Early council pledges final funding for 3rd Street "Lion’s Cub" Park, agrees to sidewalk repour

The Early City Council voted unanimously on July 1 to provide the final funding requested by the Early Achievers 4‑H Group for the 3rd Street (Lion’s Cub) Park and to cover the cost of repouring the adjacent city sidewalk.

Five members of the Early Achievers 4‑H Group told the council they remain about $1,500 short of their fundraising goal for the park and said Schmitt Contracting will repour the sidewalk. Councilor Brian Pickhinke moved and Councilor Brandon Scadden seconded a motion to proceed with the sidewalk expenses; the motion passed on a show of hands with Councilors Pickhinke, Scadden, Madden and Langner voting aye. A separate motion by Pickhinke, seconded by Councilor Christine Madden, pledged the final funding for the park; that motion also passed on a show of hands with the same votes.

City officials told the group the estimate for the poured‑in‑place rubber surfacing has not changed from the prior year and that concrete prices for the sidewalk remained consistent with the earlier estimate. The 4‑H group said, if the funding goal is met, the project could start on or about Aug. 25 so work will not disrupt the summer for children.

The council did not attach additional conditions to the pledge. The motions were recorded in the meeting minutes as approved by the four councilors present at the time; Councilor Cory Tiefenthaler arrived later in the meeting and did not vote on the initial consent‑agenda actions recorded at the start of the session.

The approved action directs city staff to work with the 4‑H group and Schmitt Contracting to schedule the sidewalk work and finalize any remaining paperwork so the park project can proceed once the pledged funds are transferred.