The meeting can be seen in its entirety in the video below this article.

The budget amendment was presented by City Accountant Carl Dalrymple. It adds $531,000 to the city’s overall budget.  He explained this amount consists of unexpected expenses including $200,000 in bad debt written off by the city’s electric and water utility department, though some of this he said will still be collected.  Making clear that the city’s budget for 2025 would not show a deficit, he explained that revenue from the electrical department of $481,000 and from the street department of $25,000 would help balance things.   He also told the council it would be shown a detailed budget plan for 2026 at the December meeting.

Attorney Rowe Stayton explained the community garden, planned to be placed at the site of the old hospital near Cash Savers, would have help from local organizations, including students from Prescott High in fulfillment of community service hours. Rotary Club, he explained, has donated materials so that students in PHS’ agri-education program can build raised planters. Union Pacific, meanwhile, has donated 30 railroad crossties.  “Those make outstanding boundaries,” Stayton said. 

Of the city government, Stayton said, the volunteers are requesting a faucet be set up at the site.  He also provided a timetable in which the work will be done and a date of completion.  “So we're going to start working on it tentatively in the first couple weeks of December staking it out, building it in January [to] be completed by February.”

Stayton said he will talk about the idea with attendees of the Prescott Senior Adult Center Wednesday and welcomes others’ ideas on how to get the project better known. 

Before finishing his report, Stayton, a veteran himself, thanked Prescott Public Schools for its Veterans Day observance.

Council member Patricia Roberts asked for a flyer about the project which she said she would announce and distribute.  Stayton welcomed this and said he would also speak to Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Valarie Cobb about publicizing the community garden project.

Cobb herself spoke next, reporting on recent events the chamber organized or sponsored.  These included Trick or Treat on Elm Street, at which 70 vendors attended, many in costume and giving out candy to children and their parents.  She also said the Business Costume Contest was a success with eight businesses entering. “We have some really creative people in this town that worked really hard to show their creative side,” Cobb said.

The chamber helped host the grand opening and ribbon cutting at Neighborly, a convenience store and restaurant near I-30 exit 46.  “They want to be involved in our community. They've donated, they've done things for the school already. They've donated some money already, and they're a family-owned business,” Cobb said.

She filled the council in on the progress of The Giving Tree program which purchases necessities as Christmas gifts for needy families.  Some families still remain to be adopted for the program, she said.  Cobb also mentioned the visit of the Swamp Riders Motorcycle Club who gave out Christmas gifts to local children from low-income households. 

“If you have never been to one of those [rallies] and seen those, they are amazing. And it's these big old gruff guys that have these toys and these stuffed animals, and a few of them were almost in tears, because they're so happy to do this. I kind of got a little emotional with that too.  We ended up with over 50 motorcycles and probably about 60 toys,” Cobb said, adding that she believes the number of Swamp Riders will increase in future years.

A community coffee will be held Tuesday morning at the Nevada County Library by the Nevada County Health Alliance, Cobb said. On December 11th, starting at 7:00 pm at 215 East Second (the county courthouse), Christmas on the Square will take place, involving carol singing, the PHS drum line and the serving of Christmas cookies and hot cocoa.  The event will follow the downtown “Let It Snow” Christmas Parade, which will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Next, Prescott Police Detective Casey Autry gave a selection of statistics for the department’s work in October.  Patrols accumulated 7,000 miles, police responded to 163 calls and made 96 traffic stops.  He said the officer who had been hospitalized last month was now back at work and had made 36 traffic stops.  Twenty-seven citations and 97 warnings were issued.  Of 14 arrests made, seven were for misdemeanors and seven were for felonies. 

Autry said the police will be doing a fundraiser on December 3rd at the police station starting at 11:00 a.m. and continuing until 1:00 p.m, serving soup and a beverage for $10 to defray costs of the Blue Santa program.  Fifteen kids will receive gifts from this program.  Autry told the council about police vehicles receiving repairs but said they will not require another budget request to pay for.

The city council approved meeting minutes for the October meeting and approved a financial report, asking no questions.  Council member Ivory Curry announced an awards banquet will be held Saturday November 29th at 5:30 p.m. at the Prescott Junior High Cafeteria.  He also asked that the community participate in the toy drive, which he said is going well. “People are donating,” he said. 

The meeting adjourned after about 15 minutes.