Community garden dies for a lack of gardeners

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Community Garden, one of SHOC’s (Strengthening the Heart of the Community) projects, will no longer be.

Mayor Kent Andersen told the Royal City Council on Nov. 17 that the city will no longer provide funding. He said SHOC has also stopped funding the garden.

The community garden was one of the early ideas after SHOC was formed. The school district got behind it with land, and the city got behind it with an irrigation system. It was launched about five years ago.

The community garden never really got going to the level SHOC had envisioned. Sited on property across Ahlers Road from the school district administration office, it was going to give residents the opportunity to raise their own fresh foods.

The community garden was a series of small plots. A family could use one of the plots to grow whatever it wanted. It was set up with drip or sprinkler irrigation. The cost to each garden family was only $25.

The community garden got off the ground, but there were never enough tenants to use up all of the plots. And then some tenants found that taking care of garden wasn’t all that much fun after a day’s work. Interest started waning, and SHOC finally gave it up.

In other business before the Council on the 17th, council members voted an amendment to the city’s garbage collection contract with Consolidated Disposal Service Inc. to include a price for compactor units.

Finance Director Greg Pike said the move was taken because Royal City Harvest Foods is planning to install a compactor

“We never had anybody with a compactor before,” Pike said.

“Maybe others will start to consider if it’s less expensive to go that way.”

Police Chief Darin Smith informed the Council that Officer Jose Rivera may be moving onward and upward. Rivera’s is hoping to join the Grant County Sheriff’s department.

Smith also announced that Officer Rey Rodriguez has completed training and has received certification as a first level police supervisor.

The Council passed a motion authorizing Smith to initiate the process to purchase a new patrol car. He will do that, Pike said, through a state bidding program, but he’ll have to wait 3-4 months.

The Council passed a motion to accept the application of Michael Wright to serve as a reserve officer for the Royal City Police Department.

Public Works Director John Lasen told the Council that his department is waiting for a report from Schneider Water Services on the condition of the pump and motor in the city’s well No. 1.

The pump or motor problem surfaced earlier this year, and the city has been trying to determine whether to replace it or fix it. Pike said it appears the city will fix it.