CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, 10/15/2024:

Police Now Fully Staffed—Chief Dave Towe reported that his department is now fully staffed and that the contract for night patrols with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department was no longer in effect. Councilors commended Towe on working with city staff, council and citizens to rebuild the department after suffering personnel losses that threatened the viability of maintaining a “local” department. Towe noted that Administrator Jeff Alvis, Finance Director Stacey Bray and council were instrumental in making the financial commitment to preserve the department. Councilor Talon Reed thanked the citizens for supporting a local department and commended Towe for picking first-rate officers who are now on the job. The department is now staffed with Chief Dave Towe, Seargent Matt Hannum, Officers Nick Nelson, Kai Garber (at the Academy), Kaden Johnson, and Cody Fuhrman.

Cemetery Expansion Plans-—Cemetery Sexton and Public Works staffer Rick Shields briefed council on preliminary expansion plans for the 11-acre section purchased in 2008. Presently, the acreage has only been surveyed with corner pins and will require a full survey to include grave sites, new gravel roads, water line expansion, a restroom and other infrastructure. With several cemetery sections now full, and about three years’ worth of grave space remaining, council is set to move forward with expansion. When it meets in February, the Cemetery Committee is expected to present the council with a list of desired features that will be included in the to-be-expanded cemetery area.