City of Monticello may consider taking over Pioneer Park on Main Street

It’s not every day someone offers to give the City of Monticello a park, but at the April 10 meeting of the City Council, Sue Halliday approached the council to see if they are interested in taking over Pioneer Park, located on Main Street in Monticello.
Halliday said that because the park is owned by the Donald and Dorothy Adams Foundation, it must be given to a non-profit entity.  She said she would like to give it to the City because it is not affiliated with any specific organization.
Halliday told the council that taking over the park would require basic park maintenance, such as weeding and watering, and the electricity payment, which is approximately $20 in a typical month.
She said the city would also need to schedule the use of the park. Halliday told the council that the foundation has not charged for use, but a fee could be charged to offset cleaning costs.
She told the council there is a sprinkling system in the park and reported that the Monticello Rotary Club is very willing to help with the park, raise money and work on projects.
The council expressed interest in the property, stating they would need to advertise and hold a public hearing and will begin the process of doing so.
Chief of Police Kent Adair presented the council with a report on the police department. Adair reports that the new officers are doing good work for the city, and the department is running smoothly.
The council asked if there are any specific areas of concern in the city. Adair said burglaries are up, but officers have worked hard to bring them back down. He reports that thefts are still up, which is expected in a bad economy.  
The council asked about the speed sign and Adair said he thinks it is helping keep speeds down. The council also questioned the relationship the department has with the County Sheriff’s office. Adair said the two have a good relationship and work together on many things. Adair said that it helps their progress with more eyes and ears working together.
Councilman Scott Shakespeare thanked Adair for the police department’s work, specifically regarding traffic enforcement. “We asked you to work on citations, and it looks like you have done a great job,” said Shakespeare.
Adair was asked about vandalism and “tagging” of local businesses and if he felt it is a local resident doing the damage or people passing through town. 
Adair said the police department is only aware of one business being tagged.  The business owner said they did not report the vandalism to the police.
Adair said vandalism should be reported so police can photograph and document any tagging. This will allow them to determine if there is a pattern and if locals or travelers are doing the damage.
Public Works Supervisor Nate Langston reported on street projects coming up in the city. Langston said the first priority is to complete the street project at 300 East near Maverik. They will start a street sealing project at the end of July.
Shakespeare asked about the unpaved portion of 500 North. Langston reports they will add new gravel and put magnesium chloride treatment on the street in order to keep the dust down. Langston said they are working with the County Road Department to do magnesium chloride on several areas of town where dust is a problem on non-paved roads.
Langston said they are working to discourage people from cutting into asphalt and developing patch maintenance after asphalt is cut. Langston is working on a street cutting permit which would require the applicant to repair asphalt with a one-year guarantee to cover damage that occurs after the repair patches settle.
The council asked about the current situation with water in the city. Langston reported that it does not look good as there is no more snow at Camp Jackson. He said Loyds Lake has come up only a foot, and he doesn’t anticipate it to come up much more. Langston said the ponds are filling, with the main storage pond down about 10 feet which he believes will fill with the water that is still coming down off the mountain.
Langston said he is not worried about the coming year but another bad snow year would cause concern. Shakespeare suggested keeping the option of shutting off the secondary system in the back of their minds if it is needed.
The council discussed flower pots on Main and Center Street and how to water the flowers throughout the summer. The Beautification Committee brought the issue before the council as there is a great deal of time and commitment required in order to care for the plants.
The Committee suggested hiring someone to water for $500 per month, or $2,000 a year. Other suggestions include outsourcing to an outside company. One bid was received for $2,800. Also suggested was having city staff water and paying extra for a total of $2,000.
The council discussed options to pay for watering, including a Beautification fundraiser to cover the cost and asking citizens for donations with their city utility bill.
Other options include watering by business owners, allowing families to adopt a pot or seeking volunteers to water. Allowing various people to care for pots rather than one person can cause problems with over or under watering situations and plants that are left uncared for.
There have been requests from some businesses outside the main area where pots have been placed. They are interested in having pots at their locations. These business owners have expressed willingness to care for the pots and in some cases to provide the flowers.
Council members expressed willingness for businesses to take pots where they are wanted. The council tabled the issue until the city staff can go over the options and bring back their suggestion to the council in May.
In other business, the council approved an alcohol license for the Peace Tree Juice Café.