Members of the Linton Park Board made a monetary request to the Linton City Council during the council’s regular meeting on May 5.

Linton Park Board members Ken Schneider, Mark Weber and Steve Nelson spoke to the council on behalf of the park board.

Schneider told the council that the park board purchased and installed a 90-foot water slide in the renovated swimming pool last fall. He said the slide and installation cost roughly $100,000, which came through a loan from the LIDC (Linton Industrial Development Corporation). Schneider said the first installment of the loan is due this fall, and the park board has about $33,000 allocated toward the slide. However, Schneider requested $50,000 from the City to help pay for the remainder of the loan.

Weber said that prior to the renovation project, the park board received about $90,000 in donations that were meant to go toward pool improvements and not to the actual renovation project. He said the City could only get a bond for $630,000, and the project cost about $690,000, so the park board was forced to make up the difference of the total cost and the bond, leaving the park board with about $30,000 to go toward improvements, including the slide.

City Foreman Bob Job said that the council cannot take money out of any of its ear-marked accounts for such a project, with the exception of the City Sales Tax fund, which has a current balance of just over $31,000. Schneider said the park board would not need the funding right away, and Alderman Jim Bodvig asked the rest of the council if the City could allocate funds toward the slide in future budgets, since the slide is separate from the renovation project.

Linton City Attorney Donald Becker cautioned the council about allocating funds to the project, since the City is responsible to meet the bond payment each year, including any shortfall in sales tax revenue.

Alderman Nolan Anderson said he could work with the park board to apply for a grant through the Thomas Leach Foundation. Anderson, who has successfully completed grant applications for the Linton Fire Department and Emmons County ALS, said he will work with Linton Park Board Clerk Corbley Ogren to fill out an application. The council took no further action on the matter.

The council also:

• Heard from Frank Kuntz, who asked the council if a street dance can be held during the Nokota Horse Conservancy Annual Meeting on June 18.

Kuntz said a street dance was held during the annual meeting last year, and Broadway was blocked off from Hickory to Sampson Avenues. Kuntz said he does not know which street would be blocked off this year, but he asked the council’s permission to hold the street dance.

Alderman Dan Imdieke made a motion to approve the street dance, with a second by Alderman Bodvig. The motion carried, 5-0. Alderman James Gartner was not present at the meeting.

• Took action on a motion approved in October, 2007, to mandate a property owner to replace the sidewalks that were removed from the boulevard (city-owned property).

At the October (2007) meeting, Alderman Gartner made a motion to enforce a City ordinance which mandates property owners to replace existing sidewalks on the boulevard of the property. The ordinance also states that the construction of sidewalks is mandated before a building permit is approved. The property this specific case pertains to is owned by Joe Vetter, and is located on the northwest corner of NE 2nd Street and Walnut Avenue.

Alderman Imdieke seconded the motion, and it carried, 4-2, with Aldermen Imdieke, Gartner, Anderson and Dave Beastrom voting for it, and President Ralph Feist and Alderman Bodvig voting against it.

At the next council meeting (November, 2007), the council reviewed a letter from Vetter, who stated in the letter that he intended to replace the sidewalk, but it was too late in the year to do it. However, the letter also stated that the sidewalk would be replaced this spring, so the council addressed the issue.

Attorney Becker said the ordinance specifically states that sidewalks must be replaced on the boulevard, and he said it is the council’s obligation to enforce the ordinance. “You are putting the safety of people in jeopardy when you force them to walk on the street,” he said.

Becker added that former councils had let the matter go, and dealt with it in a “checkered” way, allowing some residents to get by without compliance, while forcing others to comply with the ordinance. He said although this council had nothing to do with the decisions of the past, the aldermen have to deal with what is in front of them now.

Alderman Imdieke said that Vetter promised to replace the sidewalk this spring, so he should own up to that promise. Aldermen Anderson and Beastrom agreed, with both expressing concerns that by letting this particular case go, it would start a chain reaction of residents removing sidewalks without replacing them.

The council decided to enforce the ordinance off the motion made in October, and Vetter will have to comply with the council’s decision.

• Approved Gaming Site Authorization for the Dan R. Richardson American Legion Post 54 for the Green Lantern, Kelly’s Bar, The Happy Hour, Starlite Bar & Grill, and the Emmons County Auditorium. President Feist made a motion to approve the authorization, with a second by Alderman Imdieke. The motion carried, 5-0.

• Approved building permits for Ryan Job ($4,500 for siding) and Bruce Orluck ($4,000 for windows). Alderman Bodvig made a motion to approve the permits, with a second by President Feist. The motion carried, 5-0.

• Unanimously approved a liquor license transfer from the Green Lantern to the Linton Community Center for the American Legion Memorial Day Supper on May 26. Alderman Bodvig made the motion to approve the transfer, and President Feist provided a second.

• Unanimously approved a motion made by Alderman Beastrom and seconded by Alderman Imdieke to approve a BINGO and Raffle permit for St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

• Heard from Auditor Wendy Kelsch, who revised the contract for rental of the Linton Community Center.

Under the new agreement, rental costs for the community center would be $100 for a full-day, $50 for a half-day, and $25 for one hour. This would also include a $25 fee for additional time to set up or decorate the day before the rental, and this would have to take place after 4 p.m. All payments would have to be made in advance to guarantee the date and receive a key.

Non-profit organizations can request a waive on rental fees, but they must present a letter of request, and this must be done at least 30 days in advance.

Other provisions include a $50 deposit, which would be returned if the hall is left as it was found, and a $50 charge for losing the key. Others rates or unusual requests will be established by the council on a case-by-case basis.

Alderman Beastrom made a motion to approve the new rental contract, with a second by President Feist. The motion carried, 5-0.

Set the next regular meeting for Tuesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m.