At the September 9 city council meeting, approval was given to advertise for both an EDA director and a zoning administrator. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent. Both positions are for 30 hours per week. Both will report to the city administrator. The EDA director will primarily oversee economic development and related activities and projects. The zoning administrator will … [Read more...]

County Administrator Bobbie Hillery presented the current draft of the 2025 budget at the September 10 board meeting. She detailed added cuts that have been agreed to by department heads. Hillery said, “Department heads did a great job.” The latest numbers show an increase in the levy of $4.48%, or $588,238, over 2024. Sheriff John DeGeorge and Chief Deputy Lance Boyum were … [Read more...]

Chief Blaise Sass addressed the city council at the September 3 meeting. Sass has been working with city staff and Mayor Kurt Reicks to come up with suggestions to attract more police officer candidates and to retain officers once they are hired. Reicks explained, “We have been struggling with hiring and retaining police officers for a long time. Pay should be comparable to … [Read more...]

At the September 3 board meeting ,a public hearing was set for September 24 at 10 a.m. for comment on the five year Capital Improvement Plan for roads and bridges (2025-2030), including the use of Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funding. When LOST dollars are to be used, a public hearing is required. Without the availability of LOST dollars, more funds would need to come from … [Read more...]

A discussion about Phase III and Phase IV Hillside Estate development agreements began in the Committee of the Whole and continued into the August 26 city council meeting. Griffin asked for clear direction from the council. He suggested the construction of a 10-foot bituminous walking path was a better solution than sidewalks which are required in the current development … [Read more...]

At the August 27 meeting of the county board, Miranda Wendlandt, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, reviewed the audit process and financial results for 2023. The county was granted an unmodified, “clean” opinion, which is the highest level. Total federal awards were $5,093,555 (airport improvement program and COVID state and local fiscal recovery funds were tested). Wendlandt said the … [Read more...]

Ambulance director Deb Ristau asked the city council to consider the purchase of a new Ram AEV (American Emergency Vehicles) ambulance at the council’s August 19 meeting. Mayor Kurt Reicks was absent. Ristau said the lead time is three years, so delivery of the new ambulance is expected in 2027. The state bid price for the ambulance is $342,271. With the trade of the 2014 … [Read more...]

At the August 12 meeting of the Chatfield City Council, Ordinance 476 was reviewed for the first time. It outlines offenses that may be charged as administrative offenses and the penalties for those offenses. The fine for an animal violation would be $50, for various described nuisances would be $100, and for various street, sidewalk, and vehicle violations the fine would be … [Read more...]

At the August 12 meeting of the city council, the city financial advisor Mike Bubany provided an interactive spreadsheet to help the city council compare financial options in the creation of the city’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the next five years. The city of Preston CIP projects included in the plan include a seal coat project in 2028, city hall repairs, a new plow … [Read more...]