Litchfield City Council Meeting

The Litchfield City Council covered numerous items of business last night. The evening began with a public hearing regarding next year’s improvement project on North Swift Avenue.

City Engineer Chuck DeWolf says the project will include Swift Avenue from 6th Street to Ripley Street and then one block of Ripley Street from Swift to Miller Avenues. He says the $4.4-million project will not only include the street surface, but also the utilities below and sidewalks and there should be state and federal funds to help with the costs of the project. The Council approved of a resolution ordering plans and specifications for the project.

Following a wastewater update from Paul Saffert of Bolton & Menk, the Council approved of scheduling the first reading of a sewer rate increase for the first meeting of November. A bid of $1,539,495.50 was approved from CC Steel of Fargo for the trunk sanitary sewer project.

The Council heard from a couple of groups last night who want to make improvements to South Park, and following their presentations, the Council approved of setting up funds for a pickle ball group and for the Masons who will build a shelter at the park, and those two groups will be expected to raise a certain amount of funds for their respective projects at the park.

Janaye Prieve spoke to the Council on behalf of the Litchfield Visitors Bureau regarding the Light Up Litchfield project for the upcoming holiday season and a motion was approved to have the city crew help to set up temporary lighting in Central Park for the decorations. The Council will be seeking quotes for possibly lighting up a deciduous tree again during the holidays.

The Council heard from a resident regarding excessive speeds on East 5th Street in the Gilman Avenue area. The Council approved of a motion to have the administration contact law enforcement regarding the need for patrolling in that area and the possible use of electronic speed signs in that area.

Council Member Malinda Larson spoke on behalf of the Personnel Committee regarding the performance evaluation of City Administrator David Czoik which was conducted during a closed session at the September 15th meeting. She says in the areas of communications, administration and leadership – on a scale between 1 and 5, Czoik received a satisfactory average score of 3.49.

On a 4-to-3 vote, the Council approved of purchasing an autonomous sweeper which can clean the floors at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center. Council members Betty Allen, Darlene Kotelnicki and Bob Powers voted against the purchase. The Council also agreed to let other groups who were displaced from the Civic Arena due to the construction of the LARC to be able to use the facility at no charge until the first of the year until a long-term solution is determined.

The Litchfield City Council also approved of two resolutions last night regarding federal grant dollars being used for the t-hangar project at the municipal airport.