During Tuesday’s Becker City Council Meeting, council extended an offer to Greg Lerud for the position of city administrator. Lerud was on hand at the meeting and indicated he was excited to join city staff. He will begin in May and said he was concerned that the next month would go by too slowly as he waited to begin. 

Committee Reports

The budget and finance committee overviewed financials through February and continued to prepare for the upcoming audit.

The golf committee noted that the fire alarm system at Pebble Creek is due to be replaced. Council member Mike Doering suggested that this item be added to the budget for next year. 

The planning commission had a discussion about Prairie Village Homes and is planning to review sign code in the near future.

Public Hearings

Council called for two public hearings at the request of staff. The public hearings will be held at the next regular meeting, April 19, and will be in regards to changes to chapter 10 and chapter 2 of city code. The changes will establish fees for burning restriction violations, garbage violations, and other items. 

BAC Concessions

The city has entered a contract with the Becker Youth Baseball Association to have the association run the concession stand at the Becker Athletic Complex (BAC). In previous years, the city has had difficulty staffing the stand and serving the many crowds at the BAC, but with the new contract the baseball association will run the daily operations of the stand and free city staff to focus on other matters of the city. 

BCC Projects

The rock wall at the Becker Community Center (BCC) is not being well utilized. The demand for the rock wall has declined in recent years, and the risk taken on by offering the activity is high. Plus, it requires extra staff to manage the area. So staff proposed that the area get revamped. The BCC could benefit from having a dedicated dining area, rather than having patrons order food and eat it in the lobby. Staff would also like to put arcade games in the room. In a deal the BCC has with Midwest Coin, the machines wouldn’t cost anything, but rather Midwest Coin would take a portion of the profits made. Staff also hoped to set up a projector in the room, making use of the high walls to display football games and other sporting events.

Birthday parties are on the rise at the BCC, with more than 90 being held so far this calendar year alone, and the room would help to serve party patrons.

BCC staff also wishes to bring in some soft seating in the lobby and in the hallway leading to the library. This will serve parents waiting for their kids, seniors from the senior center, and library patrons looking for a comfortable place to sit.