by Amanda Rink, Editor
The Clarion City Council gathered Tuesday evening for a public budget workshop, going through department requests, and hearing from Library Director Linda Llyod and Recreation Director Scott Simmons.
While discussions about salaries were kept to a minimum, other than an across-the-board 3% increase, council members plan to meet with the city employee bargaining team soon to iron out further details.
City Administrator Clint Middleton said that “everything is staying fairly on track,” though a few departments have seen some necessary budget increases.
City Recreation Looks to Improve Fields and Pool
The City Recreation Department led by Recreation Director, Scott Simmons, made a case for some much-needed updates to sports facilities and the community pool. According to Simmons, one top priority or “want” is upgrading the Gator utility vehicle. The vehicle is used to maintain ballfields and take equipment where it needs to be.
Another key project is addressing drainage issues at Lyons Park. After last year’s heavy rains, the fields remained wet for a while, making play difficult. Plans include installing or repairing tile, grates, and field edging to improve conditions.
The ball field’s layout will also be considered to ensure base placement meets safety standards. While maintenance has been kept up on the field, some of the suggested improvements have not been done since the early 80’s.
As for the community pool, it continues to be a popular summer spot, especially after Belmond’s pool closure. Keeping it operational comes at a cost. The deepest section of the pool is the oldest and has been patched repeatedly over the years. Another round of patchwork, along with regular maintenance, is scheduled for this spring, however, Simmons would like to see a new pool floor soon.
Library Budgets for Maintenance, Keeps Costs Steady
The library is also seeing a slight increase in costs, mainly due to maintenance. A large-scale carpet cleaning took place within the last budget year, and contracts for outside library services have gone up. Despite rising costs of materials because of inflation, the library is keeping a steady budget.
In other budget discussions, the council heard the water sewage budget line will see a small increase because of the amount of water testing the city does before the treated wastewater runs into “ditch number 2”.
The council will continue budget talks in the coming weeks, with final decisions set to be made at the last meeting in March.
