BRANDT ATTENDS UNK HONOR BAND
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Brandt Attends UNK Honor Band
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Henry Doorly Zoo visits Exeter-Milligan
Exeter-Milligan kindergarten,
first and second graders were impressed with the shell of a sea turtle that
Peter brought with him from the Henry Doorly Zoo.
The Henry Doorly Zoo came to
Exeter-Milligan on Monday afternoon, January 25.
The seventh grade class were
guided by a Zoo presenter, Peter, in dissecting an albatross bolus. This is the inedible items of an
albatross. They form into a large
cylinder and the albatross regurgitates it similar to what an owl does with a
pellet.
The students found a variety of
inedible items in their bolus including plastic packaging and squid beaks.
The seventh grade class also
learned about a Cave Rat snake from a docent, Alice, who came along. The seventh graders got to touch the
different scales of the snake and then several of them got to feel the muscles
in the snakes belly as it crawled along on their hands.
Later in the afternoon the
kindergarten, first and second grade classes got to hear a presentation on
animal superpowers by Peter. Some of the
superpowers the students were able to guess and try to imitate but they couldn’t
seem to hold their breath for three hours like a sea turtle or sleep for 90
days like a black bear. The students
were impressed that the beaver could make it’s own lakes and the shark could
regrow it’s teeth.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Exeter Village Board Holds Workshop on Revitalization
By Leesa K. Bartu
Delving into the issues facing the community of Exeter was
the main focus for the Exeter Village Board on Monday, January 18th.
The workshop, not their regular monthly meeting, was opened
by Chairman Alan Michl who then introduced Terry Meier And Jeff Ray, with JEO
Consulting group, to moderate the meeting.
All of the members of the village board were present along
with a few community members. The purpose was to focus on strategic
planning for the future of Exeter with a hope and finding potential funding
resources.
Meier hoped to “Identify your needs and build a plan around
it.”
The primary needs identified were downtown revitalization,
the Tag Factory, a new city office/library/technology center, residential
development, street improvements and infrastructure.
The board and audience discussed each of the topics in
detail especially focusing on needs and solutions.
Under the downtown revitalization some of the topics were
new LED streetlights, sidewalk conditions, financing for storefront façade
improvements, removal of dilapidated buildings including the tag factory and a
potential site for the city office/library/technology center building.
There was also discussion on remodeling the former gun shop
before turning the focus to the condition of the tag factory. The board
will be advertising for demolition bids soon which they estimate will cost
between $130,000 and $300,000.
The village had looked into a recycling grant from the
Department of Environmental Quality but were not able to meet the deadline.
There was discussion on the possibility of still being able to recycle the
materials of the tag factory.
The next topic the group discussed was the possibility of
building a new city office/library/technology center. The village has
outgrown the current space, especially in the library which they would like to
expand to offer more technology.
One possible site that was proposed was where the current
tag factory sits and in the same conversation there was interest expressed in
repurposing the current building into doctor’s offices.
The other possibility noted would be to expand the current
building to the south, the building on the property the village owns will be
torn down.
Clerk Becky Erdkamp explained the technology center could be
to help service those in the community who are unemployed, “Jessica (librarian)
recently had the department of labor come in and train her on how to do
unemployment forms online.”
Residential development was recognized as the next topic for
discussion. There was a collective agreement that there is a lack of
housing for both families and single residents. It was acknowledged that
a new residential subdivision is essential as many of the empty lots in town
are owned by residents who plan to use the lots for extra space around
their homes including play space for their children or for their gardens.
Village Chair Michl indicated that the land near just north
of the well houses is one possibility for expansion but the land would have to
be purchased from the person who owns the farm ground.
Meier noted that the village is participating in the
county-wide housing study which will help identify the housing needs in
Exeter. Using this information the JEO representatives hope to find
available funds to fill these requests in town.
Michl and Exeter Volunteer Fire Chief John Mueller reported
that approximately 12 homes in Exeter have been burned down in the last three
years. On Exeter Avenue (main street) one new home is under construction
where two homes were burned down.
Along with this conversation the group addressed the
possibility of the nursing home reopening as an assisted living
facility.
Public infrastructure and street improvements were the next
point of interest that was examined.
Meier observed that the current street bonds retired in
2019, “You usually want to replace with debt with debt so that your property
tax doesn’t drop off. It’s hard to get (property tax) back on.”
The consensus was that East Boundary needs to be repaved as
it is the truck route and has deteriorated. Michl elaborated, “Probably
more likely on the next street bond would be to repair and replace the
streets. Some need to be completely replaced in addition to the 20 blocks
on the one and six-year plan.”
Along with streets, the water and sewer situation was
discussed. The last rate increase was in December 2012 and Mueller
informed the board that the Rural Water Association will be preparing another
rate study soon.
Meier asked Mueller about the condition of the sewer and
water lines. Mueller noted that the sewer line under the old railroad
tracks have some issues. The main sewer line that runs under part of the
school has had some recent updates and they have had some issues with a lack of
water shut off valves.
The lagoons are servicing the community unless it is a wet
year, Mueller explained. He estimates the water tower will need cleaning
and repainting sometime in the next five years.
Several other topics including parks and recreation were
discussed with it being recognized that most of the parks are in good
condition. Several mentioned that additional camping pads at Gilbert’s Park
would come in handy along with some new swings.
A short discussion was held about the current Exeter Chamber
of Commerce revitalized as a community club.
After several hours of conversation the group was asked to
choose two priorities with the majority choosing the downtown revitalization
and removal of the tag factory as the top priority with residential
development as the second priority.
The city office/library/technology center was recognized as
the third and street improvements were the fourth priority.
After establishing time frames for each of the priorities,
Meier and Ray explained the process and JEO’s function. They will compile
the information gathered at the meeting and look at possible funding sources
for the priorities creating a printed plan for the community to follow.
They expect to have this ready in a month.
Monday, January 25, 2016
CRC Play Begins Tonight for Timberwolves
The Exeter-Milligan Boys Basketball team will be playing McCool Junction tonight in York at the Auditorium at 7:15 p.m. You can listen to the game live on KTMX 104.9
Exeter-Milligan has been part of the history of the CRC -- here's a great article about it:
Striv Sports
Exeter-Milligan has been part of the history of the CRC -- here's a great article about it:
Striv Sports
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