Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Kimball City Council discussed a Keno grant request for the upcoming Kimball Fireworks Display. When the Kimball Banner County Chamber of Commerce ceased collecting funds for the annual display, last year, local business owners took over, raising enough funds in just one short week to provide the community display.
Though they were able to save the event last year, they requested assistance from the City of Kimball’s Keno fund this year due to the reduction in local sales revenue.
“Normally they spend about $6,000, but they raise $7,500 and $1,500 goes into a bank account for the All-Class Reunion,” Kimball’s Special Projects Coordinator Amy Sapp said. “I would like to work on something for the future so we are not seeking this assistance every year.”
Any citizen or business owner wishing to donate to the fund was publicly encouraged to contact Karen at Larsen’s Jewelry Store.
“A lot of people want to donate, but they don’t know how or where,” Council member Kim Baliman said.
Council approved the request to provide half the funding for the display, totaling $3,000, from the City of Kimball Keno funds.
Along the line of fireworks, council member Kim Baliman, brought a request to the board on behalf of several community members seeking to shorten the number of days allowed for fireworks.
These citizens asked that the number of days allowed for fireworks inside city limits be shortened from the current 10-day period as the annual holiday festivities are difficult for some children, animals and those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“These people are either passionate dog owners, people with small children, or people with PTSD type of issues. I am not anti-fireworks at all, but I guess I thought I owed it to these people to discuss it,” Baliman said.
Local residents were present to argue against shortening the firework time frame, but none spoke at the meeting in favor of the measure. Additionally, decreasing the time frame could negatively affect the local Rotary club that sells fireworks as an annual fund raiser.
Council allowed the request to die without a motion due to lack of interest in shortening the number of days fireworks are allowed to be discharged in Kimball.
Following a request last month to close access to Gotte Park from Fourth Street, council passed a resolution to do so with several families in attendance at the May 16 regular council meeting.
Last month Mark Green brought the request to council as a way to increase safety in the park as well as safety for the children that live on the 400 block of Adams Street, which runs parallel to the park.
Neither Andy Bremer, Kimball Police Chief, nor Jim Shoup, Superintendent of Streets, disagreed to the closure and there was no opposition at the public meeting.
“It doesn’t seem like there has been much negative comment about this, I sure haven’t heard any,” Green said.
Signage will be used at the north end of Adams Street to alert drivers that access to the park has been blocked, though space will be left for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Other actions taken by the board:
Approved a $250 Keno grant for Sierra Boviall to attend the 2017 Junior Olympics in Detroit, Mich.
Approved a plat creating lot 1, Enevoldsen Subdivision.
Approved the Main Street Design and Improvement Grant for $918.54 to reimburse the VFW Post #2243 for a new sign.
Authorized a resolution to sell a small, currently unused property owned by the City of Kimball.
Opted to charge a flat fee of $25 for fence permits within city limits.
Mayor Prunty reported that the underpass project has been delayed to the winter of 2018 due to a lack of government funding.