Haxtun Town Council approves purchase of newer street sweeper; discusses formation of street repair committee

With a small crowd in attendance and at the Haxtun Community Center to continue to social distancing during their regular monthly meetings, the Haxtun Town Council acted on items relating to special event liquor permits, bought a new to the town street sweeper and made various committee appointments during a Monday night meeting on Aug. 3.

Following roll call, the pledge of allegiance and approval of the agenda and consent agenda, Mayor Brandon Biesemeier asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak during public comment. While none of the visitors had anything to say, Harold Crossland joked, “We’re just here as tourists.”

Moving along, council members got straight to business as they moved onto action items, taking care of a few things relating to special events liquor licenses. The Haxtun Chamber of Commerce has applied for such a license for the annual Corn Festival event, slated for the last Saturday in September. The Chamber has applied for the license with the understanding that things will be set up with the same specs as last year, however, in the event of more distance needed per the amount of people in attendance to meet COVID-19 regulations that may be in place when the time comes, the Chamber also presented a plan B. The Council received no written response to the special event permit request and no community members were present to speak against it, following a roll-call vote the application was approved.

After voting to do so, Clerk Karie Wilson requested amending the current Town of Haxtun ordinance that would allow the Clerk the responsibility of setting hearing dates for liquor licenses.

When an entity or individual applies for a special events liquor license, the Town of Haxtun must first set a public hearing date on the matter and post it in the newspaper within a set time frame. There have been, in some circumstances, a rush to host a special meeting of the Town Council in order for the voting members to set the public hearing date.

The amendment request from Wilson would give herself, and any future clerks, the ability to set the public hearing date in the event it would need to be done before the next regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The license matter itself would still be up to the discretion of the Council.

During the August meeting, the Council voted unanimously to amend the current ordinance to do so. Wilson and any future clerks will also have the ability to give initial approval to liquor license renewals from establishments within city limits.

After talking about special events permits, the Council moved onto an agenda item regarding the purchase of a newer street sweeper. Superintendent Ron Carpenter said the Town’s current machine spent much of the summer in the shop getting repairs and when crew members got it back and put it to use, it broke down again and this time will require extensive and expensive repairs. In light of that, Carpenter contacted a company in Denver who had a used machine for sale for $75,000.

Last week, Carpenter said the company brought the street sweeper to Haxtun and let his crew test drive it. The difference in functionality, he said, was huge. He said the new machine worked much better and would do a better job of cleaning the Town streets, something that has not been done most of the summer due to the condition of the Town’s current street sweeper.

After much discussion, the Council voted to purchase the newer street sweeper and get it into service as soon as possible. Carpenter said he thought he could have the machine here in a week or two, if that.

Council members went onto discuss appointments to a street project committee and tree board committee for the Town of Haxtun. The suggestion of the two were made a month prior in a letter sent to the Council from residents Doug and Crissa Larson who expressed their discontent with the condition of the Town’s streets and the failure to replace trees that were taken out during a summer storm.

Carpenter said he would be very interested in forming a street projects committee that could assist him in looking forward with what needs to be done and how to not only follow through with the projects, but with possible funding options. Council members Ryan Horton and Mike Ensminger agreed to serve on the committee with Carpenter. Plans are to also ask former resident Jeff Harms to assist the committee as well.

As for the tree committee, Carpenter said the Town already has a committee in place that assists with tree issues in Haxtun but that it had been some time since the individuals met. He said at least one person would need to be replaced on that committee because they have since moved. Others who are on that include Jared Andersen and Jack Falk. Plans are also to ask one of the Larsons to serve on that committee as well.

Later, during reports, Carpenter told council members that Matt Firme recently overhauled the entire sprinkler system at the park and that things are looking better in that area. He also said the curb and gutter project on Haxtun’s main street has been completed. Two streets in Town have also been repaved including Wilson Street in front of the community center and the first block of Raymond Street.

During the Chief of Police report, Tanya Mayhew reported the Council that she has conditionally hired a cadet to attend the POST academy with the expectation to join her force in December. That hire, she said, is William Farnsworth.

The following building permits were also approved; Cole Fix, 626 South Colorado Avenue for a reroof; Paul Wernsman, 322 North Washington Avenue for a reroof; Don Schelling, 310 North Westridge for a reroof; Rick Lockwood, 305 North Wallace for a reroof; Rick Ensminger, 625 South Utah Avenue for a reroof; Ryan Kurtzer, 336 North Lava for underground electric; Tanya Mayhew, 238 South Miller Avenue for new gutters; Sheri West, 230 South Lincoln Avenue to repair fence and roof damage; Linda Heater, 242 South Lincoln Avenue for front porch repairs; Kent Bamford, 127 North Washington Avenue for a reroof; John Heather, 242 South Lincoln Avenue for a reroof; Tom Gloss, 206 East Second Street for a reroof; Tom Tarrant, 100 North Logan Avenue for a reroof; Dave Thompson, 342 East Raymond Street for a reroof; Jim Crist, 305 East Bryan Street for a reroof; Heather Dee, 803 West Strohm Street for a shipping container; Jonah Wernsman, 620 Prospect Circle to repair a fence; Pete Spelts, 511 West Grant Street to replace siding; Bonita Deering, 630 Prospect Circle for a roof repair; Ann Harms, 717 West Fletcher Street for a reroof; Travis Caneva, 431 North Washington Avenue for a reroof; Donna Veca, 217 South Washington Avenue for a reroof; Pam and Randy Gibbs, 222 North Wallace Avenue for a reroof; Cork Bornhoft, 642 South Washington Avenue for a reroof; Tracy Oberle, 706 South Colorado Avenue for a reroof; Doug Salyards, 95 Fairview for a reroof; Scott Kirkwood, 341 North Wallace Avenue for a reroof; Craig Garrett, 405 East Chase Street for a reroof; Bruce Mahnke, 233 East Raymond Street to replace a storage shed; Deb Dickerson, 426 East Raymond Street for a fence; Rob Martinez, 626 Prospect Circle for a concrete patio; Jesse Larson, 241 North Colorado Avenue to replace fence; Craig Garrett, 405 East Chase Street to replace siding and windows; Tanya Mayhew, 238 South Miller Avenue to replace a garage door; and Ron Carpenter, 455 West Fletcher Street for gutters on a shop.