There were a few big stories in Clearwater in 2016.
Probably the most significant was the North Area Street and Utility Improvement Project.
The project started back in the summer of 2015 and was slated for completion in mid-2016. But issues about the quality of work, lack of communication between the contractor, engineer and residents, and debates over the types of curb each driveway should have delayed the work until late October.
The second wear course was finally completed in November, but there is still a list of items to be completed in the spring.
The city council just approved the next-to-last payment to the contractor in its final meeting of the year in December.
Also still undecided is the next big issue - water and sewer rates.
Since April, members of the council have been debating whether or not to refinance a sewer bond to reduce annual debt service payments.
The move would reduce payments from over $600,000 to just under $300,000 and help put the sewer fund in the black.
But there hasn’t been a consensus about whether it’s in the city’s best interest to extend the loan another 10 years and add about $780,000 in interest over the life of the loan.
As of the final meeting in December, the council still hasn’t made a decision, nor have they decided what the sewer rates will be. That decision will fall into the lap of the new council.
This was another story in 2016, the November elections.
Incumbent Councilmen Chris Ritzer and Mike Ranum were defeated in the election. The new council will consist of incumbents Mayor Pete Edmonson, Councilmen Kris Crandall and Rollie Lange. Joining them will be Richard Petty and Andrea Lawrence.
It was also a busy Election Day in Clearwater Twp., as residents turned out not only to elect a president, but to decide who would represent them on the town board.
With Dan Mol deciding not to run for re-election and Supervisor Bill Langenbacher’s seat up for election, five candidates ran for two seats.
Langenbacher held off challenger Sue Henstein by 87 votes.
Former township supervisor and county commissioner Rose Thelen won the other seat over John Notsch and Duane Sprague.
The township will also have a new treasurer - Jon Bigalk, who ran unopposed to fill the position formerly held by Kristin Helwig.
The township also had its own controversial road project - the Illsley Ave. re-alignment. The town hall filled with residents debating the merits of spending over $200,000 for a road that wasn’t used much.
In March, after a 45-minute discussion with residents, the town board voted, 2-1 to move ahead with the project.
They also debated the township’s first chip seal project. In April, they voted to do chip sealing on 120th Street, Hart Ave., 125th Street, a cul de sac on 124th Street and a portion of 140th Street.
All the township projects were completed in 2016.
There were plenty of other stories in Clearwater in 2016.
The Clearwater Fire Dept. welcomed its new chief, Ryan Pridgeon at the beginning of the year. He was voted in after former Chief Doug Nieters stepped down.
In April, the Clearwater Cast of Characters put on another gem of a show in Francine’s Will during six performances of Clearwater Dinner Theatre at Eagle Trace Event Center.
The Clearwater Library celebrated its 15th Anniversary with two weeks of activities in April.
New Clearwater Royalty was crowned during the Heritage Days celebration in August. Emily Hoyer is the new Miss Clearwater. Kendra Sladky was chosen as Junior Miss Clearwater and Sonja Philippi was crowned Little Miss Clearwater before a huge crowd at the Clearwater Center Shopping Plaza.
Improvements began at Eldorado Park in late fall with the first phase, a new state-of-the-art playground system that includes two zip lines.
The Clearwater City Council approved the 2017 tax levy with a 3.65% increase in December.
They also approved the annexation of a parcel of land just south of I-94 that will be the home of a new Kwik Trip station. That happened over the last few weeks of the year.
Happy New Year!
