Sheldon, Iowa — Following a public hearing at Wednesday’s Sheldon City Council meeting, the Council passed a resolution agreeing to apply for financial assistance with the USDA Rural Development to finance pubic safety equipment.
A representative of the City’s grant writing company explained that the total value of the projects for which the City is applying to the USDA is $1.823-million. The representative said that a grant could be made for 35% of that total, with the remainder, if approved, coming in the form of low-interest loans. When asked about a timeline for a potential grant and loan, the grant writer told the Council that the USDA typically reviews the requests as soon as they’re received and a response normally comes within a couple of weeks. The monies being applied for are for upgrading and replacing safety equipment for the City’s public safety departments; Sheldon Police Department, Sheldon Fire Department, SCAT and Sheldon EMA.
The Council received an update from Chief Scott Burtch on the police department’s efforts to secure a K-9 for the department. Burtch told the Council that the fundraising effort has raised approximately $35,000 dollars thus far and they’re ready to contract with a kennel to provide the animal and the 12-weeks of training that Officer Eric Meineke will have to undergo in the Twin Cities area. Burtch said that training would probably commence sometime in March. After Burtch’s report, the Council took no action, tabling the issue until their February 3rd meeting in order to have a signed agreement with the kennel before they proceed.
The Council went into closed session at the conclusion of the regular agenda, for the purpose of planning strategy in contract negotiations with the union representing the majority of the City’s employees.
