Skatepark, RV Permits & Budgets
At the last New Meadows City Council meeting, there were 15 people in the audience and 5 present via Zoom.
The public inquired about the roads and were informed that a presentation will be made on July 22nd.
Mayor Good visited with the Skatepark Committee and reported that Grindline will have a meeting to get input from the public on the design for the skatepark in August. Time and place will be announced.
The mayor also stated that another $50,000 has come in from a grant for the preschool.
The RV Use Permit underwent lengthy discussion distinguishing between Vacation, Seasonal, Displacement, Transitional and Conditional uses. Issues brought up were tiny homes, RV’s. housing, and student summer housing. The Council decided to hold a public meeting to get input on what people want to see in the community.
Many people were present to discuss alleys in town. The general consensus of those present was not to vacate alleys but to maintain the weeds, have the city grade them, and have stronger consequences when residents don’t fulfill their responsibility to care for them. The Council will take this up again at the next meeting and create a better definition of alleys.
The Council discussed a Park Use Ordinance. Campers have been parking at the restrooms, using the power, and park users have left the water running. The park has no income. A fee for use of the park amenities such as water and electricity could be a possibility. This will be on a future agenda.
The Budget for the Industrial Park was discussed. The budget includes a $250,000 grant that will be applied for next year. Everyone thought the budget looked good and didn’t want any changes.
The Audit for 2023 and the Audit and Single Audit Engagement Letter for 2024 were both approved.
Joe and Kimberly Dalrymple from Dalrymple Construction were present in response to an RFQ (Request for Qualifications). They talked to the architects and the City Council about their ideas for the recycle center being turned into a Youth Center and were approved by the council to be the general contractor for the project.
The next action item about the Childcare Center Project was put off until after a meeting is held with the general contractor.
A Special Meeting was set for Budget/Water Rates for July 29 at 6:30 p.m..
July 22 meeting topics will be the presence of Grae Harper, the City Engineer to talk about a plan for transportation and streets, monthly report from Brown’s Mountain Recycling, Park Use Ordinance, an Executive Session for Employee related matters and the possibility of having public works employees attend Heavy Equipment Operator Training.
