Colfax city business still moving forward

Jana Mathia, Gazette Editor | Apr 23, 20200

COLFAX–While the Governor's order has Colfax City Hall doors closed to the public, business inside continues with plans for things to come and filing and updates that have been waiting in the wings.

"A lot of work we couldn't get through before we're doing now," said Mayor Jim Retzer.

Staff at city hall has been cut down to one or two, at most, with employees rotating who is in the office. Some are working from home. Staff and officials are able to stay connected via email and phone.

"It's been at minimum staff this whole entire time," Retzer said. The public has been understanding of the personnel shortage, he said.

While there are the usual tasks of handling billing and filing, staff is also updating policy and sorting through old files.

Public works is continuing regular business with a social distancing twist. When the crisis started, the crew was split into teams and isolated from each other. When they do work together, such as during work on a fire hydrant recently, they keep spaced apart and wear protective masks.

Those crews intend to be out this summer. One of the bigger projects is installation of flashing beacons at four Main Street intersections. The beacons were ordered at the beginning of the year. The beacons would activate to alert traffic when pedestrians want to cross.

The beacons would be installed at Main Street intersections with Thorn, Cooper, Stevens and Upton streets.

Crews have also been doing work on McDonald field and city parks, although what use they will see in the next few months is still unknown. Retzer said one goal is to put up a board acknowledging donations to McDonald field.

"That hopefully will happen some time this summer," he said.

Other summer work planned for the road crew is street patching.

While there is work that could be done at the city pool, that work is on hold for the time being.

City council meetings will hopefully resume in May as that too has been on hold. The council held its regular meeting March 2, but has canceled the regularly scheduled meetings since. Retzer said the city's budget was already in place so bills are being paid and there is no pressing business council members need to address.

The city has tested conducting meetings via a virtual platform, but has chosen to hold off implementing as the quality is poor and it is a struggle to get set up correctly. With no urgent need, the city is waiting in the hope of not needing to go that route.

Regular city council meetings are conducted the first and third Mondays of each month.

In regards to the search for a new police chief, Retzer said it is in the works and the city is trying to stay on track, but as polygraphs have been deemed non-essential, even if they had someone lined up, they couldn't proceed with hiring.