Although some people may dispute it, the city of Austin and Mower County do cooperate.

Monday, April 17, 2000

Although some people may dispute it, the city of Austin and Mower County do cooperate.

Frequently, to be sure.

While policy decisions and the haggling that comes with them dominates the headlines, both units of government routinely cooperate on projects of mutual interest.

One of them is the Todd Park Recreation Trail section from behind the Mower County Highway Department headquarters across Interstate 90 and on to the city’s largest recreational facility, Todd Park.

On Friday, Mower County Highway Department workers and a crew from the Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department planted 150 arborvitae plants along the recreation trail.

"It went smoothly," said Dick Miller, spokesman for the Highway Department. "We have a skid loader that can dig the holes, so that helped a lot. The city provided the mulch and water and both the county and the city workers did the job."

The Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District supplied the plants, all 18 to 24 inches tall. "The county buys trees and plants for plantings in greenspaces along rights-of-way and these arborvitae plants came from the SWCD and Jon Voz," Miller said.

Beginning at midmorning Friday, the twin city-county crews marched along the recreation trail drilling holes, planting the arborvitae, mulching them and finally watering the plants.

By midafternoon Friday, the job was completed.

Dan Vick, assistant city engineer, and Dan Regner, highway department supervisor, coordinated the project.

Tom Graff, city parks supervisor, sent Chuck Romeo, Mike Kinney and Lynn Thompson to help. Gary Frein, Wally Jukes and Vern Kiefer were the county’s representatives.

The mulch came from the city’s supply, while a city watering truck was used, because the county’s giant vehicle was too large for the space allowed. Railroad tracks and a fence hemmed in the trail’s right-of-way space.

According to Miller, the Highway Department has plans to plant a shelter belt inside the department’s fence line, where culvert pieces and other supplies are stored at a future date.