City park gets gate, talk of other updates

City councilwoman Lana Bushong gave an update at the meeting, saying Cole Suter was supposed to be building the metal pipe gate at the entrance to the city-owned and operated Hoerman Memorial Park, located next to the Gainesville Elementary School. 

Bushong said she expected him to begin work sometime soon after the meeting. Since the meeting, the gate has been finished. 

The council has discussed in previous meetings about enforcing open and closed park hours to help control some of the vandalism that occurs overnight. Those hours have not yet been finalized. 

Bushong has agreed to open and close the gate at the needed times. 

Councilwoman April Lynne said that her husband Matt Lynne will be up at the park trimming trees to help improve visibility at the park, as well. 

The council discussed finding a way to lock the power box that is located near the park pavilion after the city has had issues with people utilizing the electricity, paid for by the city, to charge their electric cars for lengthy periods of times or to hook up TVs and other electronics. It was determined the box will need to be outfitted with a lock. 

Mayor Gail Reich says that paint and stain have been purchased for the benches at the park, which she hopes will be applied soon. One bench is missing a board on the back, and it will also be fixed, she said.