(Arnolds Park)– The Arnolds Park city council Wednesday heard an update and budget request from Stephen Litts, Executive Director of the Dickinson County Trails Board.
Litts told the council in the past the formula has been 12 and-a-half percent of a project being paid by local governments; another 12 and-a-half percent by private donations; and 75 percent by grants. Litts said if he was to stand before the council now and request 16 million dollars to finish the trails, that 12 and-a-half percent would be two million dollars. Instead, he says they’re asking Arnolds Park to consider giving one million dollars over five years.
The council took no action on the request. They’ll consider it during budget talks for the upcoming fiscal year.
In other business, the council adopted the city’s long-term comprehensive land use plan following a hearing that drew no comments from the public; approved the appointments of Mayor Mike Mitchell and council members Mitch Watters and Mike Koppert to a committee that will meet with representatives from other cities regarding a possible joint water treatment facility between Spirit Lake and Central Water.
The council also directed City Administrator Ron Walker to meet with Okoboji City Administrator Dennis Daly to draft a proposed ordinance to be presented to both city councils that would put restrictions on lawn watering during drought conditions. Central Water has requested the cities adopt such an ordinance as its treatment plant reached capacity several times last summer. It was reported there was a stretch last summer during which pumps at Central Water ran 96 hours straight trying to catch up.
