Chad Dahlheimer, Vice President of the Advisory Committee for Becker Bulldog Archery, addressed the Becker City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Dahlheimer was joined by 15 archers and their parents and supporters who filled the gallery. They were on hand to say thank you to the council for their support for the team and for the plans and financial backing for the new archery range at 150th Ave SE.
Dahlheimer shared some participation stats. As of Oct. 14, 2024 - 266 kids were a part of the team, which is one out every six kids enrolled in grades 4-12 at Becker Schools. The team has 53 coaches, who have contributed over 1,200 volunteer hours.
New Police Chief
Mayor Tracy Bertram shared an update on the Personnel Committee’s search for a replacement for Chief Brent Baloun, who handed in his resignation at the end of the year.
“The Personnel Committee met to discuss the police chief interview timeline and evaluation forms,” said Bertram. “Those were all emailed out, so, those interviews will be coming up next week.”
Weed/Grass Charges
A public hearing was held to discuss certification of delinquent utilities and weed/grass charges. Mark Ebensteiner, Finance Director, explained that on October 2, 101 notices were sent out totaling $20,446 for delinquent utilities. As of the time of the meeting only 60 remained for a total of $14,750. Payments can still be made to the city on or before November 18 at 4:30 pm before charges are forwarded to Sherburne County.
Eighteen charges for weed and grass removal totaling $2,700 for work performed on June 24 and 25 will also be submitted to the county if not paid before the Nov. 18 deadline.
New Beverage Cart
Josh Kuha, Rec & Leisure Assistant at Pebble Creek, asked the council for approval for the purchase of a new beverage cart. Kuha explained the current unit is a rental and has a lower capacity for service than the new unit. Twenty-five thousand dollars was already budgeted. The purchase was approved and the cost of the new cart was $22,900 from Versatile Vehicles, Inc. in Prior Lake. A later motion was approved for the purchase of a used 2021 John Deere Pro-Gator from VanWall Equipment in Saint Paul for $24,996.
Area Childcare Action Plan
In 2023, Becker became a participant in the First Children’s Finance Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP). The goal of the program is to engage the community and develop solutions to address the childcare shortage and challenges in the area. A core team has come up with a community solution action plan that has identified four goals and solutions to be implemented in the next 10-12 months. The council approved adoption of the action plan.
The four goals are – by the end of Feb. 2025 build awareness of how childcare affects the workforce and community development. In eight months, identify six sites and determine the feasibility of space to expand childcare slots. Host provider events and provide access to relevant training. Lastly, in nine months, identify at least three community partnerships and create a framework and workplan that will increase awareness and interest in the childcare profession, while supporting the retention and expansion of existing providers.
Other News
Mayor Bertram announced that Kathleen Fluck and Heather Treptau both celebrated five year anniversary dates for part-time employment with the city. The council also accepted a monetary donation of $4,583 from the Becker Youth Sports Association (BYCA) Youth Football for improvements to the Becker Athletic Complex (BAC).
