Police Chief Ernie Junker informed the council that the body-worn cameras he?Äôs received for his department will be put on the shelf for now. Since getting council approval and budget to purchase them, and setting up department computers to work with them, Since then, he learned that state statute requires the department to do a biannual audit of the data recorded on the body cams, something that only one company can do, and something that costs $10-14,000 to do ?Äì regardless of how small the department is, or how little data is recorded and stored. Junker is hopeful that a compromise can be reached at the state level. Meanwhile, Junker has traded in one of the cameras for an MDR mic for the squad car. Ironically, it?Äôs perfectly fine for any police officer to video or audio record on their cell phones; there?Äôs no audit, and no control of the data recorded that way.
At its May 10 regular meeting, the Eden Valley city council agreed that they need to add ?Äúteeth?Äù to the rental ordinance and inspections. Troy Huschle and mayor Brent Bengtson will work on the rental committee. Compliance with both inspections and required repairs/improvements are both lower than expected. It is believed that firm consequences are needed to get inspections scheduled, and for owners to get their properties up to code according to the ordinance.
EV-W superintendent Mark Messman presented information on the upcoming June 6 vote on a $12 million referendum to upgrade all three district schools and to relocate the football field and add a track. He answered numerous questions from the council.
The board approved a $10,000 revolving EDA loan at 5 percent interest for Fink Photography as a second mortgage on the business property she just purchased (formerly the Eden Valley Chiropractic office).
The board approved a $180,000 general obligation utility revenue note bond to purchase an automatic water meter reading system.
The council approved the Planning & Zoning Commission recommendation for: Dale Imholte storage shed, Eugene & Marie Obar garage addition, Jeff Magedanz garage, and Sarah Hondl wooden deck (revised plan).
Several improvements are scheduled at the Community Center (behind the library): about $9,000 to prepare the walls for paint (tape, plaster, add electrical outlets), then painting them, and to make the library bathroom ADA compliant. The council approved $10,000 to finish the walls and change the library bathroom. Lighting, noise dampening, and a false ceiling were also discussed, but no plans are in the works for those projects.
Several entries have been received for the city?Äôs logo contest. Council members will judge the entries at a May 24 planning session for the council. They will consider what the logo will be used for (T-shirts, letterhead, business cards, banners, city trucks, for instance) in their judging.
Junker warned about counterfeit money ?Äúout there everywhere.?Äù He urges everyone, especially with garage sales coming up, to learn to recognize real $20, $50 and $100 bills, since many of the counterfeits will pass the ?Äúpen test.?Äù
The next regular meeting of the Eden Valley city council will be at
7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7.