The Chatfield City Council sped through a very short agenda at their May 5 meeting.
A grant (Grant Navigation Program) was accepted in the amount of $5,000 from the League of Minnesota Cities. This is a pilot program. The grant is to be used with industry partners to help identify matching funds for a city project and aid in grant application projects. The city’s potential project is the needed replacement/update of a water reservoir. The funds will be used to enter into an agreement with SHE (contractor) to find more funds for the project. State, federal, foundation or nonprofit grants could be applied for.
Other Business in Brief
- Ambulance director Rocky Burnett reported the 2010 Ford F350 ambulance has been for sale with no takers. The ambulance will now be placed on online auction.
- A donation in the amount of $90,000 was accepted from the Chatfield Firefighters Activity Association to be used for truck/equipment needs.
- The Committee of the Whole met prior to the city council meeting. Expectations for growth of the city, future goals for the city, and how to best reach those goals were topics of discussion.
- Mayor John McBroom announced golf carts are not to be driven on Strongwell and Mediacom private property.
- The Planning Commission met after the city council meeting. They reviewed maps of the city’s parks, trails and sidewalks. Alison Bentley, community development coordinator, led the discussion on the parks the city currently has and reviewed the relative use of those parks. She suggested a park is needed in the Amco Drive area to serve the numerous kids in that area.
Should parks be connected to trails or sidewalks? How do they work together? There was a suggestion that there may be a more effective use of unused park property; maybe use that property for housing. One member said he wants to maintain the amount of park land but wants them located where there is the most demand. Unused parks still have to be maintained.
Consulting planner Logan Tjossem said if demographics change in a residential area a park can change also. Not all parks are for active recreation. Think of a park in a different way; maybe introduce native plants.
Tjossem noted recreational trails have a variety of uses including hiking, biking, ATVs, and there are also horse trails, cross country skiing, or snowmobile trails. He asked members to think about how maps showing parks and trails can be used to promote the city for tourists or make the city attractive for people looking for a place to live.