Hillsboro council votes to vacate easements for Barkman expansion

The Hillsboro City Coun?cil voted to vacate some drainage easements within the industrial park during its Feb. 5 meeting. The move will clear the way for Bark?man Honey Co. to expand its warehouse space at 120 Santa Fe St.

When a city vacates property, it releases its interest on the property that would be otherwise used for municipal purposes, according to City Admini?strator Larry Paine.

?Since the receipt of the application, construction plans have been changed to not have a building structure over the easement on this phase,? Paine said in a memo to the council.

?Later phases will need access to land that is currently covered by the easement. It is in our mutual interest to proceed with the vacation of this easement.?

Darin Neufeld, city engineer, reviewed the property and concluded: ?These drainage easements will cause no harm to any property outside of these lots, and not place any undue liability on the city, and in fact alleviate the city responsibility for the drainage within these easements.?

Brent Barkman, company owner, was on hand at a Feb. 4 public hearing to answer questions about the proposal. ?It?s in our best interest to drain everything (properly) and not do anything wrong,? he said.

Other business

In other business, the council:

? adopted the annual waiver of generally accepted accounting principles, a legal technicality that releases most governmental entities from adhering to the state?s ?cash basis? law. The routine waiver recognizes that accruals are not part of the city accounting policy.

? delayed by one week taking action on a proposal from Paine to extend the city?s auditing contract with Adams, Brown, Beran and Ball from one year to three years.

The council?s decision to delay action came as a ?courtesy? to Councilor Shelby Dirks, who asked to be part of the discussion. Dirks was out of town Feb. 5.

? authorized the mayor to sign a one-year lease for a skid loader through White Star Equipment and Bobcat Inc. for $4,563. Paine said the lease program is a good deal for both the city and the supplier.

? approved the mayor?s appointment of Sue Wad?kins for another term on the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the appointment of Shana Ste?panek, June Glasgow, Sam Hall and Rod Hamm to first terms on CVB.

Written By
More from Don Ratzlaff
USD 410 patrons approve LOB ballot initiative
By a significant majority, patrons of Unified School District 410 authorized their...
Read More