Hastings Police Chief Jeff Pratt quipped he might rename his periodic meetings with residents from “Coffee with the Chief” to “Coffee with the Chief and Friends.” Department of Public Services Director Lee Hays, DPS garage Superintendent Jim James, Deputy Chief Dale Boulter and Community Development Director Jerry Czarnecki all gave updates on activities in their departments at the Wednesday meeting.
The two main interests of residents were recent bike lane striping in the city and Hastings School millage issues. Bike lane discussion centered on responsibility of both motorists and bikers to each be aware of the other and the need for both to obey rules of the road. The first bike lanes were striped this year and all are to be installed over three years, Hays said.
The next striping will be in July 2018. Hastings City Councilman John Resseguie said the striping on West State Road brought several complaints, which died down after the lanes started being used and residents found that it slowed traffic in the area.
“With a few bumps along the way, I think it went pretty smoothly,” Pratt said. The city will put out more advanced notice of future striping of the lanes next year so the public will be aware of the change coming, he added. There is more information on the bike lanes on the city’s website.
After Hastings Area School System Superintendent Carrie Duits gave an explanation of the two millage proposals on the Nov. 7 ballot, she was asked two questions. Why was so much money directed to athletics and would the school come back in a few years and ask for more millage?
To asking for more millage, Duits said they would not. “This is it. This will complete our projects,” she said.
When a $55 millage proposal failed in May, 2015, officials cut about $12 million in projects off the list for the second request for millage of $44.5 million, which passed in November, 2015.
With the passage of the smaller package, they said they would come back later to replace the projects with another millage vote, and several other things, including school buildings roofs needing repairs, came up in the meantime, she said.
On athletics, Duits said upgrades were needed on the deteriorating track and tennis courts and several other areas, but boards in the bleachers on both sides of the football field are breaking when walked on, making the bleachers and safety the number one concern.
Also, Pratt gave an overview of the police department, saying there are 15 full-time officers, two office staff, a code compliance officer and a parking enforcement officer. Add to that, 10 volunteer reserve officers who act as second officers with the officers, seven Police Ambassadors, and 10 Police Cadets from Hastings High School. “All together, that makes 44 people associated with the department,” he said.
