City to buy $52K crack-filling machine

    At its Dec. 19 meeting, Holyoke City Council approved the purchase of a new crack-sealing machine for $52,397.78 from Denver Industrial Sales & Service Co.
    The City’s current BearCat machine, which is used to crack-seal every street that is sealcoated, was bought used in the mid ’90s, City Superintendent Mark Brown said. It has started to have more problems, and the parts are becoming harder to come by. “I feel it’s time to replace it,” he concluded.
    
CIRSA optional coverage programs discussed
    Three optional coverage programs are available to the City through Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency to be added to its insurance policy. At Tuesday’s meeting, a motion to accept the bid to participate in two of the programs died for lack of a second.
    The programs included coverage for property damage by members’ use of mobile equipment, as well as no-fault water line ruptures  and/or sewer backup coverage.
    A third program for special events liability coverage is available at any time to the City, as long as five days’ notice is given. Each event is billed at a different rate, depending on its nature. City Attorney Al Wall said he thinks it’s a good idea to have that coverage available if needed.
    
Officials report
    Brown reported one power outage Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m. that affected the 100-400 blocks of south Coleman, Reynolds and Worley avenues. He also noted that the electric crew replaced a damaged light pole at the airport and that the water and sewer crew was busy with year-end reports and reading meters.
    Council member Gene Bittner informed Brown that there is a branch at the library that has seen hitting the roof in the wind.
    Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported Holyoke Police Department, including code enforcement, handled or generated 209 calls for service from Nov.30-Dec. 13. They wrote seven citations and one report and gave out 16 warnings. Code enforcement handled one dog at large and seven ordinance violations.
    Bergstrom also informed council members that the department is working to get some of the long-standing ordinance violations in compliance. Bittner asked if there is an ordinance against parking on lawns, and Bergstrom confirmed that there is.
    City Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson reported on the fourth-quarter deposit from the Conservation Trust Fund at $6,148.80. 2017 deposits totaled $21,890.99, down $3,173.08 from last year.
    Olofson also noted that nomination petitions for the April 3, 2018, election have an earlier deadline than usual. They may be circulated and filed starting Jan. 2. The deadline for filing a petition is Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. Three seats will be up for election for four-year terms as city council members.
    
Other business
    In other business at the Dec. 19 meeting, Holyoke City Council:
    —Held a 20-minute executive session for a conference with Wall.
    —Read a letter from FCCLA vice president Kyra Loutensock seeking support for their Feeding Children Everywhere project. Council members agreed that they could support the program as individuals if they so choose.
    —Wrote off bad debts for 2017 utility bills in the amount of $707.10.
    —Donated $1,600 to the Historical Society for 2018 Phillips County Museum utilities.
    —Allowed a special events permit for Phillips County Pheasants Forever at the fairgrounds Jan. 13.
    —Accepted a maintenance agreement from DBT Transportation Services for aviations support and maintenance services of the Automated Weather Observing System at the airport, $4,900 to be paid annually.
    —Approved a travel request for Lennie Fisbeck to attend CRWA school in Denver.