The Yuma City Council met last week, and will have its next meeting on Monday, April 1, at 6:30 p.m., due to the usual Tuesday date being the council election date.
Mayor Ron Swehla, Mayor Pro-tem Marc Shay, and fellow council members Jerome Benish, Marylu Smith-Dischner, Tim McClung and Terri Frame were in attendance. Dan Baucke was absent.
The city will be moving forward with getting the municipal swimming pool back in operation in time for the summer of 2025. The council unanimously approved a resolution outlining an agreement with Miller & Associates to serve as engineer for the project.
Larry Steele with Miller & Associates provided two options to the council at its previous meeting. One was for $1.052 million, and the other for $1.244 million. The more expensive one includes the use of stainless steel gutters. The city has budgeted $1 million this year for the pool project.
City Manager Scott Moore said during last week’s meeting that council members had asked him where the city would come up with the funds. He said the city’s Capital Project Fund currently has $4.4 million, so the extra money is available.
Council members noted the more-expensive option is a longer-term fix and were in agreement it would be the best use of funds. The council unanimously approved the agreement with Miller & Associates, and agreed to the $1.244 million option.
The council also unanimously approved a resolution outlining an agreement with Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. to do a pavement maintenance project for the city. The company’s bid was for $57,650. The city budgeted $58,000 for the project.
A request from the Yuma Volunteer Fire Department to spend $16,636.42 for maintenance on the pumper truck was approved. It fits within the budget but was unanticipated. The council was told the pumper truck is 20 years old and leaks have developed.
It was brought to the council’s attention that the Yuma Ambulance Department’s preventive maintenance contract for heart monitors is now up to $8,542.50. The city budgeted $5,000 because that had been the cost in the past. Moore said the city would bill Yuma County the additional cost as it has funds budgeted for ambulance equipment. The council unanimously approved the higher cost with Striker Maintenance.
Emergency response departments remained at the forefront as the Yuma Police Department came before the council about increased technology costs. Chief Jerry Thompson and Officer DJ Hass that the annual costs for body cameras is increasing by approximately $16,000. A state law now requires more interactions are recorded on the body cams, and most of the YPD’s interactions have to be kept on storage for three to 10 years. Thompson said the YPD is exceeding its storage capacity with the company that handles that.
The overall number for technology services is above $200,000. The council was told the YPD would receive a $7,000 discount per year if the contract was signed by the end of March. City Attorney Kathryn Sellars recommended the council the number before it in the contract, but the chief get the final contract and execute it after getting her approval, then it come back before the council at its April 1 meeting. It was approved on a 6-0 vote.
The council unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance dealing with updates to the Yuma Municipal Code.
A request for a donation from the Yuma County Extension Office along with its Yuma County PROSPER Team received a $250 from the city. A donation request from the Northeast Colorado Association of Local Governments (NECALG) for $4,250 was approved on a 6-0 vote.
A proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention Month was unanimously approved.
The purchase of more “vision meters” for the Electric Department for $13,100 was approved.
Moore informed the council the Street Department has hired Walter Juarez. He has worked for Phillips County for 13 years, so he brings experience to his new position.