One step closer to Pickleball Court

CRESCO - At the April 4, 2022 City Council meeting, members approved plans for the four pickleball courts at Evans Park. 

The cost is between $57,000 and $135,000, so it has to go for quotes from three contractors.

The project also includes tennis courts, fencing, asphalt, nets and painting.

• In other business, a letter explaining new totes to be used for garbage and recycling by Hawkeye Sanitation went out with utility bills. 

City Hall has been receiving many calls about the issue.

Dena Bentley was at the meeting asking specific questions about the new procedures. She said a relative had mentioned it to her and “it was the first I heard of it.”

Mayor Dave Brenno explained there had been notices published in the paper and posted at the Library and City Hall. In addition there were articles written about the issue in the paper.

It was stated the City only does billing for Hawkeye and has no say in when the new plan will start or how it will be implemented. Those questions need to be addressed to Hawkeye Sanitation.

• Council discussed Hotel/Motel Tax grants.

Funds requested came from four groups: Cresco Theatre & Opera House for helping fund “Owl at Home Opera”; Family Fun Nights; Driftrunners Snowmobile Club for maps; and Mighty Howard County Fair for advertising outside the area. The total requested was $8,500, with only $5,929.83 in available funds.

The Theatre asked for, and the committee recommended, $500.

Family Fun Nights and Driftrunners both requested $2,000, but the committee granted $1,750 for each.

The fair asked for $4,000, and the committee recommended $3,500.

The amount granted was $1,570.17 over the available funds, so it was to be taken from the tourism fund.

City Clerk Michelle Elton suggested to Council to award the fair the full amount, taking the extra $500 from the tourism fund. “The fair brings in a lot of people,” she explained.

Council agreed and gave a total of $8,000 in grants. There is $18,238 left in the reserve fund.

• Public Works Director Nate Widell explained staff has been burning the yard waste dump. “This is the most cost-effective way for the City to get rid of the brush.” Yard waste pick-up dates for this spring include April 18, May 2 and May 16.

• Elton read Police Chief Tim Ruroden’s report. He has not heard from the attorney about a dog issue. He received a letter, after a person had an accident, requesting a four-way stop sign at 5th Ave. East and 2nd St. East.

Gatlin Keehner, one of the first two reserve officers, was offered the full-time officer position. His start date is April 18.

In addition, officers have been making their presence known at Crestwood by having lunch and going to recess.

• Elton gave the administration report. Various City board positions are open, starting July 1. Information will be put into an ad.

Deputy City Clerk Teresa McGee resigned.

Water meters were put in 2008-2012. Those particular meters are no longer manufactured, so if one needs replaced, it needs to be a new/different one. In addition, the current software does not support new meters.

Most of them can be updated with just the tops being replaced.

The new software would need a tower installed for $7,500. This will allow customers to see live usage. “The City would charge a small fee to those who want to see the live usage. Mostly just big companies do it.”

Council person Amy Bouska added, “It would be nice for people who are not shutting off their water and leave for an extended vacation.”

Elton agreed. “We would also get a warning if a meter showed three days of high usage.”

There are 1,900 meters in town.

• The liquor license for the Mighty Howard County Fair and Expo Center for outdoor service and Sunday sales was approved.

• Council approved the application for Adrian Samec for a tax abatement under the Urban Revitalization Plan.

• During comments from the audience, Jeff Wilson of Wilson Custom Tree Service had a couple of concerns.

He said he had talked to Widell about City staff trimming trees. “They are leaving poor cuts. Several home owners have asked us to correct the trim.”

He also commented on a contract awarded to another tree service. He explained the company did not bid for the job last year, and this year they tied Wilson’s bid from last year. He said the reason it was given to the other company was that they hadn’t got the bid the year before. “But they didn’t bid the year before. I have eight full-time employees, and other companies only do this part-time. It should be fair.”

• The Capital Improvement Plan for 2022-2027 was approved by Council, after there were no oral or written comments during the public hearing.

• Owners of Broken Road Grill and Bar (old Southside Bar), Kevin and Carol Lundt, were granted a three month extension to paying back their revolving loan.

They explained they were doing more work than they anticipated. In addition, delays in the supply chain are not helping matters.

• Cresco Council approved a payment of $15,000 to Howard County Business & Tourism. Director Jason Passmore explained the funds go to HCB&T, Economic Development, start-up business and “any assistance we can give to you folks.” He also noted the cost would go up $5,000 in 2023.

• Mayor Brenno was authorized to enter into a pump maintenance service agreement with Electric Pump.

• The investment policy for the City was approved.

• The record retention policy was approved, but Bouska noted how difficult it is to comply with the policy.

• Cost for charges for services to private parties was approved.

The next City Council meeting will be Monday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.