The Hastings Veteran’s Memorial at the entrance to Tyden Park has an infusion of funds from the city and is on tract to get underway the first of August and completed close to the end of September.
A budget amendment to allow the city to add funds to make up a shortfall for the construction of the monument was approved by the council July 11. The council approved the idea in May; amending the budget is required to account for the funds.
Mayor Frank Campbell said he will be raising funds through donations and expects they will increase when the project gets started and people can see the progress. The entire project will have an estimated value around $62,000 when done with the city putting up $26,000, Department of Public Service Director Lee Hays said.
A donation of $1,500 in seed money that was donated for earlier veteran’s project that didn’t get off the ground will go to the project. There are donations of $4,500 for materials and labor amounting to $28,200 for a total of $32,700. The city's $26,000 allocation includes city labor and equipment and project materials.
In other business, Deputy City Manager Jeff Pratt was asked to develop a policy on when to waive fees for use of city parks. Councilman Bill Redman asked for flexible rules. but with “a firm set of guidelines.” Typically, the registration fee is waived when requested by applicants, usually non-profits, but not clean up fees for larger groups. Mansfield suggested requiring a deposit for the clean up to be refunded if the city doesn’t need city employees to do the work.
Redman also spoke during council comment, stressing that the council was not, “throwing dirt in the face” of Larry Baum. After the refusal of the council to permit the sale of alcohol at events at the Thornapple Plaza, the city’s latest entertainment venue funded by the Baum Family Foundation, Larry Baum made that remark to a reporter.
“No one on this board intended that,” Redman said. “It was not a vote against the Larry or Earlene Baum or the Baum Family Foundation.” Redman said he wanted to make it very clear that the denial to sell alcohol was not a vote against Baum or his family, but in response to the council’s constituent’s desires.
Jean Gallup
