Litchfield City Council Meeting

The Litchfield City Council approved of the preliminary levy last night and set in motion a large street improvement project for next summer, but the lengthiest item of business last night had to do with the senior meeting room which used to be in place at the Litchfield Civic Arena. The seniors got displaced for their card-playing sessions when the Litchfield Area Recreation Center (LARC) was constructed.

Brenda Rick led a group of about a dozen senior citizens who attended the meeting last night. She says the Golden Age Card Club has been meeting on Friday afternoons for many decades and they’ve had to meet in the Library since their meeting space was disrupted. After much discussion, a motion was passed to allow the club to use the community meeting room in the LARC, free of charge, as long as the room is not being used for something else. Council member Malinda Larson voted against the motion as she still had some questions about the arrangement.

The Council approved of the preliminary 2026 levy of $4,088,175 or an increase of 7.8%. The levy can be decreased (but not increased) in December. The levy hearing has been set for December 1st. The preliminary general budget is $7,399,554 and the debt service budget is $695,367.

City Engineer Chuck DeWolf presented information on a street improvement project for next summer which will include sewer, water and storm sewer utilities below on Swift Avenue from Ripley Street to 6th Street and on Ripley Street from Swift to Miller Avenues. He says they will advertise for bids in March and the project will take place next summer. A hearing on the project will take place in October.