The countryside is not the only place where muddy roads currently are a menace.
Parts of the Yuma Industrial Park, as well as areas in north neighborhoods with dirt roads, are an impassable muddy mess.
Yuma City Manager Scott Moore addressed the situation with the Yuma City Council during its regular meeting last week. Mayor Ron Swehla, Mayor Pro-tem Marc Shay, and council members Dan Baucke, Terri Frame, Tim McClung, and Marylu Smith-Dischner. Jerome Benish was absent.
Moore said the Yuma Police Department requested some stretches of streets in the industrial park be closed, which the city did. Moore said some people still went around the barriers and drove through the rough patches.
The council was told the city is using a blade to try to somewhat level the streets and help with the water draining. Moore said the city has purchased 240 tons of road base, for a little more than $3,000. It was going to be applied to the rough patches as soon as it arrived, and the weather cooperated, to make the roads as passable as possible at the moment.
City crews also are working on muddy patches on Homestead Trail at the north end of town.
Moore also gave a report on the remediation work in relation to the water line project that was done a couple of months ago in the Homestead Trail neighborhood. Concrete Specialties, which was in charge of the project, told the city weather prevented the remediation from being completed earlier, but the company would return to complete it as part of the project cost as soon as weather permitted.
In another weather-related issue with the city, the water leak in the Yuma Public Library, Moore said Northeastern Junior College has informed the city that reclamation companies are swamped with projects to the snowy and cold winter, so there was no timeframe yet on when the final repair work will be done at the library.
More meeting
• Council members recently were provided two-day tours of all the city departments, as part of special meetings. Several council members mentioned at last week’s meeting that the tours were very enlightening in regards to what all is involved in operating the city and its services. McClung said he wondered if the tours could be offered to the general community. Shay noted most people don’t realize all that is involved. Swehla noted that it takes a lot to run a municipality.
• The council unanimously approved a proclamation declaring Yuma County Ag Appreciation Week, March 19-25. Moore first read the lengthy proclamation before the council’s vote.
• The council decided to go over budget in order to finish upgrade work at the old “Scout House” located at Lake Yuma by the Yuma Community and Enrichment Center. Moore said the city had sought bids for windows, trim and flooring, and received one bid from Vincent Bukowski for $13,288. Moore said the city had budgeted $5,000 for the work. Upon questioning, Moore said the building has been inspected and is in good shape, the roof is good, and the plan is to have arts and crafts classes held there. The council voted 5-1 to proceed with the project, with Baucke casting the dissenting vote.
• The city had put out a request for bids for several years’ accumulation of scrap wire stored at the city’s light plant. Moore said the city received one offer of $1,005, which the council accepted on a 6-0 vote.
• Yuma Police Chief Jerry Thompson presented a request for council approval of an application for a JAG Grant. The funds would be used for new laptops for the YPD. Thompson said he has received one quote for $33,948.60 and was waiting on two more. The council approved applying for the grant, not to exceed $40,000.
• Council members provided reports from various committee and other board meetings they attended, such as the Yuma County Water Authority, Yuma County Economic Development, and Northeast Colorado Association of Local Governments.