City council approves Nick Ferguson’s travel trailer park application for one year

Holyoke City Council approved Nick Ferguson’s application for a trailer park license for one year at its Aug. 3 meeting.

The property is bordered by Furry Street and Walsh and Lewis avenues, with additional property south of that area. It was rezoned from A-O, agricultural and open, to C-2, commercial, at the Jan. 19 city council meeting.

The city’s ordinance allows the travel trailers to be there 60 days followed by 48 hours off the property. The plan calls for 26 units that are 37 feet by 40 feet with a 40-foot-by-40-foot building in the southwest corner that will have bathrooms, showers and a laundry room.

Utility terrain vehicle ordinance tabled

City Attorney Al Wall presented council members with an ordinance that would add the use of utility terrain vehicles to municipal code.

He noted that he had added a requirement that the UTVs have reflective materials on their poles.

Council member Ashley Sullivan asked if that requirement replaced the speed limit that was in the original ordinance draft.

Police Chief Doug Bergstrom said the original speed limit in the ordinance was 20 mph, but with the addition of the reflective material requirements, it is now written that the UTVs can follow the normal traffic laws.

Sullivan pointed out that the ordinance says the UTVs can only be used for business use but that the subject was originally brought to the council as being more for recreational use.

City Superintendent Mark Brown asked how UTV use will be handled on the highways. Bergstrom responded that they can cross Interocean Avenue and Denver Street but can’t travel down those roads.

The council ultimately tabled the topic until the Aug. 17 meeting so corrections can be made to the ordinance.

Council hears reports

Mayor Orville Tonsing reported that he received the soil compaction report for the lot where the new fire station will be built. He sent the results to the project’s general contractor.

Brown reported a power outage in the 1400 block of West Furry Street due to a bad fuse cutout and lightning arrester. Electric department personnel have also been switching the city’s Christmas lights to LED.

Water and sewer crews have been working on water meters and have moved the water pit in the 100 block of South Baxter Avenue where the building was demolished.

Brown reported that the recent seal coat project was successful. “Like always, we appreciate the county’s help with the seal coat,” he added.

Street crews have been picking up excess rocks from the project and fixed a sinkhole in the 600 block of East Gordon Street which was caused by a faulty storm sewer. The issue has been repaired.

Brown said the plan is to replace the asphalt with concrete from Highway 385 to SW Interocean Drive near the intersection with West Hargreaves Street. After that, the same will be done in the alley behind the post office.

He told council members that the staking of the land north of the cemetery for the expansion project has been completed by Dickinson Land Surveyors and city personnel. He noted that the next step is to start putting in row markers and determining where the roads will be.

He also pointed out that PC Telcom began the project of replacing the phone system at city hall.

Bergstrom reported that Holyoke Police Department handled or generated 40 calls for service from July 20-28, including four animal complaints and one municipal code violation under code enforcement.

Recreation director Victoria Dunker reported that a father/daughter dance is planned for sometime in September.

She noted that flag football will start a little later this year since school starts later due to construction. Flag football won’t start until school starts.

Dunker said she had met with the Recreation Advisory Committee and made a few changes on the park master plan from Ripley Design and is waiting for the updated designs.

She added that after the RAC has the opportunity to review the new designs, the next step will be to phase them based on importance. Ripley Design will have cost estimates for each phase, and then grants will be pursued.

Eric Luedke, who attended the meeting, said that since the park master plan is likely a few years out, a short-term option could be to put basketball hoops at the tennis courts. He said people can’t really play tennis there, and since kids congregate in that area and the lighting is sufficient, it could be a cost-effective short-term solution.

City Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson said Connie Holtzman’s last working day at the city office was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 6, and an open house will be planned for a Friday in September. Holtzman is retiring from the city office after 32 years.

Council member Brian Akey reported that Holyoke Golf Club will be looking for a new superintendent as Don Schelling has given notice of his resignation.

Other business

In other business at the Aug. 3 meeting, council members:

— Allowed payment of $3,246.97 to Schaefer’s Precision Body & Frame for the accident that occurred with the rural fire protection district’s water truck while city personnel were operating the vehicle.

— Approved a travel request for Officer Wyatt Bishop to attend Safariland Less Than Lethal and munitions instructor recertification in Sterling for a total cost of $1,017.

— Tabled a decision on how to proceed in response to a letter the city received from Dwain Skipworth and Eldene Hinde regarding sewage backup at their residence until more information is received.