The Yuma City Council heard from several residents about the two situations at a regular meeting last week at Yuma City Hall in downtown Yuma.
Mayor Ron Suwera, Protem Mayor Mark Shay, and City Councilors Tim McClung, Marill Smith-Dishner, Dan Bauk, Terry Frame and Jerome Benisch were all present.

One issue involved the conditions around the Homestead Trail north of the Indian Hills Golf Course. Homestead Trail and Centennial Road are nearby.
Centennial Road has been closed at the southeast end of the housing complex since December due to a sewer extension project. It was completed in early December, before the lingering snow and cold weather arrived.
Joe Newton addressed the council, pointing out that roads were still closed and submitting a letter to the city asking for a written response about the situation. It said it was signed by all residents of Homestead Trail.
Residents have also dealt with a lack of effective drainage in their neighborhood, exacerbated by the snowy winter and subsequent thaw. Both roads are dirt roads and sections are very muddy. James Matson told the council that it was difficult to access sidewalk garages and parking lots. He also suggested installing a Centennial stop sign on Highway 59 on the west side due to the muddy conditions on the road. He appreciated the efforts of the city and its employees and believed that the road would be repaired as soon as possible.
Another Homestead Trail resident, Adam Boprez, tackled the U-shaped street drainage problem. He said the lowest point was the vacant lot between Homestead 203 and 207, and he suggested creating a storm runoff pond and installing pipes to drain water from it.
Mayor Scott Moore spoke about the situation later in the meeting. He said he understands residents’ concerns and said the city is in the process of drafting a response. He said sewer project contractor Sterling’s Concrete Specialties made two visits to the site and hopes to have the reclamation work done by this week. said he was working on
“We want to address that issue as well,” Moore said, noting that the city can’t drain water onto private property it doesn’t own.
“Sorry it took so long,” he said.
Two residents also told the council that they had received a law enforcement notice that livestock must be removed from their property south of the Yuma County Fairgrounds, which has been designated as an industrial zone. .
Josie Gord told the council that her family has lived in the area for 30 years and has never been told they cannot keep livestock. She also said her family cannot get rid of all the livestock in her 30 days. She asked if something had changed and she had to have more animals.
Manny Avaya spoke to the council about the same issue. He and his family have lived on the site for several years and were told they could livestock at the time of purchase. He said this was the first time he’d been told he couldn’t, adding that his neighbors told him they were his grandparents, even though the area is designated as an industrial zone. rice field.
Swehla suggested to both Moore and Police Chief Jerry Thompson to set up a meeting to get a full explanation of the situation. (More on this in next week’s edition.)

past grants
The Council unanimously approved two historic preservation grant applications by the Yuma Historic Preservation Commission. One is the Hart Family Fund Grant and the other is the State Historical Fund Grant.
Yuma Historic Preservation Commissioner Chad Lail provided some background ahead of the council’s vote. He said the State Historical Society is requesting an investigation. He said the Yuma Commission contacted 36 of his surveyors and eventually he found one willing to do it. The first survey is along S. Main St. from the railroad to his Fifth Avenue, two blocks on either side of S. Main.
The grant will be used for research and will not require matching funding from the City. Rail also said that the Hart Grant is for small towns, supporting functions that stimulate interest and commitment in preserving Yuma’s history for future generations.

main street activation
The council has approved two purchases for the Main Street Revitalization Project.
The project is led by the Yuma Chamber of Commerce and funded by a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation. The city acts as the financial agent for the grant.
The first purchase approved is for a sign that will be installed near Route 34. Mr. Moore told the council that the total cost was $15,195.50 for him, but now he only needs to spend $5,195. Chamber of Commerce’s Wendy Lynch said the overall cost of the project will remain the same, but some costs will be shifted as signatures are required.
The council also approved an expenditure of $11,331.84, also paid for by CDOT grants, to install planter banner arms on S. Main’s decorative utility poles.

more meetings
• Approved an expenditure of $6,227 for a maintenance contract for the Yuma Municipal Airport’s AWOS system. The Federal Aviation Administration will cover 90% of the expenditure. A few years ago he said AWOS was installed and the city has a maintenance contract and this is an expenditure within the budget.
• The purchase of a 150 hp motor for the Mitchell well was brought before the Council. Moore said the city had two bids for him, the lower bid for him at $16,499. He also said the city could rebuild the current motor from his $8,000 to $9,000 he could serve as backup for the Mitchell well and the other he two city wells where it would fit. I said yes. The council approved a motion to purchase a new motor for him at no more than $17,000 and rebuild the current motor at no more than $9,000 for him, including shipping. The city had budgeted his $50,000 for this project. It was also noted that the Mitchell well is the most used of all city wells.
• An executive session was held at the end of last week’s conference to discuss negotiations on leased city property and the sale of wastewater to Yuma Ethanol. The Board adjourned after returning to public meetings.