Holyoke City Council considers SRO partnership, approves new energy plan in March 7 meeting
Tuesday, March 7, the evening’s Holyoke City Council meeting began with a proposal to share costs regarding a school resource officer. Holyoke School District Superintendent Kyle Stumpf, who has discussed the subject extensively with the district’s Board of Education, said any resource officer hired by the school could act as an additional officer for the Holyoke Police Department.
“We believe there are ways to partner that can benefit the city and also benefit the district,” Stumpf said. If the council chose to entertain the idea, he continued, he could talk with Police Chief Doug Bergstrom and work out the details. The budget could be organized by the spring, according to Stumpf, and they could “try to start something in the fall.”
Considering Stumpf’s proposal for a moment, Mayor Kevin Scott said, “It’s something to talk about.”
“That’s all we’re asking,” Stumpf said.
MEAN proposal
City Superintendent Jeremy Thompson, following a study of towns and cities in the area surrounding Holyoke, suggested the city switch to the SSM energy plan organized by the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska. While this plan operates on a long-term basis, well past the five-year contract with which the city is accustomed, he believes Holyoke is “guaranteed to get the lowest possible power price” using SSM.
“The only one who hasn’t gone with the SSM, which is going to lock you in for a minimum of 26 years, is Wray,” Thompson said. “Yuma and everyone else who’s involved goes with the M.”
Benefits associated with this plan over the city’s previous choice, Thompson said, include a 5% savings in costs, scholarship opportunities, openings for city electricians to earn journeyman credits and plenty of extra help.
“It just makes more sense to lock in with something we’ll never have to worry about,” he said.
With encouragement from Scott, the council approved the new contract unanimously.
Consent agenda
For the consent agenda, the council approved a special events permit for the Cinco de Mayo committee, whose celebration is set for 2 p.m. to midnight at the Phillips County Event Center on May 5. With this permit, the committee will be allowed to serve alcohol.
They also approved purchase of a 2021 John Deere compact utility tractor at a cost of about $24,500 and a side-discharge mower for about $3,800.
Finally, the council approved a travel request by Officer Jordan Fleharty to attend School Resource Officer School in Thornton, from March 20-24. Accounting for registration, lodging and meals, the total cost for his trip will be about $1,500.
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