The Wykoff City Council met in regular session on September 13. Council members in attendance included Lyle Morey, Mayor Al Williams, Ryan Breckenridge, and Barbara Fate. City Clerk Becky Schmidt also attended.
In the visitors’ section of portion of the meeting, citizen Lynn Kidd addressed the council on the previously-discussed topic of the two-hour parking limit (within the business district) as highlighted on the signs downtown. He shared his opinion that if the same are still up during Fall Fest, “…then we’ve got a problem.”
Shari Gartner also spoke on the business district parking limit topic. She said, “I’ve been working there for 25 years. I have never once had a problem with people parking… So is there really a problem that we need the two-hour parking signs?”
Barb Fate said she’s done some looking into the parking issue, and she stated, “Well, I found out that this town is split just about evenly about the parking thing, and I do believe that we have to stop and take a look at it.” She said Wykoff needs to find a “happy medium” to balance the dual concerns of assuring that parking spaces are available for customers of local businesses, and the needs of people, such as those who might not feel safe parking behind the downtown businesses after dark. One of her suggestions is that Wykoff could consider making the “winter overnight parking rules” a year-round thing. Ryan Breckenridge suggested installing signs that would say “Business Parking Only.” In the end, the council chose to table the issue until the council’s next meeting.
Mike Lund addressed the council, saying, “I’m on behalf of the Wykoff Summer Softball League… There was nights we’d have more than 200 people at the stadium… It’s an old field, it needs a lot of updating and a lot of work. I know it’s not going to happen overnight.” He submitted bids for repairs to the dugouts and other areas. His two bids were for $3,270 and $3,913. Becky Schmidt pointed out that the city has $2,508 that was budgeted for the softball field last year (and not yet used) and another $1,000 that was budgeted this year. So there is $3,508 available for this purpose, currently.
Shari Gartner asked if the city would allow the “softball kids” to hold fundraisers to help raise money to make improvements at the field. Mayor Williams said that would be allowable. No action was taken by the council on the softball field improvements issue.
The council discussed the recent resignation of Rich Gleason from the council, effective Auguist 10. Gleason’s letter of resignation stated that his reason for resigning was because of work scheduling issues. The council then turned to the need to appoint someone to serve the remainder of the term on the council. The council members voted from among those who had voiced an interest in the position, and the vote was unanimous for Kaleb Himli.
Regarding the suggestion of having the waterway shaped north of the CHS scale, the city has a bid from O’Connell Excavating for $3,500. Schmidt pointed out that the bid is for doing roughly 300 yards of reshaping. She stated, “John was in the other day, and said that that waterway is completely blocked again, because there is no way for it to get out. So for him to use his backhoe and dig it back out again… every time it rains, it fills in. So, if we don’t do this, it’s just, we’re just throwing money away all the time… I understand it’s $3,500, but we’re throwing bad money after good.” Lyle Morey added, “If it’s gotta be done, it’s gotta be done.” The council voted to accept the O’Connell bid.
The council’s next regular meeting will be Monday, October 11 at 7 p.m.
Leave a Reply