Council learns police car was damaged during arrest

GLENWOOD CITY – During his monthly report to the city council, Police Chief Robert Darwin informed them that one of the city police cars was damaged by a 17-year old male during an arrest on the morning of September 9.

Darwin indicated that the estimate to repair the police car was $1,200, but his taser was also damaged during the incident.  Darwin informed the council that his taser was replaced free of charge by the taser company. But, Darwin, questioned the council if he should wait for a judge to order the person responsible for the damage to the car to pay restitution, or turn it over to the insurance company. The city would be responsible for the $500 deductible. The council indicated to turn over the matter to the insurance company.

In his report to the council, Public Works Director Doug Doornink asked about taking large load of items like old sheetrock at the dumpster. He noted that they recently accepted a large load of sheetrock which the person paid $35.00 to dump into the city’s dumpster. But Doornink noted that it took an extra removal of the dumpster and cost the city an extra pull at $800. He also had questions about the burn site and that the city could only accept brush and tree branches at the site and not any wood that has been painted or treated can be burned.

Mayor Larson asked Doornink what he would recommend to the council. He suggested that the home owner should get their own construction dumpster for building projects and the city limit items to less than 500 pounds or a half of a pickup load. The mayor put in matter into committee for study,

The mayor went over the city budget and proclaimed it is “doing very well.” He noted that most items showed income above budget figures with expenditures below expectations.

In other business the council passed a resolution requesting exemption from county library tax. The city has always been exempt from the county library tax, but now is required to file paper work indicating it. What is necessary is that the city spends more for library services than the county tax would be.

Mayor Larson indicated that the county tax base on a graph that the county had send would be some $24,483 tax. But Larson noted that the city funded the local library at $48,000. He noted that the local library also receives funds from St. Croix County and Dunn County.

Council member Nancy Hover presented the monthly library report which indicated that the library board had its annual meeting with the following members re-elected: Jan Scepurek, President; Lorie Jensen, Vice President; Barb Dillow, Treasurer; and Paula Brandt, Secretary. Her report indicated that checkouts in August totaled 2636, which prompted the mayor to question if there were that many people or people checking out more than one item. Hover felt that it could be like 200 checking out ten items each. But she would have that number defined.

The council also approved a Quit Claim deed to Peter Johnston on land that he recently purchased next to the city park on First Street. After Johnston had purchased the land he had it surveyed and it was found that the large garage on the property, which was constructed many years ago, was a few feet on city property. What was needed for Johnston was a pie shaped piece of land extending to eight and a half feet to get the garage off city property.

The council also discussed prohibiting firearms on city owned property. It was learned that the city hall was already firearm free because that is also the police station. But Chief Darwin noted that the community center is also use for hunter safety course and that would have to be addressed if the city would prohibit fire arms on city property. The council was to study this request.