Contributing writer
At its April 3 meeting, Tampa City Council scheduled a community cleanup day for April 23. Residents with extra trash such as worn out appliances or other things too large for their trash bins can place them at the curb before that date and Waste Connections will pick them up.
Mayor Tim Svoboda said culverts behind Jason Backhus’ house and David Mueller’s downtown building need to be replaced.
“Maybe we should look at others while we’re at it,” he added.
“The one by my place has a pretty big hole in it,” Russell Kerbs remarked. “It probably doesn’t need to be replaced but should be covered.”
Wilbert Backhus moved to buy two new culverts. On a second from Don Zaideman, the motion carried. The consensus was that they should examine the culvert Kerbs mentioned and possibly others and decide on a course of action later.
The mayor reported that Marion County has signed lots 37 and 38 in the Hackler Addition over to the city. Svoboda said the county also owns the adjoining lots 39 and 40 but was not deeding them to the city because they are being used for barrel storage. However, nobody on the council has observed them being used.
Council members spent some time examining city maps and thought perhaps county officials were confusing these lots with those on 330th Road. The city will take bids to sell the lots but decided to wait until the situation is clarified.
Svoboda reported not hearing anything yet about the city’s application for a grant to replace street signs.
City clerk Donna Backhus said she received a letter from the state banning all burning during the month of April. Tentative plans to burn the debris at the burn site will need to be postponed.
The mayor said a resident had approached him about the condition of the sidewalk past his house. Council members agreed that sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner, and the resident is free to do whatever he likes with it.
There was some ongoing discussion of Zaideman‘s continued complaint about stray balls from the ball field hitting his house. Members conceded the council should solicit opinions from the community before applying for a Kansas City Royals grant to reorient the field; however, no date for a public meeting was set. It was decided to put up the net again for this year’s season.