| Cottonwood
City Council meets
The Cottonwood City Council held their regular June meeting Monday, June 10. The street project slated for this summer got moved up at the last minute. Streets commissioner Jack Duman said they got a call last week that the company that will be grinding up the old street surface wants to get started June 24 rather than in July as originally planned. The project is expected to take about 2 weeks from its start and then in August there will be a sealcoat layer added. The problem with moving the project up is the city crew has to scramble to get things prepared. Especially now that they are down a man due to an injury. Apparently there was supposed to be a representative from a wireless company that would like to get the lease for the ground where the Verizon tower sets. They were not in attendance but Mayor Denis Duman said he thought the current lease, which apparently comes due this year, has a right of first refusal. He also stated he really doesn’t want to see another tower go up as it is possible for more than one company to co-locate on the same tower. Shelli Schumacher had asked Debbie Chicane to address the council on the barbecue fundraiser the Steubenville Conference attendees would like to hold in front of the OMG room on Main Street (old City Electric storefront). Mayor Duman said he told her he has no problem as long as they do not set up their barbecue grill under the awning. He felt they should be able to cone off an area and put it in the street. Schumacher expressed concern about that being a state highway. Duman said as long as it’s confined to parking areas and does not affect the street surface they should be okay. During the police report Pat Holthaus asked about horses on the sidewalks and leaving droppings. Police Chief Terry Cochran said he has already talked to the parties in question about staying off the sidewalks and keeping to the streets. As to the droppings, Mayor Duman said, “If you want to keep the town horse-friendly, clean up your mess.” Schumacher commented that should also apply to those 4-H youngsters who like to walk their sheep around town and to dogs as well. In the water report Holthaus reported they pumped 3.2 million gallons and sold 2.8 million. Less accountable water loss they had about 345,000 gallons unaccounted for, a 10.7% loss. Nationwide anything under 15% is considered good. Ron Grant reported everything’s going well with the sewer system. They have started sprinkling the agriforest. He also reported the stormwater project on North St. to the east of King Street is done. In the land and building report Schumacher was asked about the park bathroom senior project. She said he learned a lesson about it. It looks better because the paint is fresh but if they had paid for it, it would have been done differently. Grant asked about the young men who killed the tree apparently getting off. Joe Wright said he got notified about an hour before their probation ran out. Once that happened without anything getting done… Schumacher said things got put off due to the narrow window for planting trees. In the future she would keep better track of probationary periods. Grant reported the fire department had 2 calls during the month. One rural call for a dumpster fire and the other an extrication call on Graves Creek Rd. He and Mayor Duman also attended a follow-up meeting at Craigmont where things were reviewed on how the Craigmont grain elevator fire was handled. What worked and what didn’t. Grant said they were able to formulate some plans on how to deal with something similar happening here in Cottonwood. The railroad cleanup and fine was discussed. Jack Duman said he is looking at using the money to pay the patrons share of the mag chloride application for this year and next as sort a bonus for being involved in the program. Those that haven’t been part of it in the past would be offered the chance to get next year paid for if they pay their share this year. This came out of the railroad’s offer to pay for environmental issues in the city rather than pay the fine to the State Division of Environmental Quality. The Ironwood Estates agreement is still in the works and they are looking at having it ready along with an ordinance change by the next meeting. The council adjourned to an executive session concerning personnel at 8:07 p.m. The next regular meeting of the council would be Monday, July 8 at 7 p.m. |
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