Parks to get facelift with new equipment

By Barbara Brown
Two North Branch parks are going to get some serious facelifts with the addition of new playground equipment.
Two weeks ago, the North Branch City Council agreed to let the cityís parks commission spend up to $45,000 on a playground set for Harder Park.
The commission selected Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground to build the colorful set that would include several slides, swings, tubes and climbing areas.
The same company will build a custom set for North Branch Oaks Park at a cost of $20,000 that would include two slides, a log roll and an imitation rock wall climber.
Fireworks coming
North Branch residents will be treated to the first city-sanctioned fireworks display in years this July 4.
The city council will allow Northern Lighter Pyrotechnics to hold a fireworks display in Tower Field if the company meets several requirements.
Homeowners in a certain radius must be notified by the company of the intent to launch the display and the show cannot go on if there is a wind of more than 15 mph that day.
Employees and handguns
The council carried a motion to prohibit city employees to carry firearms to work.
The ordinance also does not allow employees to keep a weapon in a vehicle used for city work.
ATV use discussion
The council talked about whether the city should install signs in public parks that would prohibit the use of all terrain vehicles there.
Councilman Rod Lofquist said he was concerned about ATVs being used on roadways and in ditches.
He suggested that the city look into the possibility of banning ATVs in those areas.
The city currently has an ordnance forbidding ATVs in public parks, but not on roads or ditches.
Mayer Gloria Karsky asked city staff to investigate the matter.
Also at the meeting, the council heard from North Branch Fire Relief Association representatives who asked the city for a $38,000 contribution to their cause for 2004 ñ twice the 2003 donation.
Reasons cited for the increase were a number of fireman claiming benefits and the poor performance of financial investments.
For the last item of the night, the council approved increasing Richard Benolkenís hours by 8 to cover for the time a seasonal summer employee would have been paid.
Last month, the council agreed to hire Jason Kleschult to maintain the parks, but he declined the job.
A second applicant was not eligible because he did not have a driverís license.

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