City considers requesting DNR manage ATV trail

RED OAK – Local ATV riders may soon have an approved trail to ride their recreational vehicles on in Red Oak.

Red Oak Police Chief Drue Powers is compiling at the Council’s request information on what would be required to convert a frequently used trail into one managed by the Department of Natural Resources.

Powers discussed the possibility of the DNR managed trail with the Red Oak City Council at its last meeting.

At a previous meeting, Council Member Larry Barnett expressed concern with ATV riders creating traffic hazards at the city brush site.

Powers said the only other option to having the DNR manage an approved trail would be to completely shut it down.

Mayor Bill Billings pointed out some of the difficulties associated with policing the long trail currently in use.

“You can’t enforce regulations if you don’t have someone who can patrol and enforce those regulations,” he said.

Barnett said while he is willing to listen to different ideas on managing the trail, he wants to make sure residents realize the Council’s role in the decision.

“I want to make it clear we are responsible for the liability of the City,” he said. “And there is some definite liability issues here.”

Powers said he would research other trails and how they are managed and would report back to the Council at its next meeting.

Cage Project  

Also at the meeting, Rotary Club member Doug Reiken discussed the club’s ongoing renovation of the basketball cage near the middle school.

Basketball goals have recently been installed to the fenced-in court, but work remains on the second part of the project, including landscaping and adding a seating area outside the fence.

Total cost of the project is estimated at $195,000 and the service club and school have raised $145,000.

While the City has agreed to pave a nearby alley as part of the downtown sidewalk plan, it has not contributed any other funds to the project yet.

“I mentioned to the Council (at a previous meeting) that if we needed money when it comes down to the end, I would probably be back,” Reiken said. “That’s exactly why I’m here today.”

Reiken has also approached the Park and Tree Board about using Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds, but has been denied in the past due to the board believing the project does not meet the required “new” standard of the tax.

However, as Reiken told the Council and the Park and Tree Board at its last meeting, the leisure/family area outside the cage is an entirely new feature.

The Park and Tree Board is expected to make a decision at its next meeting regarding the funding request. Several members of the Council and Billings expressed optimism the Board would provide some funds while agreeing to revisit the issue once that decision is made.

“Even though this is on school grounds … it is a community facility that is used by everyone in the community,” Reiken said. “It’s not just for people in the schools.”

Take Home Patrol Cars

Police Chief Drue Powers and Lieutenant Derrick Walter discussed details of a “take home” squad car program with the City Council.

Powers is advocating the purchase of two used Missouri State Highway Patrol cars to start implementing the program, which would assign a specific patrol car to each officer.

The officer would then drive the patrol car home nightly, allowing for faster response times to emergency and increased visibility in the residential neighborhoods.

Walter said the program can also reduce maintenance costs to the city as officers are more likely to take better care of their vehicle and will be quicker to respond to maintenance issues.

Council members asked several questions regarding residency requirements for officers and whether ones who live outside of town would be allowed to take vehicles home, along with projected costs and potential savings.

Powers indicated he would further research similar programs in other towns and report back to the Council at its next meeting in May.