The Goessel city council met on October 15 and approved the emergency response plan that was put together by Phillip Fishburn of Midwest Assistance Program. MAP works with small rural communities on matters of disaster management, in addition to numerous other issues. The central office is in Missouri, but Fishburn’s office is in Haven.
An emergency response plan is required in order to receive loan and grant money for the city’s sewer project. According to city clerk Jennifer Whitehead, the city needs a “Letter of Conditions.” This plan will satisfy that requirement. The document is about 200 pages long and includes a list of contacts that the city would need to contact in case of an emergency. It also includes basic plans for emergency situations.
Whitehead and public works director Karen Dalke planned on attending a meeting in Park City to learn about preparing for floods and tornadoes.
Turning their attention to another matter, the council discussed repairs that are needed for city equipment and vehicles. Dalke told the council about work that has been done on the grader and work that it still needs. The council discussed fixing it or looking for a different one. No decision was made. The backhoe and police car need repair work too.
In other business, the council:
* received a thank-you note from the Goessel Community Foundation. Whitehead said the recent golf tournament raised over $3,700 for the foundation.
* heard about drainage issues that Dalke had dealt with and issues with the sewer machine.
* heard that Brian Foster of BG Consultants in Manhattan would be coming to look at the lift stations. Foster has been at city council meetings in the past and has been working with the city on the sewer project. He had noted improvements that need to be made to the waste water facility, and he has made the council aware of the need to remove the current dangers involved with repairing the underground equipment.
* discussed the city’s wells. The south water well tripped a breaker; it needs a new pump and wiring. The cost could be almost $5,000. Mayor Dave Schrag said the city needs a third well. Dalke agreed: “We need a new well farther west.” She said the wells are 40 feet deep.
* discussed the need for a school zone light, noting the issue of safety and the need for reduced vehicle speed at certain times of the school day. No decision about such a sign was made at this meeting.
* continued their discussion about a new Goessel sign to replace the one that is near the highway. They discussed concrete, wind, sturdiness, and design possibilities but made no decisions at this meeting.
* heard about repairs that had been done at the city park shelter house.
* heard the police report from Anthony Voth. Two citations had been issued, and he had dealt with a disabled vehicle.
* approved 40 hours of continuing education for Voth. It is a requirement for continued police certification.
* approved the request to add to the warehouse at the gas station.
* heard that the restrooms at the city park will be closed for the winter in the next week or two. Until then, they are still open and available for use.
* discussed properties in town that need to be cleaned up.
* discussed the possibility of contacting a building inspector for the properties in question.
* noted that some progress had been made toward cleaning up a mobile home.
* noted the need for code enforcement.
