Redfield City Council hears reports on library, senior center, fire department

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Redfield City Council hears reports on library, senior center, fire department

By Shiloh Appel
The Redfield City Council met on Tuesday, September 4 instead of September 3, due to the Labor Day holiday. After council members toured the new Redfield School, the meeting was called to order at 7:20 p.m. by Mayor Akin.
Visitors during the evening included Librarian Sarah Jones, Lisa Manning from the Redfield Senior Center, Rich Gruenwald from the Redfield Fire Department, Angelina and Reuben Olson with R & A Taxi Company, and Code Enforcement Officer, Mike Yost.
Sarah Jones updated the council on the recent activities of Redfield Carnegie Library.
"Summer reading is over. As you know, school has started. We had consistent numbers. Sixty to seventy kids came to the actual Activity Tuesdays and it didn't go down or up. It was consistent," said Jones. "They read through over 70,000 hours, which was great. I think all of the kids had a great time. Story Hour …is starting. Today was the open house. We just finished, and it starts next Tuesday and Thursday. We changed to two afternoons and one morning this year. It seems like there is a lot more happening this year for the younger kids. We have a few more spots open, but we are basically full. A lot more kids this year are taking transit — that means more parents are both working."

Jones went on to to explain that the Redfield Carnegie Library is also serving as the Redfield School Media Center this year. Jones and library staff met with school administration to discuss class lists.
"First and fifth grade are going to be coming consistently. For the older kids, it is going to depend on the teacher and the grade. They can check out books very, very easily," said Jones.
During Manning's Senior Center report, Manning said that the center raised roughly $600 through their annual rummage sale fundraiser. The next Senior Center fundraiser will be the homecoming pie and coffee day on September 28th.
"We are hoping to have a really good turnout this year because I have heard there is a lot more class reunions," said Manning. Manning also said that the center's transit buses are now full and about eight people are on a waiting list for transit.
In the report on the Redfield Fire Department activities, Rich Gruenwald said that the new fire truck has been fixed after the wiring harness failed. However, the middle section of the fire truck ladder still needs a light strip. Gruenwald also said that the fire department will have a live fire training on September 29th. In answer to a council member's question about the new Fourth of July wireless fireworks system, Gruenwald said the fire department would like to see about purchasing the new system.
"They did a demonstration on the new wireless fireworks shooting system," said Gruenwald. "When we first went into this, I heard the number like $15,000 for the system. It's actually $4,200 for the system…We had some issues with the old system last time. We had one that didn't lift off very high. It got a little bit out of the tube and then went off. Then we had some that didn't go off at all because of battery issues."
Gruenwald said the new system will also give firefighters the ability to be much farther away than 100 feet from the artillery shells.
In Yost's report on local code enforcement activities, he said that a new record has been hit with 420 pet licenses recently registered. He went on to discuss some local properties with the council.
One of the items under new business included the R & A Taxi Company. Angelina Olson explained the new Spink County area taxi business to the council.
"I am kind of glad we came, because I noticed the library and also the senior center could probably use the help," said Olson. The business license was approved by the council.
Under information and discussion items, the cessation of SDDC's paper recycling program was discussed. Adam Hansen also discussed various options with the council to get the program up and running again.
After the SDDC road was discussed, council member reports were given and pay claims were read, the meeting came to a close at 8:34p.m.