Driving down Haskell Street and seeing the local military hero banners displayed on the light posts is always special, but many of the posts are currently sitting empty.
At the Winnemucca City Council meeting on Feb. 7 (with all members present), Winnemucca’s City Clerk and Treasurer Ruth Fitzpatrick explained that the City has approximately 30 out of 60 spaces available to place military banners along Haskell Street for local military heroes.
The banners for veterans or active duty service members are subject to the bad weather and many have been damaged, lost, or taken down since they were put up in the early 2000s by a grassroots initiative organized by local citizens. The good news is that the banners can be replaced or put back up.
Fitzpatrick said that individuals are responsible for returning those that have been taken down or the cost of the replacement banners, which are $65 plus tax at Jim Dandy Productions located on Winnemucca Blvd., but if they are brought to City Hall, located at 90 W Fourth Street, City employees will happily put them up.
The Council agreed that it is nice to honor local active service members and veterans with the banners and they will continue to support their display.
In other City Council news:
• The Council approved a request for a $2,500 contribution to the 2023 Lowry High School Sober Grad Night event to go towards facility expenses and entertainment for graduates.
• The Council approved a motion not to raise or lower the property tax rate levied in the City, keeping it the same .97 cents it has been for approximately 30 years.
• City Manager Alicia Heiser presented an update to the Council regarding development of a new aquatics center.
According to Heiser, 13 requests for proposals were sent to architecture and aquatics firms and three firms prepared proposals, which will be evaluated and voted on by the Aquatic Center Committee. Their evaluations will be presented back to the Council for further consideration at the Councils’ next meeting on Feb. 21 or the following meeting in early March.
• Winnemucca Police Department Chief Mike Rangel gave a brief update about the City’s app (which can be found in any app store for smartphones as City of Winnemucca) explaining that it is a great place to get information. He urges the public to download it and familiarize themselves with the resource.