City leaves option open for ballot question
Still seeking answers with regard to funding options and priorities for new buildings for the fire department and police department, Holyoke City Council voted at its July 18 meeting to notify the county clerk that the City would like to participate in the coordinated election Nov. 7.
This decision buys some time for more research with regard to both building projects. By Sept. 8, the City will either need to provide actual ballot wording to the county clerk or withdraw the request to be part of the election.
Revenue sources for these construction projects was the topic of a half-hour work session held prior to the regular council meeting last week. Lance Murray and Josh Young were on hand to represent Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department and answer questions if needed.
A one-hour work session with the Holyoke Rural Fire Protection District board is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, prior to the next regular council meeting, to further discuss the fire department building options.
Protect Youth Sports to provide background screening
Background screening for both paid coaches and volunteers will be handled by Protect Youth Sports, as approved at last week’s council meeting.
Recreation director Victoria Timm presented the company’s information, citing the significance of this screening for people working with local youth. “If we’re going to trust our kids to be with coaches, this is a no-brainer,” she emphasized.
Yuma uses this company, and Timm said they report it is simple and user-friendly, and the price is comparable to other background check options.
With approximately 30 soccer coaches and another 10 or so in the summer ball programs, there will be around 40 background checks required. Yuma rescreens every three years, but that timeline will be up to Holyoke to set.
Voting for Bundle 3, the council approved a $399 prepayment that will apply toward background checks. The $15.95 per person screening package includes Colorado statewide court search, national criminal database search, national 50-state sex offender registry search, Social Security number verification and address history trace. Reverification on any hits will be done to make sure information is accurate.
Screening services can be handled a la carte, rather than the full package. Other a la carte service options are also available, such as driving history search.
Bundle 3 requires the coach/volunteer to sign up online, to save the rec director or office help the time required to enter data. Information will be received by the rec director or designated office help.
There’s the potential for using this for swimming pool employees and other departments, as well.
The real selling point for this company, according to Timm, is that the information is received within 48 hours. Other resources have shown to take up to a couple of weeks for background screening reports.
In another rec department matter, the council voted to pay Timm an additional $1,400 for helping to coach all teams, including T-ball and machine pitch full time.
She noted that one baseball coach backed out and a softball coach didn’t finish the season duties, for a savings of $1,900 in the summer coaching budget.
Reporting on the Dandelion Daze 5K run June 17, Timm said there were close to 50 runners for a good event.
The summer baseball, softball, T-ball and machine pitch programs saw 106 participants. Timm said she obtained uniform sponsors, and it looks like they’ll come out ahead after equipment expenses are finalized.
Next up for the rec department is flag football for kids in grades 1-4 in August and September. Timm cited there will be a $25 registration fee, with equipment estimated to cost in the $400 range.
GPRC request tabled
A July 3 request for lowering the cost of electricity for Golden Plains Recreation Center/Peerless Theatre was tabled until other potential options can be looked into.
Mayor Orville Tonsing said he isn’t comfortable giving money to one nonprofit in town when there are others out there as well. “Maybe there’s something we can do to help out, but I don’t see how we can completely give something to them,” he added.
Council member John Schneider pointed out that the City purchases power, so a majority of the utility bill is paid to another entity. “There’s not a lot of wiggle room there,” he added, and council member Kevin Scott agreed.
When asked by Tonsing for other suggestions, no one spoke up. The GPRC board wasn’t represented at the meeting, and Tonsing asked that they be notified that the request was tabled for further input.
Other business
In other business at the July 18 meeting, the council:
—Granted a subdivision exemption request for Travis Amendt, who asked to split his three town lots at 326 S. Morlan Ave. into two equal lots.
—Opted to table the appointment of a designated emergency response authority until the county has made such an appointment. Tonsing noted it would make sense to appoint the same person.
—Approved a tavern liquor license conversion to a lodging and entertainment liquor license for Holyoke Hotel LLC (Cobblestone Inn & Suites).
—Noted a written report from Police Chief Doug Bergstrom, citing that the police department handled or generated 176 calls between June 30-July 12. They made three arrests, wrote five citations and six reports, and gave out 45 warnings, including code enforcement. Two animal complaints, seven dogs at large and five ordinance violations were included in code enforcement.