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New dispatcher to schedule city buses
By By Alica P. Thiele
Challenger reporter
Challenger reporter
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EmailJuly 19. 2010 6:00AM
People who ride the city buses will need to make reservations with a new dispatcher soon, the Brandon City Council decided at their regular meeting July 6. Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership manages Brandon’s transit system and requested that the bus dispatcher be a ICAP employee. Currently, city employee Bonnie Nelson schedules the buses.
The new employee will be part-time. The city will pay 20 percent of the person’s wages and ICAP will pay 80 percent. The person will work in Brandon.
Council member Mindy Hansen said the city buses have given 6,700 from Jan. 1 through June 30 of this year, so a dedicated dispatcher is justified. “I think that’s a big number for our community,” she said.
City Administrator Bryan Read said although the employee will be only part time, bus reservations still will be taken during regular business hours.
“We’ll figure something out so we’ll take reservations here (at City Hall) whenever that person isn’t (on duty),” he said.
The council assured Nelson they’d find other duties for her to do to make up for the time she spends scheduling buses.
In other business, the council looked at two estimates for an Aspen Boulevard project but took no action other than to continue looking at both improving or replacing the road.
City engineer Jon Brown told the council that a partial repair of Aspen Boulevard from Sioux to Splitrock boulevards would cost $784,000. That would include replacing and repairing some curb and gutter and replacing 48 percent of the road. The other 52 percent would get an overlay.
For $1.8 million, all the asphalt could be replaced and storm sewer could be added. All curb cuts would meet accessibility standards, and 75 percent of the curb and gutter would be replaced. Drain systems also would be improved, Brown said.
Neither estimate includes street lights, Brown said. The council asked Brown to get cost estimates on that.
Neither estimate calls for widening the street. For $50,000 to $80,000, however, sidewalks 8-feet wide could be installed, Brown said. That would eliminate the need for the bicycle-pedestrian lane on the north side of the street.
Council member Blaine Jones said his opinion is to do the project correctly the first time.
Read recommended the council continue to refine and consider both estimates. “We really need to take a look at if we can do a $1.8 million bond issue in 2011,” he said. The council agreed to continue to look at both options.
The council approved Mayor Larry Beesley’s appointment of Brian Heidbrink to the city tree board. He will replace Wayne Rohde, who has resigned. Heidbrink is “very knowledgeable, very involved in the community,” Beesley said.
The council approved two ordinances July 6 without discussion. In one, people as young as 18 years old will be able to serve alcoholic beverages at restaurants as part of their waiting tables work. The ordinance is an update to conform with state law, Read said.
The other ordinance gives the city council rather than the chief of police the authority to grant fireworks permits. It also says a permit can be given for any day of the year.
The next regular city council meeting will be held July 19. On the Thursday before every regular meeting, the council has a briefing meeting to learn about the issues that will come before them at their regular meeting. Both are held in the City Council Chambers, 308 Main Avenue. The briefing meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meetings begin at 6 p.m.
The new employee will be part-time. The city will pay 20 percent of the person’s wages and ICAP will pay 80 percent. The person will work in Brandon.
Council member Mindy Hansen said the city buses have given 6,700 from Jan. 1 through June 30 of this year, so a dedicated dispatcher is justified. “I think that’s a big number for our community,” she said.
City Administrator Bryan Read said although the employee will be only part time, bus reservations still will be taken during regular business hours.
“We’ll figure something out so we’ll take reservations here (at City Hall) whenever that person isn’t (on duty),” he said.
The council assured Nelson they’d find other duties for her to do to make up for the time she spends scheduling buses.
In other business, the council looked at two estimates for an Aspen Boulevard project but took no action other than to continue looking at both improving or replacing the road.
City engineer Jon Brown told the council that a partial repair of Aspen Boulevard from Sioux to Splitrock boulevards would cost $784,000. That would include replacing and repairing some curb and gutter and replacing 48 percent of the road. The other 52 percent would get an overlay.
For $1.8 million, all the asphalt could be replaced and storm sewer could be added. All curb cuts would meet accessibility standards, and 75 percent of the curb and gutter would be replaced. Drain systems also would be improved, Brown said.
Neither estimate includes street lights, Brown said. The council asked Brown to get cost estimates on that.
Neither estimate calls for widening the street. For $50,000 to $80,000, however, sidewalks 8-feet wide could be installed, Brown said. That would eliminate the need for the bicycle-pedestrian lane on the north side of the street.
Council member Blaine Jones said his opinion is to do the project correctly the first time.
Read recommended the council continue to refine and consider both estimates. “We really need to take a look at if we can do a $1.8 million bond issue in 2011,” he said. The council agreed to continue to look at both options.
The council approved Mayor Larry Beesley’s appointment of Brian Heidbrink to the city tree board. He will replace Wayne Rohde, who has resigned. Heidbrink is “very knowledgeable, very involved in the community,” Beesley said.
The council approved two ordinances July 6 without discussion. In one, people as young as 18 years old will be able to serve alcoholic beverages at restaurants as part of their waiting tables work. The ordinance is an update to conform with state law, Read said.
The other ordinance gives the city council rather than the chief of police the authority to grant fireworks permits. It also says a permit can be given for any day of the year.
The next regular city council meeting will be held July 19. On the Thursday before every regular meeting, the council has a briefing meeting to learn about the issues that will come before them at their regular meeting. Both are held in the City Council Chambers, 308 Main Avenue. The briefing meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meetings begin at 6 p.m.
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City Council members Dan Mostek (from left), Mindy Hansen and Bob Bruning visit after the July 6 council meeting. Behind them is an American flag that includes a black ribbon in honor of Bill Dougherty, a former lieutenant governor who died July 3. A black ribbon is used on flags that cannot be flown at half staff. Photo by Alica P. Thiele |  |
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