HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!
January 2012 Calendar of Events…
January 3 - Ambulance Meeting 6:00 p.m. - Ambulance Building
January 6 - Chamber Meetinging Noon - Feeding Station
January 9 - City Council Meeting 7:00 p.m. - Council Chambers
January 10 - Park and Rec Meeting 7:00 p.m. - City Hall Council Chambers
January 10 - Senior Pinochle - Tekoa Community Church
January 11 - Tekoa Fair Association
January 24 - School Board Meeting 7:00 p.m. - District Board Room
January 26 - Distribute Commodiites 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - City Hall
January 30 - Ambulance Board Meeting 7:00 p.m. - Ambulance Building
City Notices
~ City Hall will be closed on Monday, January 2, for New Years. . We will also be closed Monday, January 16, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
~There will be no change with garbage pick up.
**Please note: Beginning with the January 2012 utility bill, the water rate has increased by $5.00. This is to pay for the USDA RD loan for the improvements to the water system.
The City Council for the City of Tekoa approved the final budget Ordinance No. 799 for 2012
at the December 19, 2011 council meeting. The final budget for 2012 is $7,471,677.97.
They also approved budget amendment Ordinance No. 800 for 2011. The increase to the
budget is $5,207,599.63. Inter-fund transfers for fire hydrant rental and water and sewer to
reserves in the amount of $86,200.00 were also approved. Complete copies of either
ordinance can be obtained from City Hall during business hours.
~Meeting Change Notice for January~
The City of Tekoa will not have their regular council meetings on January 2, 2012 and January 16, 2012. They will be having one council meeting on January 9, 2012 for January.
All citizens are encouraged to attend.
~Tekoa Library News~
Whitman County Library would like to thank the City of Tekoa for
updating the wiring in the library. With the generous support of our city and the Friends of the
Library, Tekoa Library now has 4 computer workstations and 2 wireless stations available to
the public.The 3rd Thursday Kids Craft Club is a fun way for Tekoa kids to enjoy a story and
make crafts with friends. The December youth had a great time making snow-globes and eating
yummy cupcakes. Join us on February 16, at 4:00 p.m. for the next fun-filled afternoon of
crafting.
Everyone is invited to Tekoa Story time each Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Bring in your little ones
for an exciting, educational story and interaction with other kiddoes.
Tekoa Library would like to thank Celesta St. john for her generous donation of books that
are all the rage with the youth of Whitman County.
The Whitman County Library offers many useful tools and electronic resources to cardholders,
so please come in and talk to the librarian if you need assistance with any of the website
resources.
Librarian Patti is conducting a survey on what you, the patrons, would like to see offered
at the library. Please take a moment to write down answers on a piece of paper for this
survey and drop it off at the library. Thank you for your opinions!
1) Have you attended any of the events offered at the library? 2) If so, what was the event?
3) Have your children attended any of the events? 4) If so, what was the event?
5) What sort of program or event would you like to see offered at the library?
It is time to renew those dog tags! Every dog in Tekoa is required to have a license. Please fill out the enclosed form, and return with payment. $20.00 not altered, and $10.00 altered.
Volunteer In Focus
The residents of Tekoa and the outlying area can rest assured that if they have a medical
emergency help will be on the way. An outstanding group of volunteers are trained and
willing to come to your aide. The Tekoa Ambulance is operated by volunteers that donate
their time and talents to ensure that the members of our community will be well taken care
of in an emergency. These people go through extensive training and testing and donate their
time to go on emergency runs. An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) must go through
150+ hours of initial training and take a national test to be certified. The EMT’s also train for
at least 2 hours each month to keep their certification current. The EMT’s and drivers respond
to emergency calls and also volunteer to attend many events in our community so there are
trained professionals available if an injury does occur. You will see our community ambulance
and EMT’s at football games, basketball games, rodeos, etc. The ambulance is in need of
additional volunteers, so if you are interested please let them know. The EMT’s for Tekoa
are Jim Gordon, Sherma Tysz, LaDonna Sienknecht, Leo Arnold, Tonya Melton and Sam Rapp.
The ambulance drivers are Rob Wilkins (also a first responder), Joe Brandt, Mike McHargue,
Duane Groom, Cliff Melton, Jake Terry, and Heath Pillig. PLEASE GIVE THEM THANKS!!
~Messages from the Mayor~
I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year! ’tis 2012; an election year! By
this time next year we will be sick and tired of politics!! Maybe we are already!!
Speaking of elections, we need a new city council person. Mike Bogenreif resigned at our
December meeting. If interested in this position, please write a short note of interest and get it
to City Hall by January 31. I would like to think that with all the work accomplished this fall
and the contractors anxiously waiting for spring to start up again, city patrons might like to get
involved in the decision–making process!! We hate to lose Mike as a councilmember. He
single-handedly spearheaded the memorial trail project, as well as other projects designed to
clean up our community. Mike will remain as our Code Enforcement Officer.
Times are difficult for many of our patrons, consequently, our ‘project share’ program has
received considerable attention lately. It began with a focus on elderly patrons, but now has
expanded to help others regardless of age, etc. If you haven’t heard, this program will pay for
one month’s water, sewer and garbage bill. You must apply with a letter addressed to
City Hall and it will be forwarded to those disseminating the funds. The project share program
would not be possible without financial support from other members of our community. It is
heart-warming to note that contributions to this fund come all year long and not just at
Christmas time.
Some of you may have noticed that handrails are not in place along-side the new steps next to
the Gymkanna grounds. They are coming and will be secured to the ground by the contractors
as soon as they are constructed…weather permitting!
I received a letter from an individual that would remove pigeons from buildings. If this interests anyone with such a building, call City Hall!!
I am sure everyone noticed the $5.00 increase in your water rates. Sorry about this but as
I mentioned in my last newsletter, your property tax for 2012 will be less due to a 5% cut in
our street levy. I doubt if that helps much, but it’s something.
We are trying to get contractors to bid on making the restrooms at the Community Center,
wheel-chair accessible. As of yet, we have been unable to locate anyone. Suggestions are
welcome!
Whitman County Sherriff, Brett Myers attended a council meeting to answer concerns
about the presence of his officers in town. As you know, we contract for 20 hours a week.
He mentioned that, often a few people in town take up much of those hours at the expense of
patrolling the school area or my pet peeve; watching for drivers making u-turns in the middle
of our main street. If you are interested in knowing how they spend some of their time in
Tekoa, go to www.whitmancounty.org/sherriff website as you will get some idea.
Enough of my rambling for 2011; will write again next year!!
P.S. Our rest stop restrooms were vandalized Monday, the 26th. Please, if anyone has
information, contact me. We sent a pop can left in the restroom to the Sherriff’s Department
for possible prints. Whoever is responsible needs to be identified!!
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