By Jolene Farley
Tuesday evening the Hills City Council decided to purchase more playground equipment for Jacobson Park.
Council members allowed $3,000 in the 2001 budget for the purchase, but they hope to increase that amount with donations.
A council representative will attend an Optimist Club meeting in Luverne to ask for a donation to help with the purchase. The council was informed a formal request at an Optimist meeting was needed for approval of the donation.
The council will begin browsing through catalogs to determine the best equipment choice. "I was thinking of something that could be added to each year," said Mayor George Langford.
In other business:
oThe council suggested the Rez Park as an alternate site for dumping snow removed from city streets. With excessive amounts of snow this year and weeks of winter left, the current location south of the football field is quickly filling up.
oWayne Ward, city maintenance supervisor, asked for a covered containment building for the sand mixture used on city streets. Moisture seeps into the mixture and freezes it into hard chunks.
The council agreed to the plan. Mayor Langford volunteered to help with construction.
oMartin Township representatives Gawaine Diekevers, Allen Nuffer and Dave Swanson addressed the council concerning fire protection fees for Clinton Township and the city of Steen. The fire department is jointly owned by the city of Hills and Martin Township.
The Fire Department budget remained at $20,850 in 2001. Actual expenses for the fire department ran very close to the budgeted amount of $20,850 in 2000.
Clinton Township currently pays $260 per section a year for fire protection and the city of Steen pays $1,500. These fees are remitted quarterly.
Rates were increased to $270 per section for Clinton Township and $1,700 per year for the city of Steen.
oThe council approved the use of the old Cenex office for a janitor's room for the Legion. Connie Wiertzema, city clerk, suggested moving the paper products currently stored in the furnace room to the new janitorÕs room to reduce the chance of fire.