City receives preliminary assessment
City Clerk Kathy Olofson delivered the results of a preliminary gross assessment by Phillips County Assessor Doug Kamery at the Sept. 4 Holyoke City Council meeting.
Kamery pegged the City’s gross total assessed value at $16,472,690. The city’s 21.8 mills will net $359,104.64, which is about $3,788 less than last year. The final assessed value will be released Dec. 1.
Olofson also reported that the City received funds from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs that came from taxes paid to the state for nonrenewable resource extraction.
The City received $1,996.61 from the 2018 severance tax and $1,446.13 from the 2018 federal mineral lease. The payments were $1,140 greater than last year’s payments.
Black Hills Energy also sent a franchise fee adjustment of $3,139.21, which was calculated based on a review of former SourceGas customer premises following the incorporation into the Black Hills Energy billing system.
Officials, rec director report
City Superintendent Mark Brown reported that PC Telcom has hired the City to pull utility poles, as the company’s removal of its cable TV infrastructure continues.
Brown also reported two recent power outages. The first occurred Aug. 27 at Holyoke Gun Club and was caused by a bad transformer. The second occurred Sept. 2 in the 100 block of South Interocean Avenue and was caused by a broken jumper on a transformer bank.
The City has finished working on the rocks next to the ballpark on Furry Street. The Heginbotham Library also received assistance with sodding.
Water and sewer crews finished the water tap at the Martin duplex development and tested municipal wells. Road crews began work on Southwest Interocean Drive, where asphalt is being removed and replaced with concrete.
Letters have been sent regarding the backflow violation that was discussed at the previous meeting. The City finished their inspection prior to the letters being sent.
Holyoke Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that the department, including code enforcement, handled or generated 278 calls for service from Aug. 16-29. They made two arrests, wrote nine citations and 12 reports, and gave out 21 warnings. Code enforcement handled three animal complaints, two curfew violations, three dogs at large and one ordinance violation.
Recreation director Victoria Dunker told the council that flag football practiced last Tuesday, Sept. 4, and was scheduled to play during halftime of the junior high football game Sept. 6.
She also announced that women’s volleyball will start Sept. 24 and play every Monday through the end of October.
Other business
In other business at the Sept. 4 meeting, the council:
— Approved the special events permit for Phillips County Pheasants Forever’s annual banquet Nov. 10. Scott Murray abstained voluntarily, due to his involvement with the event.
— Renewed the liquor license for Hometown Liquor.