LAHARPE — Volunteers will take another swing at installing playground equipment at the LaHarpe City Park this weekend.
Organizers discussed the playground work at Wednesday’s LaHarpe City Council meeting.
Getting the site prepared for the equipment has been the biggest hiccup so far, although organizers anticipate the site will be ready this afternoon for work to proceed.
Work will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at the park.
A resolution confirming a $15 monthly increase on electric meter charges was approved Wednesday, with the higher charges expected to be in place in time to be added to the December utility bills.
The new fees for residential customers goes from $12 a month to $27. Businesses will see their meter fees go from $15 to $30 a month, while larger industrial customers will go from $30 a month to $45.
The added revenue will be necessary if the city issues about $400,000 worth of bonds to help pay for anticipated electic upgrades.
Paying off those bonds over a 30-year period will require annual payments of about $23,000.
LaHarpe also will find out sometime in January whether it was successful in seeking another $400,000 Community Development Block Grant.
A series of outages and brownouts in recent days — usually attributable to the aging system — has added to the urgency.
COUNCIL MEMBER Sara’Nicole Prock has resigned her seat, Mayor Mae Crowell announced, because she and her family have moved from LaHarpe.
The seat will remain vacant until Crowell appoints a replacement, subject to Council approval.
Council members also discussed the hiring process for a new animal control and code enforcement officer.
“We have some issues with a few residents that we really need a code officer” to handle, Crowell said.
No timeline was given for the hiring.
