2 motions to donate to chamber of commerce fail
Holyoke City Council members twice brought motions to the floor to donate funds to Holyoke Chamber of Commerce at their Feb. 1 meeting, and both failed.
The topic was tabled at their Jan. 18 meeting so council members could review information provided by City Attorney Al Wall.
Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Holly Ferguson had requested the city to increase its contribution to the chamber from $6,000 to $12,000 this year.
The documentation Wall shared with council members included a memo from Colorado Municipal League, specifically highlighting language in Article 11 of the Colorado Constitution regarding municipalities making donations, which it prohibits.
Council member Brian Akey made the first motion, seconded by council member Cathy Edge, which was to continue with the city’s $6,000 donation.
The motion failed, with Tonsing, Akey and Edge voting yes, and council members Gene Bittner, John Schneider and Ashley Sullivan voting no. Council member Kevin Scott was absent.
Edge then made a motion to donate $3,000 — half the amount donated in 2021. It was seconded by Akey.
“I think we’re missing the point that Al made,” Bittner said in the discussion period after the motion was seconded. “We have to come up with some kind of agreement before we start doing this.”
With the prohibition against making donations, the council could establish criteria for a defined public purpose that other nonprofits could also use in applying for donations from the city.
The motion failed, with only Tonsing voting in favor. “OK, we’ll just move on,” he said.
Article 11 of the Colorado Constitution discusses public indebtedness, stating that pledging the credit of a state, county, city, town or school district is forbidden.
In part, it says, “Neither the state, nor any county, city, town, township, or school district shall make any donation or grant to, or in aid of ... any corporation or company ... public or private ... except as to such ownership as may accrue to the state by escheat, or by forfeiture, by operation or provision of law; and except as to such ownership as may accrue to the state, or to any county, city, town, township, or school district ... by forfeiture or sale of real estate for nonpayment of taxes, or by donation or devise for public use.”
Signing of airport rescue grant agreement approved
Council members approved allowing Tonsing and Wall to sign the airport rescue grant agreement, a topic that was tabled at the Jan. 18 meeting.
City Superintendent Mark Brown said the grant can be utilized over the next three to four years, and the airport’s utilities — electricity, water and sewer — are eligible for reimbursement.
Brown had discussed the topic with Armstrong Consultants, who advised that since the city currently has no full-time employees strictly at the airport, the city could designate a percentage of the city superintendent’s salary for managing the airport as an airport expense and budget for it accordingly.
Ultimately, Brown said that there’s nothing to lose by signing the agreement at this time, since the airport utilities will be reimbursed.
Building permit technician/code enforcement position discussed
Council members discussed the building permit technician position in Holyoke and eventually decided to schedule a workshop after the Feb. 15 meeting to differentiate what aspects of city code Holyoke Police Department will enforce and which ones a potential certified building inspector would enforce. Wall added that this needs to be worked out so that applicants know what their potential responsibilities will be.
Terri Biersdorfer, the city’s current building permit technician, will be retiring, and council members discussed the best ways to go about replacing her.
Currently, the city does not have a certified building inspector, and Brown said that additional schooling, much of it online, is required to become one. Brown said the council needs to consider how to advertise the position and include whether or not the city is willing to support the idea of working with someone to get them certified over a period of time.
Council hears reports
Brown reported on a gas leak at Holyoke Swimming Pool on Jan. 22. The gas regulator for the pool failed. Brown contacted the gas company, and everything was back up and going by about 8:30 p.m. that same day, restoring heat to the pool.
“It was cold enough it was going to be a problem if we didn’t,” Brown said.
He gave an update about the oil in the lagoon at the wastewater treatment plant. Crews have skimmed about 55 gallons of used oil from the lagoon using flat shovels and buckets.
“That has created quite the problem out there,” he said.
He reported that the airport lighting project is done, and they’re working on scheduling flight checks for the precision approach path indicator lights.
Brown told council members that Nebraska Municipal Power Pool sets the avoided cost rate for the city, which is the rate at which the city reimburses residents with solar panels on their homes if they don’t use all the electricity they produce. This must be done by resolution, and it will be on the agenda for the Feb. 15 meeting.
Brown reported that he received a call from Colorado Department of Transportation about the Highway 385 paving project from Holyoke and moving north. The angle parking paint lines will be covered with an overlay as part of the project, and the city will repaint the lines.
Electric crews have been responding to trouble calls due to the wind. Street crews have been hauling grass from the bin on the west side of town to the airport, and personnel are still working to finish connecting the wells of Riley Dubbert and Gayln Einspahr to the city’s water supply.
City Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson reported that the 2021 franchise fee from Black Hills Energy was received in the amount of $15,544.58, which is an increase of $900.24 from 2020.
Police Chief Doug Bergstrom reported that HPD handled or generated 52 calls for service from Jan. 13-27, including five animal complaints and one municipal code violation under code enforcement.
Akey said that four or five people were scheduled to have phone interviews for the position of superintendent of Holyoke Golf Club.
Other business
In other business at the Feb. 1 meeting, council members:
— Held a work session at the end of the meeting regarding the process to replace Brown as city superintendent when he retires.
— Approved 2021 year-end account transfers as presented.
— Heard from resident Gary Herr, who asked the council if a date had been set for a citywide cleanup this spring. No date has yet been set.