Lake Holcombe Town Board; Littering will not be tolerated at the park or anywhere
By Ginna Young
With summer coming, the Lake Holcombe Town Board wants to make sure their bases are covered, when it comes to litter problems at the Wayside Park. A litter ordinance was discussed at a regular meeting March 11, where input was gathered before moving ahead.
Town chairman Brian Guthman said he really wants the ordinance to define what litter is, meaning no person shall dump or deposit rubbish, refuse, earth or other materials at the Wayside Park trash receptacles. He says he’d also like to add personal garbage to that description.
If the ordinance is violated, the penalties make it clear how the person can be fined. Guthman pointed out that the town would need to have their attorney look at the ordinance before passing it.
In addition to prohibiting littering at the park, the board also wants to cover all bases at the same time and include not littering elsewhere in the town. Members agreed to bring the ordinance back to look at more and fine tune the wording.
“We should do something to cover all the roads and all the things in the park,” said Guthman. “If they don’t dump it in the park, they’ll dump it someplace else.”
Guthman also said he is looking into a grant from Xcel Energy that could be used to finish the trail by the Wayside Park, with some spaces cleared for fishing spots. Guthman said he’d also like to get the school kids involved with the project.
“I think that the more we have buy-in from the kids of the community, the less we have in vandalism,” he said.
He also wants to look into a possible trail on the other side of the road, on property owned by Xcel, if the town receives permission to go ahead from the company.
“That would be quite a trail then,” said Guthman.
While on the subject of the park, Guthman says the town is having problems with people coming in and docking their boats on the Wayside beach. To combat that, town roadman Ben Jordan is putting floats in the water for rope lines, to prevent docking at the area.
“You can’t navigate within 100 feet of that,” said supervisor Doug Olson, pointing out the state law.
Although a lawn sweeper was purchased in 2008, to help clear leaves from the park’s many trees, after it used for two years, it was then put away, as an excess of leaves clogged up the machine. With that in mind, Jordan asked that the machine be put up for sale.
“It has very low hours on it, but it is 13 years old,” said Jordan.
The board agreed to list the sweeper on selling sites, with only sealed bids accepted, to keep the sale fair.
With new information on a well-working chemical that kills poison ivy and brush, Jordan also asked for permission to purchase a sprayer for that chore. Jordan says with what the town would save in labor by brushing and weed whacking around signs, the sprayer would pay for itself in a couple years.
Members gave Jordan the go-ahead to purchase the sprayer.
During his chairman’s report, Guthman also mentioned that the bridge over the Fisher River that is shared with the Town of Estella, is going to need some work on, after a bridge inspection report came back. Guthman said he will meet with Estella officials to see what scope of work is required.
Guthman also reported that the garage that was in one of the town right-of-ways, is no longer an issue. With permission the garage’s owner would need from the county and through the town to deal with the structure, it was decided to move the building to a new location off the property.
“It’s going to be gone,” said Guthman.
He also mentioned that several people have asked if there is going to be internet in the town hall. Guthman said it would make it easier for those in Community Ed classes, as well as for those who rent the hall for events.
Clerk Tracey Larson says she is dealing with installing internet in a separate organization she is part of and was quoted $40 per month for services. Members agreed it would be a plus to have internet.
“If you’re inside here, you can’t get a telephone call,” said Guthman.
