by Dave DeMars
news@thenewsleaders.com
The financial intricacies of funding a dog park had St. Joseph City Council members talking past one another and not connecting well at their last meeting, June 5.
Council member Matt Killam reported money had been secured to start work on building a fence around the dog park at Millstream Park. Work on signage, planting of trees and placement of additional tables will be done at several of the other city parks.
Council member Dale Wick asked whether the park board had been able to raise $10,000 for fencing. Killam said the quote on the fencing had been reduced from $18,000 to $14,000. Wick pressed the question, asking what the total budget for the dog park would be.
Killam said the park board was to contribute $10,000 to the project on a yearly basis if the money was needed, but since the quote was reduced, they didn’t need to raise as much.
“I thought the motion was that the project would go forward if the park board raised $10,000,” Wick said. “Quote or no quote.”
Killam explained the $10,000 was thought of as an initial match, but since the project was less than originally estimated, the $10,000 goal did not need to be met.
Wick disagreed, saying he was unsure as to the wording of the specific resolution and that there is now some question as to interpretation and accuracy. Council member Bob Loso suggested perhaps the project should be put on hold.
“You’re just slowing the whole project up,” Killam said. “And what difference would it make?”
Killam argued the authorization was for $18,000 and the board has only used $14,000 since they had found savings, so why was that of concern?
“But the motion was for the park board to raise $10,000 no matter what the project cost,” Wick said.
Killam tried to justify what had been done and said they had spent just $5,000 on the fencing so far, though more might be needed later. If the money is there, why should there be a waiting period, he asked.
“Because the park board can only spend $3,000 without council approval,” Wick said. “And the council didn’t approve it yet.”
“But the council approved $10,000,” Killam said.
“Contingent upon raising the funds, the $10,000,” Wick said.
At that point, St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz stepped in and moved to table any more discussion until the exact wording of the previous motion was made available to clarify what the park board’s obligation is in the matter. It was then tabled on a 4-1 vote, with Killam voting no.
Bonding
St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens informed the council it is that time of year when bonding requests are put forward. It was time to choose and prioritize project requests for the state bonding requests for 2018.
Schultz told the council Sartell had garnered $500,000 in the bonding bill last year and suggested the council should be more proactive. Schultz thought a request for money to upgrade parks might be worthwhile.
Loso said it might be best to submit three projects in the hopes one would get chosen to be funded. Last year’s pedestrian crossing funding was pulled at the last moment. Maybe three would be more productive, Loso reasoned.
After a brief discussion, Loso moved the council submit funding requests for three priorities: a pedestrian crossing across Hwy. 75, the community-center building and a parks-improvement concept. The motion passed unanimously.
Schultz briefed the council on a number of meetings he had attended and then recessed for five minutes before tackling the special assessments hearing (see related story).
