Library sidewalk bids sought

    Tackling the most straightforward request by the Heginbotham Library board, Holyoke City Council decided at its Feb. 20 meeting to get bids for new sidewalks and a handicap ramp from the street to the sidewalk on the corner of the library’s lot.
    Library board members first approached the council Jan. 16, outlining six concerns about the state of their facility. As the board members stated at that meeting, the cracked and crumbling sidewalks are a safety concern.
    Solutions to the board’s other concerns will require some more work. At Tuesday’s meeting, council members discussed trees that need trimmed, electrical updates, the emergency alert system and repainting. In each case, the City elected to shift the onus back to the library board. Mayor Orville Tonsing emphasized the importance of the library board’s efforts, noting, “We have a whole city to run, not just a library.”
    Regarding the trees, City Superintendent Mark Brown noted none of the City’s equipment has the reach to do the trimming. Council member Brian Akey suggested that the library board knows their needs best and should get bids to trim/remove trees as they see fit and then present their solution to the council for approval.
    Likewise, Brown said the City itself cannot make electrical updates to the library; a licensed electrician must do so. Furthermore, Tonsing pointed out, the library is on the National Register of Historic Places, so they need to find out if there are restrictions on what they can do. Council member Scott Murray said he would like to see the library board get such answers before moving forward.
    As the library board would like additional outlets to meet their growing technology needs, council member John Schneider suggested looking into extended library hours so community members can better utilize improved technology.
    As for the emergency alert system, Brown reported that the library’s current system, which is in need of repairs, came from the County. He suggested the library board contact the County about that concern.
    Regarding the exterior areas that need to be repainted, the council seemed to be at a loss. Tonsing said they would need to get bids for that job as well, but he doesn’t know of anyone locally who does that sort of work. Council members were in agreement that if the library board came up with some options, they’d be open to hearing them.
    The only library board request left unaddressed was making repairs to the water garden area, which has excess dirt and pipes that need to be removed so sod can be laid.
    
Changes made to proposed Vistabeam contract
    At their Feb. 20 meeting, council members also returned to the topic of a contract with internet provider Vistabeam regarding their equipment located on the Holyoke water tower.
    Following the Feb. 6 meeting, City Attorney Al Wall reviewed the proposed contract and found most terms acceptable. He did, however, suggest that council members establish a built-in annual increase so they won’t have to revisit the contract each year.
    Council member Gene Bittner favored setting the cost at $400 per month and revisiting the contract each year to decide on increases. Upon hearing concerns by fellow council members, Bittner proposed a 3 percent annual increase. The vote was split down the middle, and the motion died. However, a second motion for a $400 per month fee with a 4 percent annual increase passed.
    Brown also requested that the contract stipulate Vistabeam provide the City prior notice of any time they’ll be on the water tower.
    Wall expects Vistabeam to review the City’s proposal in time for council members to have a contract to approve at their next meeting.
    
Chamber of commerce seeks City support
    Holyoke Chamber of Commerce board members Tiffany Watson and Julie Haake addressed the council last Tuesday, seeking money to supplement the chamber budget.
    Citing the changes to minimum wage, the need for more educational support for businesses and the economy in general, Haake said the chamber can no longer meet its budget solely with membership dues and event sponsorships. She noted that they recently increased dues to help with costs, but added, “It is the hope of the chamber board that the City of Holyoke will consider working with us to further our mission by supplementing the chamber budget with additional money.”
    Haake concluded, “We feel very strongly that we can work together to keep the business community alive and well in Holyoke.”
    The council added the chamber’s request to the Tuesday, March 6, meeting agenda.
    
Officials, rec director report
    Brown reported that the electric department has responded to several trouble calls and is working on updates to service drops. Water and sewer repaired a Feb. 9 water main break in the 900 block of East Emerson Street. Street crews have been working on repairs to alleys as well as equipment in the shop.
    Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that the police department handled or generated 229 calls for service from Feb. 1-14, including code enforcement. HPD made one arrest, wrote 13 citations and 13 reports, and gave out 22 warnings. Code enforcement handled one animal complaint, five dogs at large and 10 ordinance violations.
    City Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson reported that Scott Szabo of Lauer, Szabo & Associates, PC, will be in Holyoke the week of March 12 for the City’s 2017 audit. Olofson also reported that the 2017 franchise fees for Black Hills Energy came in at $14,207.44.
    Recreation director Victoria Timm reported that she will be having online-only registration for the upcoming youth soccer season. She is also working with Brent Vasa, who is a junior golf intern for the Colorado Golf Association, to organize some junior golf clinics in Holyoke. She would like to see it culminate in a junior golf tournament as well.
    Timm also noted that she attended the Feb. 18 sectional Nuggets Skills Challenge, where she made the connections to help with the March 11 state event as well. Such experiences are giving her ideas to better host local events.
    
Other business
    In other business at the Feb. 20 meeting, city council:
    —Renewed its contract with Western Area Power Administration. The existing contract expires Sept. 30, 2024, and it has been extended through Sept. 30, 2057.
    —Waived the building permit fees — approximately $6,000 — for the Phillips County Fairgrounds Pavilion and Education Center.
    —Approved a travel request for Jason Redman and Gary Huss to attend hotline school in Grand Junction.
    —Opted to sponsor the Holyoke School District’s ninth annual Emerald Awards program.
    —Appointed Bergstrom to the E911 authority board.
    —Approved a liquor license renewal for Holyoke Golf Club Inc. and waived local fees.
    —Purchased a new ballistics vest for Bergstrom from Blue Star Police Supply at a cost of $1,100.
    —Received notice that CHS Grainland purchased three students at the FFA/FCCLA service sale and donated their eight hours of service each to the City.
    —Held a 22-minute executive session to receive legal advice from Wall.