Hillsboro council gets bright ideas from students
Staff writer
Hillsboro city council members Tuesday reviewed progress on the city’s five-year plan.
A child care center project has been received so well by the community it now has a location and more than $100,000 in the bank.
A fund raiser will be held at Rhubarb Market. City administrator Matt Stiles said he’s confident the needed $600,000 will be raised.
Stiles updated the city continues to look at options to increase housing.
On the city’s goal of developing more housing, mayor Lou Thurston said he’d met with a housing developer but concluded the developer intended to charge high rents and expected to city to cover infrastructure Thurston didn’t believe were the city’s responsibility.
Other housing groups are being explored, Stiles said.
Council members took a first look at city improvement ideas developed by high school senior government class students.
“Some really good projects this year, many of which have been on the radar,” Stiles said. “We are still waiting on a few of the projects we started this year to be finished by contractors or city staff, the biggest being improvements to the park shelters.”
One suggested project is to develop a 125-feet by 50-feet dog park in Hillsboro Memorial Park. The cost, including fencing, a water fountain, a waste bag dispenser, agility equipment, and benches, would be $34,266.
Another suggested project is renovation of restrooms at the sports complex to improve safety and make the restrooms more attractive. The cost of adding epoxy flooring, a sink, door knobs, and hand dryers would be $9,717.
Park bathroom improvements at Hillsboro Municipal Park were also proposed at a cost of $213,720 to tear down the old bathroom building and construct a new one that would double as a bathroom and shelter house.
Two school-related projects were proposed. One would make improvements to the safety of the Jefferson St. and Grand Ave. intersection at a cost of $3,000. Proposed is to add crosswalk lines and better signage.
The other is to make improvements to the south side of the school by adding plants, rocks, signs, a watering system, a tree bags at a cost of $6,500.
A proposal to paint a mural on the Wall of Bluejay Lanes would cost $4,500 to $5,500.
A proposal to place rectangular rapid flashing beacons to cross walks on D St. at Tabor’s campus would cost $50,000.
One student proposed renting electric scooters.
Another student proposed sidewalk repairs on the south side of D. St from the 300 block of West D St. to the 200 block of S. Lincoln.
Another student proposed the city purchase a downtown building and develop spaces for a farmers market, arts and crafts exhibits, school events, weddings, and entertainment area with museum exhibitions on the top floor.
The total price including purchase of the building would be $114,975.
The students will discuss their proposals during a November meeting.