Trent’s town board talked about future repairs and rental plans for the community gym after a board member’s controversial resignation last summer has cut activities to a slower pace.
There will be more discussion on what kind of fundraisers events to hold at the gym and what policies to have in place. Some community members say the town needs to promote more events and fundraisers like former board member Matt Larson started in order to keep momentum going. Others, including some on the town board, say that the board’s job is not to risk taxpayer money on those kinds of events.
In addition, board members at the Oct. 9 meeting talked about repairs for a leaky roof and ceiling that are needed before other decisions can be made about next steps for the gym property. The city has more than $22,000 in an account from fundraising, largely led by Larson, for the project. Bids have gone out for those two projects.
The board also paid Larson $1,999.50 for outstanding bills he paid himself for the Western Spirit Festival in June. Larson resigned after the music event, and the board said it needed to keep better track financially of money that goes through the event center. Larson was not directly accused of wrong-doing.
The board had agreed to pay Larson for the festival expenses up to the point where the event broke even. By paying him, the city did not make or lose any money on the event, said Jonathan Damm, board president.
In addition, Damm said no one from the city will bother Larson about giving up a Facebook page called Trent Event Center, which Larson created to advertise events when he was on the town board.
“We shouldn’t even be involved in the Facebook page. You own the Facebook page,” Damm said. “You’ve done nothing negative on that page. I follow that page. I see you promoting things.”
Larson told board members and 15 people from the community who attended the city meeting last week that town finance officer Kim Nelson tried to claim ownership of the Facebook page and that while it is not his intention to hold the page hostage, he needs to keep it a while longer until his Western Spirit Festival page catches up to it in “likes.” He also said he has spent countless hours and thousands of dollars developing the page, which he has made city board member Jen Ahrendt as the contact number. Ahrendt is the board member that oversees the gym and books events and said that she would like to see an active committee for the gym again.
Larson said he would like any division about the event center and other controversies to end. “I believe that the town board, past and present, and town employees have caused undue stress on the pool, the fire department and people working to improve the gym, including myself,” he said. “I want things to be civil and respectful in the town of Trent.”
After the meeting, Nelson denied his accusations.
Damm said the question is not whether there should be more events but at what pace the events and fundraisers should be held. “Everyone is in agreement that we’ve got a good thing started there and we want to keep it going.”
In other town board business,
•Board member Rich Nord said that there have been some city code violations with in at least one case, a resident putting up a fence where it can interfere with snow removal and street work. Residents should help each other out by reminding neighbors to check before doing a project, he said.
The city will work on an updated code enforcement book over the winter.
•Ahrendt said there are missing street signs, which makes it difficult for carriers to deliver packages so the signs need replacing. She also suggested a few areas where stop signs could be added, including one spot where the school bus stops.
“We have the signs. We have the posts,” she said.
•Board members asked that any resident who has extra tools that they would consider donating to the city shop, do so. The city has no tools and recently bought a ladder at a local auction. Donations of kitchen items also would be helpful for the gym kitchen, they said.
