The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

As the Town of Haxtun prepares for a major street project later this year, discussion surrounding curb and gutter replacement along those streets has begun. According to Superintendent Ron Carpenter, he recently sent letters to 18 residents who have curb and gutter along streets that are being replaced. Hopes are to also replace the curb and gutter, which will be at the property owners expense.

Carpenter spoke with members of the Haxtun Town Council about the upcoming project during a Monday, March 7 meeting at the Haxtun Community Center. Members Mike Ensminger, Lori Lundgren, Bob Cionek, Rob Martinez and Ryan Horton were all present as was Mayor Brandon Biesemeier. Tana Pope was absent.

According to Carpenter, of the 18 letters recently mailed to residents along routes projected in the new street project, five have been in contact and have agreed to their portion of the curb and gutter work. A sixth, he said, is also interested but asked about a payment plan to do so.

Total, curb and gutter work for the 18 areas, Carpenter said, is roughly $60,000. Some residents have smaller areas and some, who live on corners or bigger lots, have more ground to cover. Most range anywhere from estimates of $500 to $2,500 but there are a few whose expected costs top the $7,000 mark.

The Town of Haxtun currently does have a curb and gutter plan in which the Town helps homeowners with a portion of the cost to replace old and damaged areas. Carpenter said if the Town Council approves some sort of payment plan for those who need it, the Town could take the reimbursement portion from the Town off the top and come up with some sort of payment plan for the rest.

At the time of the meeting, Carpenter said he has had only one request for a payment plan, being from a resident whose expected cost is at the higher end of project totals. It was noted that the Town has used the same payment plan practice in the past, including a project in which homeowners helped pay for the paving of Westridge Avenue.

“I don’t have a problem helping out where we can,” said Horton. He and others believe that a payment plan, without charging interest, would be the best route to go in assisting residents who wish to replace curb and gutter where needed in conjunction with the street project.

One area of concern, which Town employees Carpenter and Clerk Karie Wilson plan to do more research, is the possibility of a homeowner setting up a payment plan and later selling their property. Before reaching a final decision, plans are to find out if liens on those specific properties are possible and if not, what the Town can do to ensure funds are paid back should the home be sold before the curb and gutter totals are paid in full.

Additionally, the Council voted to waive building permit fees for the 18 residents who agree to curb and gutter work associated with the upcoming street project.

Later in the meeting, Carpenter told the Council he has been working on getting materials ready for a chip seal project, also slated for later this year. He said that since 2019, prices on materials have doubled. Three years ago, rock prices were $22,000 and are now just over $41,000. He is currently waiting on quotes for oil. Carpenter said he would wait to order rock until he received oil prices and will only move forward if the total cost of the project still fits in this year’s budget.

Carpenter also told council members about a price increase on power coming from the Western Area Power Administration. Several months ago, Carpenter warned the Council that an increase would be likely. He said now, more definitive numbers reflect a $32,000 increase for power for the Town of Haxtun, which equals a six to seven percent jump from the year before.

Plans are to discuss rates at upcoming work sessions. Carpenter said the last increase in power to residents came in 2015. Water rates were increased in 2018. He added that the Town is taking necessary steps to help reduce its overall usage including replacing street lights with LEDs. However, like most things right now, street lights are tough to get.

Haxtun Police Chief Nathan Nadow discussed some changes within his department with council members last week. He began with interest in rank advancing Officer Tom Bullard within the department. Nadow said the change from officer to Sergeant gives Bullard not only a distinguished title but evident supervisory experience for his time with the local PD. Mayor Biesemeier and fellow council members gave their approval for the promotion and agreed Nadow could structure his department and law enforcement officers as he sees fit.

Nadow also introduced the idea of bringing Police Clerk Vickie Freemyer from part-time to full-time and designating her as Police Department Clerk/Court Clerk. Nadow said former Chief Tanya Mayhew had the transition to a full-time position figured into the budget and such a move would give he and his officers more time on the road rather than at a desk with necessary paper work. Previously, Deputy Town Clerk Kelsey Harms took care of all court paper work and reporting.

Biesemeier again agreed with Nadow, commenting that having officers inside the office doing required paper work is not a good use of their time. “It’s not cheap to have officers doing paper work,” he said. “I know the job, there is a ton of paper work that comes along with it.”

The Council agreed to the full-time switch for Freemyer as of April 1st. Members also agreed to begin her benefits as of that date in lieu of a 90-day probation period since she has more than 10 years employment history with the Town between the PD and the library.

Freemyer will leave her position as part-time librarian, creating a vacancy. For more information on that position, contact the Haxtun Town Hall at (970) 774-6104.

Nadow also touched on a recent visit from the Sterling Police Department drug dog to Haxtun Schools. Nadow said he worked with both entities to help with the search at the junior high and high school earlier this month. Officers and school administrators gave students the option to turn in any items or objects prohibited on school property before the search as a one-time free pass. The collection box of items resulted in two vape pens, five cartridges and 29 prescription pills. Of the items turned in, the pens and cartridges were for nicotine, no drugs were confiscated.

“Using the box helped out quite a bit,” Nadow said. “That was a success for us.”

The dog did not hit or find any additional items in the search that followed.