Plans for new fire, police facilities move forward

    Seeing it as the only way to get the process moving and make progress, Holyoke City Council members voted at the Tuesday, May 16, meeting to work with University of Colorado engineering students to draw up plans for new fire and police department buildings.
    After a May 2 work session to discuss options for providing much-needed additional space for the two departments, Mayor Orville Tonsing had a preliminary meeting with a representative from the CU engineering department.
    Council member J.C. Peckham noted that the City needs plans to move forward. Once they have the plans, they can get an estimate on the cost of the projects, and once they have an estimate, they can nail down where the funding will come from. All these things need to happen before new, improved facilities can be built.
    Despite not knowing the exact cost of working with the CU students, council members agreed it is the most cost-effective route and voted to do so.

Excess hydro energy purchased
    Council members also voted to purchase excess hydro energy from Western Area Power Administration.
    City Superintendent Mark Brown received notice from WAPA that additional monthly energy is available for purchase.
    Brown explained that for the months of May and June, the City can sign up to purchase as much excess hydro power as is available. It’s cheaper for the City and benefits WAPA, and it is actually better for Nebraska Municipal Power Pool as well because it lightens their load.
    
Internet service to be provided by PC Telcom
    Due to the uncertain future of Chase 3000, the council decided to be proactive and seek a different internet provider, lest the City find itself suddenly without email or internet. At last Tuesday’s meeting, the council approved services from PC Telcom.
    Police Chief Doug Bergstrom noted the police department’s current 100M/50M plan is too slow for their needs. State requirements have officers submitting large E-files that currently take up to two hours to upload. Sgt. Mark Werts added that time spent sitting at a computer to submit files is time an officer cannot be on the streets.
    Peckham moved to upgrade to 1G/100 M for the police department and switch to PC Telcom for internet service, and the motion carried.
    
Baseball, softball underway
    Rec director Victoria Timm reported 95 athletes have begun summer softball and baseball with the Holyoke Rec Department. While high school baseball is still in season, the rec teams are practicing on the little practice field. Timm noted such scenarios are a good reason to look at fixing up that practice field in the future.
    She also received a call about background checks for coaches and suggested looking into it for future teams.
    
Officials report

    Brown reported one power outage caused by a goose May 11 at the sewer lagoon and airport. During the citywide cleanup, 28 loads of trees and 20 loads of processed wood were hauled to the landfill at a cost of $557.20.
    The electric crew has been installing the new sound system at the swimming pool. The water and sewer crew did a new water tap in the 400 block of South Wynona Avenue, worked on sprinklers at the cemetery, repaired a fire hydrant in the 400 block of East Kellogg Street and has been rodding sewers. Street crews have been mowing, spraying City properties and clearing branches that fell during storms.
    Brown also noted Nebraska Municipal Power Pool wants to discuss next year’s contract already and is looking to establish a long-term contract. Brown said the initial numbers look really good.
    Bergstrom reported the police department handled or generated 203 calls for service from April 27-May 10. They made three arrests, wrote seven citations and five reports, and gave out 38 warnings, including code enforcement, who handled one animal complaint, one dog at large and 14 ordinance violations. He also reported Officer Mary Seeley is back to working on her own full time.  
    
Other business
    In other business at the Tuesday meeting, the council:
    —Paid its $18,694.76 portion of the Phillips County Comm Center console upgrade in a single payment instead of over three years, for a savings of $546.96.
    —Placed a two-year ad in Venture to Northeast Colorado magazine with an updated photo of the baseball field for $1,200.  
    —Approved the 2016 Local Highway Finance Report.
    —Set wages for two summer employees  — one in electric and one in the street department — at $10 per hour.
    —Appointed Kevin Scott to serve another three-year term on the Board of Variance Adjustment.
    —Renewed the Medical Air Service Association membership for 29 members at $99 per year. Twenty-six are City employees, and three are council members who will reimburse the City.
    —Approved a travel request for Bergstrom to attend the Colorado Chiefs of Police Conference in Colorado Springs.

Holyoke Enterprise

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Holyoke CO 80734