The Meeker Town Board of Trustees this week approved the budgets for the General Fund and the Public Works Authority for fiscal year 2020-2021.
They also gave the nod for the Meeker Growth and Development Authority to renovate the old car wash property located on the east side of the Meeker Town Hall to be utilized as a pavilion and community garden.
The General Fund budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 that begins July 1 totals $734,528. That compares to the current fiscal year budget of $635,417, Meeker Town Administrator Dickie Walton said.
The Public Works Authority budget for the coming fiscal year totals $474,955. The budget for the current year that ends June 30 is $456,144, he said.
Several members of the Growth and Development Authority attended Monday night’s meeting explaining their ideas to renovate the old car wash property on the east side of Town Hall.
“We want to make it more eye appealing, more attractive,” Vonda Languille, Authority member said.
Another member noted, “We’d like to put in benches under each bay on the side of them.”
It was explained that several grants are available to assist with developing community gardens. Languille said the group already applied for one with Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative. “It’s a matching grant meaning that whatever amount they might decide if we are approved will be matched by a bank.”
The group said CVEC’s decision on the grant would be known by May 29. Languille said a Co-op bank provides the matching funds.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in the community. People I think would also donate if we set up a donation box,” Languille added.
She pointed out the car wash was special to her, “because my mom and dad built that car wash.”
Another woman said a long term lease would be required from the city. When a 99-year lease was suggested, the town’s legal counsel James Hodgens stepped in and said, “you want a yearly lease, not a long-term one. What if in a few years you no longer need or want that property”? he asked.
“You would still be tied to that lease,” he told them.
Someone suggested that the area might be called “Project Pavilion.” Languille said, “We’ll call it what you
“We’ll call it what you want for money.”
Hodgens said, “you could call it a Farmer’s Market.”
Several other ideas were discussed before the Trustees voted to give their support to the plan.
In other business, the board approved the third and final draw down on the CDBG grant for the new Meeker Fire Station to Buoy Brothers Con struction. The amount is $49,625.67.
They voted for upgrading the telephone system with Vyve for the police department.
Trustees also approved a new account for credit card payments at Vision Bank.
Among the consent agenda items approved by the Trustees was renewing the agreement with the Meeker Youth Sports Association at the Meeker Lake.
They voted against renewing the 2020 grazing lease to Janice Nagle for approximately 20 acres for $111.20 per year. The property is located west of the Meeker Lake Reservoir.
Meeting as the Pubic Works Authority, they accepted the resignation of Office Assistant Sonya Meshquekennock effective May 4.