Continuing Contracts.

The Public Service Committee held their regular meeting Monday evening in the Parks Administration building. The agenda included discussing continuing agreements with Carthage Little League; the Hispanic Soccer League; American Legion Baseball; and the Carthage Youth Softball program.

The cost of lighting the fields became an issue when Parks Director Alan Bull reported that the Carthage Youth Softball program wanted to add more tournaments for this season.

Public Service Committee member Jackie Boyer asked how much more the lighting would cost for tournaments. Boyer stated that tournaments utilize the ball fields and concession stand area for approximately three hours per night for a tournament.

"Do we want something in place to recoup the money for lighting," asked Boyer?

Alan Bull stated that he would turn the lights on for an hour on each field and check the meter to see how much electricity the fields were using.

"I believe the City gives $7,000 to the youth programs," said Bull. "But $2,000 comes back to the City to cover lighting expenses.

The committee agreed with checking the lighting usage, with the number of nights the youth ball leagues play to see what the $2,000 covers.

Bull agreed to have the lighting information for next Monday’s Budget Ways & Means Committee meeting.

In other business, the committee listened to a presentation from Kellogg Lake Spring River Development Board member Ed Grundy. He spoke to the committee about a grant for $100,000 the Board was applying for through the Department of Natural Resources. He stated that the DNR grant would match $80,000 for the Board’s $20,000.

Grundy reported that the grant application is due by March 15th and that the Board needed a yes or no answer as soon as possible.

"We’re asking the City for the $20,000," said Grundy.

Grundy stated that the grant money would go to finishing the walking trails, putting in parking lots and the installation of permanent restrooms. He reported that the restrooms would cost $40,000 and that they did not have the bid back yet on the cost of the trails and the parking lot.

Kellogg Lake Board member Trisha Burgi reported that DNR gives out a million a year in grants at $100,000 per organization. She stated that the board can apply each year for $100,000 to go toward the development and improvements of Kellogg Lake.

Mayor Kenneth Johnson attended the meeting and stated that the City doesn’t have the $20,000 they are asking for.

"I don’t see that we can obligate to do that," said Johnson.

Kellogg Lake Board member Jo Ellis came to the meeting after the first discussion on the DNR grant. She reported that the Board didn’t need the $20,000 right now, but that they needed a letter of intend for the funds in order to complete the grant application by March 15th.

Ellis stated that she thought the money wouldn’t be needed until July 15th when DNR’s fiscal year began. The City’s fiscal year begins July 1st.

Public Service Committee member Claude Newport agreed that the grants funds are needed.

"If we’re going to use it as a park," said Newport. "We need to treat it like a park. It needs a bathroom."

"I move we take this to the Budget Committee meeting for discussion," said Newport.

The committee agreed to send the issue to the next Budget Ways & Means Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, March 8th at 7 p.m. in City hall.

Mornin'

I’ve always wondered how they gather the information used in makin’ those maps showin’ general attitudes in different regions. The ones showin’ the percentage of voters turnin’ out is prob’ly fairly easy I suppose.

I saw one the other day that showed where folks lived that didn’t think they were gettin’ enough sleep. How do they figure that, call folks in the middle of the night and ask if they are awake? ‘Course I was interested to see that nearly the whole state of Missouri, except for the K.C. and St. Louis area, felt rested most of the time. The map showed Kansas and Oklahoma feelin’ a little tired more often.

The real question is exactly what does it all mean. A good portion of Florida also reported a restful state. I don’t know if it means we are efficient or just lazy.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• I got tired of always looking for the dustpan, so I put a magnet on the back of it. It sticks right on the side of the fridge, right next to the broom." — Larry M. in Lexington, Ky.

• Towels will lose absorbency over time when washed with fabric softener. Skip the softener or run them through a cycle with a cup or two of vinegar to bring back the fluff.

• "This is a great tip that I got from my friend up north, and I just had to share it right away. When you change the clothes in your closet by season, put them all in with the hangers facing the opposite direction — with the open end facing out, not toward the wall. Then, when you wear clothes, turn them around as normal. At the end of the season, you can see what clothes you never wore and then decide if you want to keep them or not. It even works down here in Florida, where we really don’t have a lot of ‘seasons.’" — Frances D. in Jacksonville, Fla.

• "I have a lot of photos, and there are really too many to put all of them in albums. I took the best and put them in display albums, and the rest were sorted and put into photo boxes. This way, I can feel free to take a few from the photo boxes to send to friends, and the kids can use them for art projects or whatever. I know I have the best pictures preserved in an album." — Alicia L. in Billings, Mont.

• Avoid eyestrain by making sure your computer monitor is in the correct position. It should be placed directly in front of you, at least an arm’s length away. If you have trouble seeing the screen, you can adjust the resolution to make the screen items bigger.