City approves major public event applications

BREWSTER – The Brewster City Council approved applications for three of the city’s most important public events at its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, Jan. 19. Those included:

       • Fourth of July celebration (July).

       • King Salmon Derby (August).

       • Thunderfest Hydro Races (October).

Better communication sought

In other business Brewster business owner and former council member Manny Hurtado requested a more effective way to communicate text alerts or public information in both English and Spanish to residents over the phone network.

Brewster Police Chief Marcos Ruiz said his department started a Facebook page during the Covid pandemic.

“We saw how popular it was and how easy it was to put out information,” said Ruiz. “The problem is that just for our records retention alone the cost is $6,000 a year.”

Ruiz said the issues with texting for his department include infrastructure, equipment, and cost, but that a text alert was issued to the public earlier this month when an ammonia leak occurred at a city business.

Crossing safety urged

Hurtado also expressed concern that no crossing or warning lights warn drivers when students cross Seventh Avenue between the middle school and high school. He asked if the city could do something about the accident potential there.

Ruiz said his department recently dispatched offers to the school to help coordinate traffic control with crossing use.

City finance director Misty Ruiz said the city has already committed its safe routes to schools program funding to install a sidewalk to the Boys & Girls Club. She suggested that Hurtado take his concerns directly to school officials because the school can apply to the state and get the funds to install safety features.

Taxilane contract approved

An amendment to approve the west taxilane at Anderson Airport won approval to add to the infrastructure to attract more airplane owners. Mayor Art Smyth pointed out that infrastructure supports planes.

“Now you have dirt lots that are set up for somebody to build hangars on but there’s no way to get their planes from the hangar to the runway,” Smyth said.