Diamond Vista developer asks for longer stays for workers
Staff writer
Hillsboro city council members had an unexpected guest at Tuesday’s meeting, but made him right at home in the city administrator’s chair.
City administrator Larry Paine, recovering from two surgeries since he collapsed in Topeka in early February, walked into the council room when it was time for the meeting to start.
“We were surprised,” Mayor Lou Thurston said.
Interim administrator Don Osenbaugh, hired to fill Paine’s shoes until he is recovered enough to return to work, took a seat along the wall behind Paine.
Not one to waste meeting time, Paine joined in when council members discussed amending city policy on the length of time people can stay at Memorial Park campground.
Hillsboro economic development director Anthony Roy said construction employees working for Tradewind Energy’s Diamond Vista wind farm project will be needing places to stay, and the company is interested in renting camping spaces at the park.
Current policy permits campers to stay up to 30 continuous days. Work will last longer than that.
Mayor Lou Thurston said the city is interested in having the workers staying, and spending money, in Hillsboro.
No decisions were made. Council will take up the matter again in a special meeting March 27.
In other business, council members approved hiring Bryce Naerebout as a firefighter and held two executive sessions, one to discuss potential litigation and the other to discuss division of real estate. No decisions were made after the executive sessions.