Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety: Strassenfest high on attendance and low on crime

Jasper — Jasper Police Chief Michael Bennett informed the Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety that the Strassenfest was very well attended and well-behaved.

According to Bennett there were few complaints and no arrests around the festival other than traffic complaints and a few drunkeness complaints. The majority of incidents involved the department assisting with lost and found items.

As a testament to how well-behaved the crowd was Bennett told the board the department had received a bank envelope that had been found on the street. In it was about $700 in cash. Luckily, the owner of the cash thought to contact the department and was reunited with the money.

During the fest the department’s traffic auxiliary officers provided 93.5 work hours and regular officers worked 189 hours at the event.

Streets Commissioner Raymie Eckerle echoed Bennett’s sentiment about attendance. “It was a good Strassenfest, I think there was a lot of business in all the booths cause our tonnage was up in regards to trash collection,” He explained.

The board also took the following actions.

– Mayor Terry Seitz invited the public to attend a presentation from CityVisions about the Downtown Master Plan followed by a public-input session at the Cabby O’Neill Gymnasium next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. He stated there will be snacks and drinks available for those that attend.

– Moved the Oct. 8 meeting to the next day, Oct. 9, at 9:30 a.m. because of a conflict with Mayor Seitz’s schedule.

– Approved a request from David Ackerman to restrict parking on the Square in front of Indigo Roots for paint work that starts today and goes through the week.

– Offered Gregory Brescher of Jasper and David Burger of Mitchell positions as probationary officers on the Jasper Police Department.

– Hired Devin Stenfentagel, Nathaniel Kern and Jeremy Johnson, all of Jasper, as probationary members of the volunteer fire department.

– Approved closing the following streets for Liquid Road application beginning August 26: College Avenue between new pavement and Meridian Road; Hill Road from Highland to “C” Street; Grandview Drive from the cul-de-sac to University Drive and to west dead end; all of “B” Street; Highland Street from Third Avenue to St. James; Church Avenue from Giesler to South Newton; Brames Road from Church Avenue to Terrace Avenue and from Terrace Avenue to Hochgesang Avenue; Vine Street between 14th and 15th Streets; Short Tenth Street from Newton to Main; Tenth Street one-way alley from Vine Street to one way alley and between 9th and 10th Streets; Seventh Street between Jackson and Mill Streets, Mill to McCrillus and McCrillus to Anderson; all of East 34th Street; and all of Brownstone Court