Signs approved for Main Street
Hillsboro City Council heard Tuesday from Dianne Claassen of Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce retail promotions committee.
Claassen presented a proposal for putting up retailer directional signs at Main and Grand. Approximately 20 retailers already have committed to participating.
Claassen requested one sign be placed on the right of the stop sign on the brick island in front of Emprise Bank and one on the island on the side of Quick Flick/Radio Shack. The retail signs will be at least the same height as the stop signs but possibly up to 12 inches taller.
Each retailer sign will be six inches by 24 inches with two-inch lettering. The promotions committee is proposing securing the sign poles in concrete in whiskey barrels. It is asking the city to place the posts in the barrels, fill the barrels with concrete, and place them on the islands.
"We'd like to see this happen," said Claassen. "I saw signs like this in McPherson and they were both informative and attractive. We want people to know what we have on Main Street."
According to Claassen, she had visited with Hillsboro Police Department, and the police have no problem with the signs.
"If it doesn't work, the barrels could be picked up and hauled away," said Mayor Delores Dalke. "There won't be any permanent damage to the street."
"What we need is the city's assistance and approval," said Claassen.
The council unanimously approved the proposal.
It took a tie-breaker vote by Dalke to approve revisions to Policy No. 17, Hillsboro Municipal Pool policy.
Council member Shelby Dirks questioned the wording of "small children must be accompanied by a responsible individual" in the general pool rules.
"They don't want a six-year-old managed by a seven-year-old. The lifeguards will make the call," said city administrator Steve Garrett.
Council members Byron McCarty and Len Coryea questioned the policy of private swimming lessons.
The policy states "Anyone giving private swimming lessons at the swimming pool shall reimburse the City for the cost of the lifeguard on duty (salary and fringe benefits).
"Is a lifeguard giving the lesson and then being reimbursed for her time?" asked Coryea.
"What we talked about earlier was a usage fee for private lessons," said council member Matt Hiebert.
"I think it should be clear you need to have a separate lifeguard other than the lifeguard giving the lesson," said Coryea.
Garrett recommending adding "the city requires a lifeguard present at all swimming lessons, Red Cross or private."
Dalke expressed her opinion the entire policy needs to be rewritten prior to next season.
"We need to work on the policy once the season is over with Nancy [Nancy Ronto Burbach Aquatics representative]," said Dalke. "Nancy knows how to make it work."
"We said we'd have rules before we hired a manager," said Coryea. "But that didn't happen. Now we've hired a manager, we still don't have a policy manual, and we have the same problems. We're right back where we were in January — spinning wheels and getting nowhere."
Garrett disagreed with Coryea's assessment.
"I think there are some things that aren't exactly the way we want them right now but I don't think we're spinning our wheels," said Garrett.
Coryea asked if the recreation department has been involved with the pool. He said in May the recreation department didn't even know it was in charge of the pool yet.
"Matt [Dalke] and I have discussed where we are with this," said Garrett. "And he has had input at the beginning of this season. The people who work at the pool are part of the rec staff."
Dalke encouraged the council to pass the policy and work on it before the beginning of the next season.
"I need you to pass this," said Garrett.
Policy No. 17 passed 3-2 with the amendment of the closing and opening day with Dalke casting the tiebreaking vote.
Discussion on an additional recreation position was limited to Dalke's comments.
"We need to write a job description and the rec director needs to be involved," said Dalke. "We need to look at what another position will do to our budget. Every time we add a position we add a couple more mills to what it costs to live in Hillsboro."
In other business council:
— Approved Resolution No. 2005-07 providing for the issuance of temporary improvement notes for the city of Hillsboro in the amount of $1,920,000 for temporary financing of the costs of construction and improvements to the municipal water system.
— Approved $3,526.92 to APAC-Kansas, Inc., for Main Street improvements from A Street to D Street.
— Approved $2,030 to Reiss and Goodness Engineers for inspection provided for Main Street improvements project from A Street to D Street.
