BELOIT CITY COUNCIL – Wednesday, February 21, 2024

By Terry Bailey

The Beloit City Council conducted its bi-weekly meeting at City Hall on Wednesday, February 21. All Councilors were present. Additionally, the City Manager and City Attorney were present. Jessica Rosebaugh was sitting in for City Clerk Amanda Lomax.
Beloit City Manager Halley Roberson updated the Council on the numerous activities in which she has been involved. Some of these discussions related to the solar farm, the White Building at the Chautauqua Park, the Water Plant and the Power Plant breaker.
Police Chief Chad Lackey reported the new police vehicle is still in Holcomb, but he hopes to have it in Beloit soon.
Lackey also reported he has a new officer recruit for the Beloit Police Force. He is looking good in initial training and will go the State Law Enforcement Center in Hutchinson for training in late July or August.
Lackey told the Council that the training with the Technical College staff went well. The School is storing the NARCAN medical supplies in their AED boxes. This should make this medicine easily available to everyone on campus. He is preparing for training with the USD #273 staff in April.
Economic Director Emily Bendick reminded the Council that the Entrepreneurship Competition will be held at the Technical College on April 2.
She has been exploring housing options and working hard on possible grants to facilitate the process. She reported that two Daycare providers will be retiring soon. This will complicate an already troubled county-wide daycare situation.
Considerable attention was given to the purchase of two new/remanufactured transformers. The City has received several bids. Some were for new transformers, and some were for refurbished ones. Obviously the used ones were cheaper than new ones, but they are used.
The Council voted to purchase two new transformers from Border States for a price of $60,750 each. One astounding reality is that expected delivery time is 52 weeks.
A ten-minute executive session was conducted. No decisions were made as a result of that closed session.
The regular business session was adjourned, and the work session was called to order. The major topic of discussion in the work session was walking/biking trails for public use.
One proposed trail was a beginner's trail located on the north side of the Solomon River just west of the walking bridge to the Chautauqua Park. This would be a half-mile dirt trail with elementary skill features. The proposed cost of construction such a trail is estimated to be $31,250.
The next proposal would be a trail within the Chautauqua Park, following the already established roadways. An informational kiosk would be located near the entry to the park. There would be lane marking alerting motorists that bicyclists might be in park and using the shared roadway. There would be wayfaring signage and medium-level skill features. The projected cost of this improvement would be $27,500.
The most significant undertaking would upgrade the Solomon River walking/biking trail south of the Nutrien Complex. Once again, an informational kiosk would be located at the beginning of the trail. This trail would have twelve skill features and twelve interpretive sculptures. The total length of the trail would be approximately 1.25 miles. The cost of the trail would be $41,000.
The North Central Outdoors group has secured a Dream Big grant from the Solomon Valley Community Foundation totaling $50,000.
It also has qualified for a $99,750 grand from the Wildlife and Parks Administration to apply this project. The City of Beloit would be responsible for a 20% match.
Also, a $15,000 grant has been received from the NCK Regional Medical Foundation.
All told, the City of Beloit would be responsible for a matching total of $4,950 if all goes as planned.
The Council agreed to wait for a while and see how the grants do or do not materialize.

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Beloit, KS 67420, USA