have the funds to buy the lot. And so that's where the 50,00075 is just off of what the retail or uh realer real estate um lot prices are right now. So that's what the price would be. We think that by the time we put in a foundation and do our work after that, then we just keep doing it. Instead of building it at the school, we would just buy the next lot and go. And again, hopefully it's a reoccurring economic development impact instead of just a onetime project giving us some money to get this business in.

This would be in affordable housing. So in 2019, the house sold for 91,500. In 2021, it sold for 127,500. In 2024, it sold. It was a great time. Two people really wanted it. Uh and it went for 160,000. But, uh, there's 1,600 square foot homes on the main level that's finished. Uh, it's got three bedrooms, two baths, a mud room, kitchen, dining room, living room, and then we would put on a foundation that had a basement for more equity and and more space, and then an attached garage uh, that we wouldn't put on, but the person buying it could put it on. Um, if we got it. Right now, it's basically our residential construction class, the two-year cycle that we talked about. We also have a bunch of students in accounting, marketing. Um, in our, again, I'm going to call it home cuz that's what I grew up with. In our home, they do interior design. And so, they help us sometimes with just some promotional cute things that the females when they come to look at the open house, say, "Oh, that's what I could put there." kind of scenario. Um, and so we have a bunch of tie-ins in our proposal and all of those teachers are are on board and again willing to try to keep a project that we have here in Hartford uh to stay here in Hartford and then again buy the next lot two years later we have a house that can be sold and um hopefully in a kind of first-time home buyers or second time home buyer scenario where they have some young kids build our population, build our sales tax revenue um and let it be and also train the students, right? I mean, you

Well, that's why we do it. Yeah. See what they want to go into or know for sure what they don't want to go into. Um, and then again, those are highriced classes. But, uh, they do do a really good job of plumbing, electrical, um, all of those sorts of scenarios, they say, "Yeah, that's what I want to go into." They don't go to the university and spend two years worth of tuition and then decide, "Oh, I should have just gone here." Yeah. They know going in. So on the lot um when you do the foundation, is that part of the construction class too or is that just a purchased uh where you're purch?

So we would buy it the lot and then our FFA has to do a bunch of land testing and so they want to come there before we do anything and do all of their land judging um on that piece of land. But we would hire out um probably to do the foundation. Yeah. So this is our first right first application. No, second. So you know at the last meeting Okay. I wasn't here at the last meeting. So that was with the lights for came with lights along the trail. That's right. And no action was taken at that one. Just uh Right. Did we put a deadline on when when people could apply? No.

No. I mean Okay. Obviously this year the funds got to be dispersed, but Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've got a couple Sorry. No, I've got a couple questions because I'm I I love the So, I'm a recruiter. I work in the construction industry, so I've got a lot of a lot of my clients throughout the country are all looking for, as you know, plumbers, electricians. There's actually some studies coming out where plumbers are going to be probably in the next 5 years going to be making more money than your average attorney. You know, like who thought we'd live in a world where that's the case? So, I I love this because I see this um in my everyday world where I'm not kidding. I mean, Michelle, you know, you know, your husband's a superintendent of how, right? Like, like

you can come out of school out of high, you know, out of uh career technical school or whatever. And it's when it is not uncommon to find a job paying you $55 or $60,000 in the trades. Good luck going at least good luck finding a marketing, you know, a marketing company to pay you that, right? You know, it might take three or four or five years to get there. So, I like there's there's a lot of companies. So, like with the the company that my husband works for, they'll pay they train you, right? And that your schooling is done through house. You don't even pay for schooling. Like, you don't even go to Southeast Tech. It's We have a dozen students internships and apprentichips, right? It's amazing.

Plumbers and electricians. So, and you asked a good question because I was wondering, okay, so obviously the found that that's a little more technical, but these I mean a lot of these kids because I have one of that window built. So, obviously they're doing the structure, the wood framing, the windows, but are are they doing some of the electrical in the house? I mean, like the electrical and it's inspected and we have an electrician that then oversees. Yep. We have And then the plumbing as well, too. Same thing. That's really cool. So, then this brings up another point.

Keith, just hop in. I know you're the new guy here, but you can cut me off. I'm an old dog. So, um, kind of an interesting point just as we receive these applications. So when I look at this one and I like the I like the light idea but I'm just causing some discussion here and I'm not putting I'm not I'm just but you know this is economic development funds and I think um I think that there's a broader question here of of um it just made me think is putting up street lights is that economic development that's a whole another we don't have to have that debate or not street lights but

lights within it just brings up another question because this is classified as economic development. So when I think of economic development, I think of um you know driving some sort of revenue here, right? Driving some sort of revenue, creating a tax base. When I think of economic development, those are the things I think of. But the broader question is, we don't have to answer it right now, but it's on my mind is does putting up lights, which I think is a great idea on the on the bike path, is that economic development? We don't have to answer that right now. So, I will rest my case. But I think this is a honestly a great project because I have a passion for for this stuff.

But I think the intent, if I recall, the intent was to get people to think out of the box. That's what we were hoping for. Let's see what people come up with. And in my opinion, this is this is one of the ideas that I would have never thought of that. Yeah. I mean, I'm glad that you presented this because now this gives us and I wasn't here at the last meeting, so I wasn't in on the late discussion. Neither was Michael because he was gone. When these proposals come before you, I said we we developed that criteria. You got to think, you know, look at this. Yeah. What is the community impact? What's theility? What's the sustainability of it? Can it keep going forward? Like, you know, I mean, kind of rank all these, keep these in mind when you're thinking about it. And um

and I really think that's the next step as a council. We all need to look at this and say, look at the two that we've received. Where do we think these stand? How do how do we envision that this fits in? Yeah, I do love that because as soon as you were talking about the houses and we have one in Freeman and one Centerville, I immediately in my head I'm like, why the uh why in the world? That's not what you thought. We'll go over that. Stay here with this given us a return. Look at those things.

I love that the thought is that this is what will project it so that this is the stepping stone that's needed, right? And then you can continue on. Well, they're they're answering one of the questions which is what we want. Yeah. Is this something that would be perpetual? Yep. And your hope would be if you can keep funding the program to build them that this correct that you got feeder money you could you could make this perpetual sustainable. Okay. Where go I feel like you you know I got I do I do have a question the No. Where would you buy? Because

somewhere in our school district might go to your your answer because if you put in like in let's say in Turtle Creek, I don't know does a contractor actually let you put one there because if I'm building a $600,000 house, I'm not going to have want the 160 house right next to me. And and you do got a point there. There are certain developments that have covenants that you have to build on. That's 160 with no flooring, no kitchen cabinets, no basement. You have to move it. Sure. I But so it's a 1,600T house just on the main level with three bedrooms and two baths. But I I suppose like you said maybe in those development areas don't know their

they have certain Yeah, I know like where we live Eric in Kelly Point got to have this much brick. Got to have this much trees. Got to have this much this this and this. got to have three stall god blah blah blah. I mean there's a lot of areas in Hartford that are the same way. Parti you have to have certain thing maybe you can't just move any naps they're all but are there areas in Hartford where they can buy a lot? Sure. South Main uh Costello. So you think you're going to find a place to sort of Well, he's waiting to see if we're going to give them the money. Well, I think we will be able to just based upon what the house that we currently build is what I see. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, and I think too even if we look at um maybe even some of you know areas of town that there are open lots that maybe people are hanging on to, right? You know that may cuz there are lots around town in the middle of town here that are there are not houses on them. someone has double lots and maybe they would be willing to sell it and that house would fit into the parameters of that area, you know, it it kind of kind of depends upon the time frame, you know. So, yeah, and that's all the logistics. Yeah. I mean, in those Yeah, I think it's a I think that's all stuff we have to talk I really I think we need that.

Has another school done this? Have you seen this idea? I'm just curious. So, when I was at Centerville, we helped our um Centerville Economic uh foundation rehab. Um they were rehabbing a bunch of properties uh with some HUD funds and we would send our kids, they would, you know, because they didn't have any money. And so, they're getting some grant dollars 8020 and trying to find whatever they can to do that. And so, we would send our students there, they would help. They had a one person, one man um construction site and then he'd wait for the kids to come and they'd get to work and then rehab a house and sell it and then rehab the next one. And so similar but not Yeah. Exactly. We never I mean our kids they build the whole thing.

Yeah. I think it's I think it's phenomenal. Okay. one more random question that it it actually doesn't really pertain to this, but uh with the kids cuz I just I love the program that you have. And um do you guys ever uh look at maybe going within the community, maybe seniors that own super old homes, they can't do the work, maybe some remodels, things of that, replacing windows, anything on that side where just just throw it out there. I've got a couple doors I need replaced. I'LL TALK TO MR. ROSS. You can be at Sean's house for a long time. Yeah, you could. Yes.

So, the uh the plan is to to buy a lot within the West Central School District and that be one of the Yeah. I mean, I think that within Hartford, it would be ideal for logistics. Yeah. Yeah. And because we have we would send our students there every day, we would send them two of those equipment. You'd want them fairly close. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Huh? Well, I like this. No, I think the product is fantastic. Yeah, I think this I think this is going to give us something good to talk about. I think that and I appreciate the fact that you brought that forward because I think that's going to give us a cuz now we got two that are really, to Sean's point, we got two projects that are really on different

different streets, so to speak. You know, I quality of life is certainly a aspect of economic development. Sure. You can build anything under economic development, sustainability and building hopefully our population with affordable housing is but I on the same side we have we only have two. We have00 right this is where I think we should put some level of cut off you know maybe we need to put a cut off. Yeah. So we're not sitting here eight months down the road and just the money. So, in terms of that timeline, we will be selling our house um in June. Uh the one that's And so, they'll be starting another one next school.

Next next school year. Okay. So, you would Okay, that's good to know. Yeah. Do you have a projected area of of a possibility of a lot since June is when that house will be sold and But this one can be sold to anybody. Yeah, this one wouldn't go there. I'm talking the next one would be the one cuz they want to locate the lot, get the basement built, right? That's your build on site. Correct. I've got I've got two more questions on this, mayor. Okay. Cuz I want to keep him here for one more topic here on the agenda. So with this, would this expand cuz right now you guys are just you're not doing the finishes in the house, right? You're or like when I say the finishes, the flooring, the cabinetry. So in 2019, they did and found that people wanted to pick their own.

Correct. And so the last two we have not file. it'll be free. And then obviously you know what that does, right? Because you guys have to dries up your costs, but at the same time I know that we do they build their own cabinets and don't install them, which that is wild to me, but people want to pick their own and so uh I would like it to go in there and it's kind of a full experience. So, this could potentially expand like their knowledge of the trades getting into It's definitely the make or break whether kids says I'm going right there out of high school or I'm going uh there because of this class in my internship or it says I'm going to one of our technical colleges. I'll say one other thing then I'm done mayor. Okay, go.

I've got a buddy who I went to high school with and um you probably remember Collie, don't you?

Yeah. um he took a welding class at uh and that was many years ago. They just started doing it with the CT or whatever. I don't even know what the name the CT I don't know. But now he um after and he's kind of an eccentric individual, very eccentric, very talented, but he got a he got really good into welding. So he started building these pipes and these for for uh flat track like dirt bikes, runs his own pipe company. He got a spot on the team with Indian Motorcycle. They have like a flat track team. He was on on their team. Now he's living out in California and right out of high school, he built his own bike. It was all in these World magazines and it was because of now he's doing major stuff, but it was because of getting introduced to welding through a program like that. So,

wow. Anyways, I'm done talking. Participation is high in this uh program at the school. Definitely. Then you don't have to turn anyone away or Yeah, I mean we only have room for about 20 kids in it. So Oh, so you do have to turn some Yeah. away. And so you think of even expanding it to doing maybe two houses or if the state decides to fund us at the law? Maybe. But when we can do that 1.25 and 1.4 probably not. Can they start following the law? Maybe. All right. Thank you. There we go. Hey, if it's all right with the council, go ahead. Anything else for on this topic?

Could you stick around, Eric, for a second? I want to switch these two last ones cuz I want to talk about scooters while I got you here. You bet. Um, the reason I want to talk to you, uh, the other day I stopped to talk to Jonah Rectabbar, our deputy. He said he's been in conversation with Rock, is it Rockefeller? Okay. And he's going to try to get a couple of the deputies to uh, assembly to talk to him about scooters. that age kids, the middle school age kids. Is that something we could maybe Is that the age group that we need to be talking to about scooters at school or not? Uh or younger kids. What do you think? I would start with the younger ones if I was picking.

Okay. Four, fifth graders. Okay. Okay. It's a re I don't know what your thoughts are. It's a problem. I'm just so afraid somebody's going to get run over and I don't want to have that happen. Yeah. And I'd like to give them some basic safety. So, should I would it be okay if we had our deputy talk to the elementary principal? Should they be running this through you? How do they want to do it? Cuz I would like to have them in front of these kids if they can for Yeah. I see our fourth and fifth graders start there. I mean there's obviously some middle school kids driving them around and okay

doing who knows what on them but I mean if you start with younger ones and build good habits there then there's less work down the road we also under this topic we're going to discuss a little night tonight um Brandon has put out an ordinance that they you know under a certain age you got to have helmets all that stuff and I think we're going to discuss that a little bit tonight but along with that I believe that at their school they had to have done some sort of training or did something to get this enforced. I don't know. Did you find that out when you talked to them? I don't know if they did any training, but anyway, that's uh

your scooters in the gym. They're going to set up a track. Sorry, Sting. But anyway, I as long as you were here tonight, I just thought I'd ask you that couple questions and just see what your thoughts were. Yeah, I would say that uh if we can catch the fourth, fifth, sixth and give some awareness. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Because that's uh it's not going away. I was kind of hoping it would go away. It's not going away. That's my old guy talking. That's my old guy voice talking. So,

I wanted to vote on it today, but that's right. Here's his plan. You wanted to vote on the plan? Yeah. No. Yeah. We're just discussing. I think we need to put a time I think we do need to put a at this point. I think we need to put a time limit on this on our how many applications in by certain time. Yes. Like cuz I don't want people to come here make a great presentation and then they're waiting for four months. Right. But anyways, that's my opinion. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Hey, good luck in Rapid. Yeah. Thank you. and uh keep uh keep getting after it. That's right. Absolutely. Thank you. All right. Thank you very much.

Um since we jumped down to scooters, anything else we want to uh cuz I think we just bas Did you put that on there basically for discussion? Yeah, basically you said you wanted to So there's Brandon's ordinance is in the packet for you guys to look at. Um let you know what they did. Um, yeah. The mayor wanted to bring it out again, kind of see if there's any more discussion. If look at it, I guess see if your thoughts if u you think we need to enact anything or not. Um, I know those who were here last year. We we've talked a little bit a few times on this. Good. I'm going to use the bathroom quick since we don't have a quorum. Do we have to take a pause or not?

We're not going to vote on anything because I can't vote anything without you. So, wait for your um I'll try to catch up with Jonah. If I don't before I leave tomorrow, maybe just mention to him that he should reach out maybe to the elementary school principal, too. I What do they cut off here for for middle school? Is it six out of eight? Six, seventh, and eighth is middle school. Yeah. So, I really think is it 62? Is it 67? 678. I think they've combined the three now. Yeah. Seventh, and because I think we'd want to I honestly think we want to hit them both. I think we want to talk with the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eight. So if you happen to see Jonah have him do that. Okay. Yep.

I have no I mean we just put this on here for discuss. I have no problem if we move this to a another meeting after he's had a chance. Yeah. Just put it out there thinking about it and um yeah, we can talk about this at a later meeting and then Brandon can Yeah. I mean I read through it. I mean it seems all reasonable. It's just decide if we want to enforce it or not. Right. And that's what it all kind of comes down to is how do you enforce something like that? That's always the hardest part of it. Do you know how they enforce the penalty of $25?

I suppose if they catch a kid, I suppose I think I think they can ticket the kid or the parent because I know Jonah says like with state law if it they're like on the street and breaking it, they can go back on the parent as well. Yeah. So, right. I think that's our miners. It ultimately comes down to the parents. Sure.

So, one of the physical therapists up here, Perry Ream, lives in Brandon and drives over. She has a 14year-old son. And so, we had this discussion cuz I told her this was coming up on our agenda. And I said, I know you guys have this or ordinance. What do you think? She said the or in her opinion, the ordinance is as much for the parents as it is for the kids. If the kids if the parents don't take the initiative to enforce it, you're not going to get it enforced. It's a parent. That's exactly right. It starts with the parents. Parents don't back

she liked some of the stuff cuz it was easier for them as a parent to say, "Hey, you got to wear a helmet. It says this. You got to do this. You got to do that." It I think from her standpoint, she said it helped them because it gave them some talking points with their kids. So, good point. as we move this forward that may be but I I really I do I do think it's as much it's as important for the parents to understand that we're given basically it's a tool for them how does that ordinance get enforced yeah that's I don't know that that that's kind of the thing like I'm going to do a little checking on that got their own PD so yeah they do have their own police department it's going to be a little different because

you know but I also don't want our deputy pulling kids because you know pull you know this is I mean we've had this conversation. I agree that, you know, okay, we put this ordinance out, which I'm not disagreeing that it's a bad practice. I think putting on a helmet, I mean, I wear a bike helmet, okay? If I ride my bike in town, you're going to see me with the helmet on. That's just how I was raised. But I just I I would be curious around the actual legal enforcement of it. also um inund inundating right our deputy sheriff with pulling I don't want our I really don't want to be known as that town where we have a deputy sheriff lightening up his cherries right pulling pulling 20 kids over a day

maybe do a mailing or education at the school with all these pamphlets that go if it doesn't get fixed itself this is the ordinance we're going to have to put in sort of a threaten because it also kind of crosses over to like okay we have you know kids on these scooters But we also have underage children um driving golf all over the country. That's another problem. So that is another huge problem. So if we're going to start um having a penalty for kids on scooters, then we also need to have a penalty for all these kids on golf course golf carts that are We have an ordinance with golf course carts. You have to be a licensed driver. If you're not, you could get a $200 fine. It comes down to enforcement.

Yeah. Cuz that ordinance is in place. Yeah. Yeah. And so are we going to like start enforcing? Well, I know I know we're not done talking about it. So, but I think we need to I think starting with the school is a really I think the school is a great idea. That's a way of talking about it one of our last meetings if we could get in front of the kids education. Yeah. So, Jonah says he said he he's had conversation with them. So, he started down that path. So, that's good. I wanted you guys to know that. All right. Let's jump up and talk about the uh yard waste disposal site one.

Yep. So, I put this on um we had I think a couple meetings ago you kind of brought up this up Michelle is you know do we want to expand our days and hours of the yard proposal site or not or keep everything the same. So, wanted to kind of have that discussion before we open because it does open in April coming up here. So, um, the first weekend in April till the fourth weekend in November, it's open. So, it's going to be opening. I would need to let our monitor know. I I have to check with them to make sure they're okay with if they'll do more hours. You know, kind, you know, we need to kind of decide a few things here. Right now, um, it's open Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons and then on Saturdays it's open. We've been doing that for a few years now since we passed the ordinance. Seems to be working good, but I I it's really hard to accommodate everybody. I mean, there's always the day that somebody can't make it or whatnot. So,

in in reality, like for me, it accommodates me cuz I just know, you know, but I just had I had people reach out and so it was just something I brought up. by no means does it have to be implemented but um didn't know if it had ever been discussed before so or if anybody else was hearing anything else you know

but you know yeah so when it was originally said I mean that's what it was said at so you know so just want to have that discussion discussion now before we open it so if anybody has if we're okay with what we got to keep going I mean I think we're starting to get like you Michelle people know now when it is and I'm kind of starting to get them trained So I I think it's working. I don't know if you say trade, but you know, we don't get phone CALLS THIS DUMP OPEN THIS DUMP WHERE THEY KIND OF KNOW IT NOW. But um All right. I Yeah, unless anybody really has uh uh some strong disagreement, I'd say we'd keep our hours the same.

That's full. We'll go to that. Okay. And then the other is the It certainly is a really nice um It's a great amenity. It's an amenity that not a lot of towns have. No, because of Yeah, there's a lot that come with it, but yeah, you're right. It's a good feature.

It really is. So the second thing that I haven't that you meant um you as you read now that we don't have the um you know we used to take all the tree branches that we got at the collection site. We would move them every week up to um our lagoon area. Um we had a gentleman that had a basically a wood chipper there that when he had free time he would you know chip all the branches and then he would basically sell the the chip. So, he would chip it for free for us, but then he would get the proceeds from the chip, which is fine. It was a win-win situation there. Um, now that the lagoon lab is not ours, we have a year to get our stuff moved off of there. And we have quite a few tree branches out there right now. And then when we open the dump, we will be accumulating more. So, we need a place to go with those. Before Craig went on vacation, he had touched base, I think he mentioned at the last meet with Jeff Zacharias to see if they would maybe allow because they've got material out there that they pile and would it be an isore in town. We probably wouldn't get complaints. We did reach out to him, see if he would allow that we pile branches up there. Um, they would be acceptable to that. um they will charge a I don't know if rent or a lease or fee, but um they were thinking of charging us $1,500 a month for it. So the course of from April to November, that's another $12,000 added to this service. Um we could pile them up there all summer. Um Jeff would add to the pile too because he when he does jobs, he has some usually sitting around too. If we get over 10 semi loads of material, Mueller Pel will actually come and pick them up for free for us. So, we can get rid of it for free, but it's the cost of sitting it on Zacharias land. It's kind

of nice Zacharias's land out there because um it is gated. So, I mean, there's controlled access where we would our guys would only be allowed to go there. I mean it it would still be citizens would come to the dump site, dump them where they do now and we would then at certain times or certain days take those branches that accumulate and take them out to Zachcharias's there. Um, you know, we've talked a little bit. I've kind of ran it by the mayor. We city doesn't have really a lot of other sites. So, where else would we accumulate these branches at that, like I said, that isn't the middle of town or be slightly or we'd get complaints from citizens at? Uh we do not want them going out to our wastewater plant there because that access road there is not gated there, you know, and that we have an agreement with when we purchase the land from the um property owner there and the farmer that's there that we'd only use that access for the wastewater plant. So what if we get a whole bunch of people start coming down that road, it we're going to be in violation of that. So we don't want them at the wastewater site. We do have that little piece of land. I'm I kind of mentioned this to Art and it's right next to Zacharias. Um I wasn't really sure if it has a good access road or enough area there to pile stuff there. Um the guys we had staff me this morning kind of think we do, but that's not gated or controlled whatnot. We could maybe put up something like we did out at our current site. you know, a couple poles and a a cable wire where the driveway access is. You may have people try to drive around that and since it's not controlled, they may kind of dump whatever besides tree branches. So, you know, you kind of always run into that situation. So,

so is the guy that is doing the wood chipping, is he still doing? No. So, that's another caveat because if he was, we could probably keep it out to land a few, right? Well, one more year maybe. our our lease back says we need to take it off this year, right? So, I mean, we could maybe get through this season, but that's the other caveat. The the guy who is doing the chipping, his uh chipper kind of broke down and he doesn't want to invest in uh fixing it. So, right,

we don't have that anymore. So, that's why we kind of reached out to Mueller Pallet because now we'll have this big tree pile and nobody to come and chip it. Like they said, if we get over 10 loans, they pick them up free. And I think, you know, throughout the season, we'll definitely get that, especially all that we take in. Um, Zacharias adds to it. We're going to be taking down like 50 trees for ashboard this year. And then every year going forward, we're going to have several. So, I'm not worried about not being meeting that requirement, but if we throw them on Zach, it will be the cost of leasing that land. Sounds like the best option because it's our only option.

We're kind of limited. Can we lease a certain section of land from Gateway Hartford, but we still have to get a ball? Well, we do have a lease back agreement with Gateway Hartford on the lagoon land, but it's just one. We did a one year because of the remediation grant. I said we we may be able to get through this season. Yeah. When the remediation comes through, we're going to be in there cleaning it up and then it's then it's worked. Yeah. just just wondering if we could just, you know, move just the funds into Harford and then somehow pull it back. Well, we gave them a lot of land. I think that they'd be I'm just saying I think that

Well, but the other thing is then we're just at least if we move it to Zacharias, we're moving it toward the location where that's going to end up. We move it out there and we have nobody to chip it, but then we're either burning it or hauling it again or right. I mean, and the travel, you know, and we could always haul straight to Mueller, not pilot anywhere, but we really don't have the equipment to it. We just got a small dump truck. It's not in the best shape. The guys really go, it's not going to make a lot of trips to Newer. It's not really roadw worthy. We use it here in town for little projects, but it's not meant to go on the highway back and forth. So, we really don't have the equipment to haul.

My new truck. I just wonder guys would probably take that. I just wonder if we can I'm just I think the Zacharias is the best, but it's not budgeted, right? No. So, it is So, I just wonder if we can finish out this year and then sign a lease for next year for that. I'm just I'm just throwing out ideas that we can finish. But but then you still have Neil or Pallet come out and take out those trees, you know, or even um finish out this year. See what cost it would be for the small amount of land that the city does have. You said by Zacharias.

Yeah. And see what it would cost to make it kind of put a little gate there. I mean, $1,500 a month. What I don't take much, what can we do for that cost? Can we get far enough a gated? And but we need to get far enough back cuz I don't want that to be the first thing people say if it's going to be an isore. Yeah, I'm going to say people looking a little more that it can't I just I don't know that we need to decide tonight because we'd still be even status quo. I mean,

we can open the site up and still haul stuff up there because we we got a pile big pile there. They've got to move at sometime. So, I mean, we don't need to sign it, but um I'll kind of do some price checking. Um um Mueller will come out and and pick branches up, but it's $1,000 a load. Yeah. So, we would want to wait till it's a big pile. A big pile. So, I mean, you could pile for a while there, but it'd be have to be a big pile. And I think we'd get complaints if we Well, when we had the D show a few years ago, we have a big pile. Oh, that was a big pile and we got Yeah. Yeah. So, cuz we have a huge pile down there. Yeah. But also, to your point, we're taking out a ton of trees,

right? I will say that I would have a little bit of an issue with putting it on that land that we own off the 38 just because it's like okay if if it was a little bit further back we I I'd have to look at that land. I got to go look at I kind of just the guys today cuz that creek runs through there. I'm just not really sure how much good flat but $1,500 a month to bring all of our junk to is not a bad is really not a bad option. Like I I don't want to spend 30 minutes talking about it. But

I think and then then then that way it's not you know when people are driving by they they already see the the lagoon land. Now then maybe it'd be a little better if they didn't see all the tree branches there, you know? I mean but I don't know. I would be totally in favor um I would be totally in favor of moving it out of of approving the $1,500 a month moving out to the Zacharias line. Matter of fact, I'm going to make a motion for that and it'll probably fail because I think that it's just a better long-term solution geographically. We're going to have a ton of trees cutting down with the ashore, not just this year, but next year and the year after that.

I said a few years ago. Well, I am going to make a motion that we would uh do the $1,500 a month uh for the Zacharias land to bring our tree branches out, too. I'm going to jump on that. I'll second that. All right. Do we have any more discussion? Do we have to do that? I mean, do we have to act on that now? Like, well, there's a motion on there. So, yes, in a second. Motion. So, you do have to vote on the motion now. But you can listen, you can vote no and we can still talk about it later. So, so don't feel like the vice, you know, don't feel like the, you know, you're getting gripped on that, right? Any other comments? If not, we'll vote. Carlson, yes. Bowen, yes. Harach, no.

Chilling. No. Okay. Boom. It was dead with No, that's fine. Yeah, that's fine. No. Sorry. No. Good point. I was like, really? But I'm a No. I I was hoping you'd start over there cuz if you're a no then we don't have to, you know, go down the line. I just would like to see a little bit more and we can follow through. Check out that land a little more. What kind of place would it be to gain it? See if there's a good spot there might not be. And it might not be the further back you get. Don't ask%, you know, the rougher the land might be. So, but we can check that out anyway and we can talk about the next meeting then. Get some information for you.

All right. I've even had people ask me about like with Zachchariases, they say, "What's all that stuff sitting out there?" Even they were commenting on the Oh, yeah. of that. And I thought, "Well, we're just adding to this now." So, it's Well, but here's the thing. You know, the city incorporated that land. So, so that used to be county land and the wastewater treatment plant was only able to get built because they they they they joined into our thing. And part of that is that they keep that as an industrial. So So it's never going to change unless if one day if it's a heavy industrial. So but if it wasn't for them, we we would have been who knows where we put we would have put the wastewater treatment plant because we had to run that pipe and all that on there. But I agree.

I understand. Yeah. Yep. No, good point. Um was there anything else on that? No. No. Anything else for exact that I missed? I told you the watch out for me. All right. I don't believe we got anything for Beck. I ask for a motion to ajourn. Second or is this so moved? So moved. Okay. We got two moves. Two seconds. I think it Michelle. All in favor. Make you guys.