Mayor reports hiring and upcoming infrastructure projects, cites $199,297 in budget savings

Mayor Shelly Hassel reported several administrative and capital updates: the city is soliciting bids to replace Connell signage with a new logo on state routes and at the community center, and the mayor announced the hiring of Johnny Cochran Roney as community development manager with a start date of March 16.

The mayor said she toured the pool house with the parks and recreation board and described planned upgrades ahead of the summer pool opening. She also reported meetings with consulting firm Anderson Perry about upcoming projects including a Clark Street bridge deck replacement, new sidewalks on 1st Street between Columbia Avenue and Stryker Park, transportation improvement program priorities, potential Burlington Northern utility relocations, a possible new city well, and wastewater lagoon repairs.

To reduce costs, the mayor outlined a reorganization that includes not hiring a city administrator, replacing an accounting clerk, hiring a part-time planning director and community development manager, adding part-time code enforcement and facilities positions, and splitting the public works director role into two salaried positions; she said the changes are projected to save $199,297 on the 2026 budget. The mayor presented these changes as completed steps toward fiscal savings and said further details would be available in staff reports and future agenda packets.