Sheldon, Iowa — The majority of Wednesday’s Sheldon City Council meeting was devoted to discussing the Turf Upgrade Project, which is a partnership between the Sheldon Community Schools, Northwest Iowa Community College and the City of Sheldon.
Sheldon Community Schools superintendent Cory Myer gave the Council an update on the project, and says a digital scoreboard component has been added to the project. Myer told the council that the fundraising effort is going very well, with only about $100,000 left to be raised for the $1.4 million dollar project.
The City has been asked to contribute $150,000 toward their part of the project partnership, and at-large councilman Tom Eggers said he is in favor of supporting it.
1st Ward councilman Pete Hamill and 2nd Ward councilman Ken Snyder both told the Council that they had heard both positive and negative constituent feedback on the City’s participation, but both said they agree that the Council should move forward.
Third Ward councilman Brad Hindt says he supports the idea, but wants to know where the money for a City pledge is going to come from.
The Sheldon Marketing Committee is funded by the City’s Hotel/Motel Tax, and Marketing Committee Chair Heidi Brown told the Council that COVID-19 devastated the amount of Hotel/Motel Tax dollars collected in Sheldon, and everywhere, which put a severe strain on the Marketing Committee’s budget. When pressed, she said the Marketing Committee might consider making a pledge as a portion of the $150,000 that has been requested of the City.
After much discussion, the Council passed a motion to consider the donation during their Budget Workshops, which will be held next month.
