16:52The council’s decision to approve an exemption for a resident wishing to keep 12 hens on a large property near the Douglas Trail and golf course marked a significant topic of discussion. The current ordinance allows up to three hens, but the council chose to make an exception due to the property’s size and lack of nearby residential buildings. This exception follows a previous one, granted last year for 10 hens. The council acknowledged a trend in requests for larger numbers of hens and suggested reviewing the ordinance to possibly implement a tiered system based on lot size.

12:06In other business, the council approved a temporary liquor license for the Island Relief Association’s beer garden event, scheduled with corrected dates. Additionally, a resolution was passed to authorize official city signatures, and the sale of a tobacco license to new owners of the local Gas and Go was approved, maintaining the existing business name.

22:40Infrastructure improvements were also addressed, with the council approving a mill and overlay project on Fifth Street up to the pool and Main Street, under budget constraints that avoided a competitive bidding process. A new brush hog purchase was authorized to improve efficiency in maintaining public spaces, with costs shared between various city funds.

31:19Library funding was a concern, as changes at the federal level could impact the budget and operations. The library director highlighted ongoing projects, such as the installation of pollinator gardens and a system migration affecting inter-library loan services. These activities continue despite the looming uncertainty around state and federal funding, which could alter how the library accesses necessary resources.