The Guthrie Center City Council met Monday night in regular session.

The meeting began with an update on a downtown speaker system project with Main Street Guthrie Center. Director Dana Buster told the Council that they have most of the equipment and is expecting within the next month to have everything installed. She also asked for the City’s contribution of $3,000 toward the project, which the Council agreed to do.

Next, the Council held a discussion regarding the 28E agreement for law enforcement coverage. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is contracted to provide at least 60 hours of patrol in the City. Sheriff Marty Arganbright believed his deputies are fulfilling their agreement and more. It was mentioned that there have been complaints about the lack of patrol time and delayed response to calls for service in town. Council member Garold Thomas mentioned possibly having a public vote to continue having law enforcement coverage through the sheriff’s office or bring back its own police department. The Council decided to investigate the cost of bringing back the police department versus the cost of having the sheriff’s office provide coverage.

The Council then approved the first reading of an ordinance to establish a four-way stop at the intersection of 4th and Park streets. Additionally, the Council approved the proposed 2022 fiscal year budget, following the required public hearing. No comments were made and the City is proposing a $17.33 per $1,000 of valuation property tax levy. 

They held another public hearing for a Community Development Block Grant application for a water main improvement project along Highway 44. The total cost of the project is over $1.2 million, with $500,000 to be supplemented by the CDBG grant and the rest to come from the Guthrie Center Utility Board. The Council approved the application, as well as being the subrecipient of the application, if it were to be approved.