New beautification efforts funded by the Criss Trust in Sac City have been put on hold indefinitely until its board of trustees and the city council can reach an agreement on how maintenance of their projects will be handled. City officials approached the Criss Trust earlier this month to request a portion of the $5.7 million endowment left by businessman and longtime resident, John Criss, be used for upkeep on the completed projects. According to Administrator, Jaimie Lawrence, the council and trustees have been discussing the issue for the past few weeks. He says a trustee attended the Feb. 25 meeting and read a brief statement.
Lawrence adds it is a regrettable situation but emphasizes this is only a pause in the Criss Trust and Sac City partnership. He says the money will still be used for the community’s benefit at some point.
Since its creation, the Criss Trust has played a critical role in numerous beautification efforts in Sac City, such as the South Park shelter house, a pocket park in downtown and much more. Lawrence says these projects have made the community a better place to live, work and visit, but they have also caused a spike in the city’s maintenance expenses, which is the cause of the disagreement.
The board of trustees’ three members, Renae Jacobsen, Dewey Reece and Mayor Scott Bundt, argue the money was not meant to be used on beautification, not upkeep. It is not clear how long projects will be put on hold. However, Lawrence indicated discussions between city officials and the trustees will continue until they reach an agreement.
