| Hill
is new council member
Bill Hill was sworn in as a new Cottonwood city councilman along with returnees Shelli Schumacher and Max Nuxoll at the January meeting of the council, Monday, Jan. 9. Nuxoll was then elected council president. 
Outgoing council member Martin Fowler was presented with a plaque of appreciation by mayor Denis Duman. Due to public input about city hall hours, the council voted to try a 9 to 1 and 2 to 5 schedule for the city clerk’s office. This would leave the office open during the traditional lunch hour. Carol Altman was reappointed as city clerk/treasurer with Joe Wright reappointed as city attorney, Terry Cochran as chief of police and Rod Behler as fire chief. Hill was appointed water commissioner while Nuxoll will remain sewer commissioner, Schumacher as land and buildings commissioner and Jack Duman as streets commissioner. Mayor Duman said he would not appoint a fire or police commissioner but instead make the chiefs heads of those departments and report directly to the mayor. In reports there was no water report. In the sewer report Nuxoll said they will be running a camera on the Broadway Street sewer line. He said they are still looking for some 3 inch aluminum pipe for the agriforest to replace pipe that has deteriorated. Jack Duman reported the sidewalk grant application is nearly ready to submit. Proposed is a $550,000 project that would do 2.7 miles of sidewalk. This is a resubmission of a grant from last year. The proposed sidewalk network would connect the middle and elementary schools and continue on to the little league ballfields. The council later passed a transportation enhancement resolution which is a required part of the grant application. If this grant is awarded the city can pursue another $100,000 grant which could be used to fun the city’s $50,000 match money for the sidewalk grant and help resurface East St. from Foster to Butte Road. In the fire department report, Behler noted that Ron Grant has been working on several grant applications. They just received a bunch of goodies for youngsters and senior citizens as part of a fire awareness grant. He reported they are emphasizing retention and recruitment along with training for the coming year. Fowler asked how the new apron in the front of the fire station is working. Behler reported it is working very well. It’s a lot cleaner and the sidewalk extension on the corner makes them feel safer about moving the trucks in and out. He also reported the extrication crew has been busy and they are working with the county on some issues. Mayor Duman put the youth sports ball field agreement on the agenda to remind councilors that this issue is coming up soon. Alcohol beverage licenses for 2006 were approved for the Royale Room, Mini-Village, Country Haus and Riener’s Grocery. Conditional approval was given to the other 5 licensees in town if they get their resubmissions in by Jan. 31. It was voted to change the council meeting start time from 8 p.m. to 7 p.m. This will be effective with the February meeting. The meeting date will continue to be the second Monday of the month except for October when that date falls on a holiday. October’s meeting will fall to the following Tuesday night. The council adjourned to an executive session at 9:10 p.m. The next meeting will be Monday, February 13 at 7 p.m. |
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