SPFFC hits $180k fundraising goal

Just six weeks after Creston City Council agreed to provide $60k in funding to Creston’s struggling fitness center, contingent on an extra $180k being raised, the goal has been hit.

Southern Prairie Family Fitness Center representative Skip Kenyon explained the steps taken to reach the full fundraising goal, sharing his appreciation for the city in jump-starting the process.

“I want to give you guys credit for this because this was a springboard to get us going,” Kenyon said. “March 24, the hospital voted to match, so that got us from $60,000 to $120,000 right away. It was our job to go out and raise the other $120,000.”

While still a large sum, Kenyon said it didn’t take long for generous community members to sign three-year pledges. While he didn’t have them in hand, once all the pledges were complete, he said the fitness center would have well over $120k.

Since the $180k fundraising goal has been met, the fitness center asked the city what the next steps would be in order to release the city’s $60k contribution. City accounting manager Mandy Parsons mentioned bringing these payments in line with payments for scholarships and maintenance already provide by the city.

“The payments to the fitness center are set up right now two times a year in December and June, so if we want to keep on that schedule, we could start it. I’m guessing you want $30,000 and $30,000,” Parsons said.

The plan of biannual payments to the fitness center was approved unanimously.

In other council news...

Veenstra and Kim engineer Libby Patton returned to the council with approximately $1 million in cuts from the $10.55 million bid from Story Construction for improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Facility. The first bid was about $3 million more than originally expected.

With a $500k CBDG grant and $1.2 million in forgivable loans from the State Revolving Fund, the city will likely spend about $8 million on the project. The bid was approved after Patton said it was very unlikely rebidding the project would prove fruitful.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 was approved following a second public hearing in which no opposition was given.

The council approved a parking ban on East Page Street from South Cherry Street to South Poplar Street after numerous complaints, including safety concerns when turning from South Cherry onto East Page. Two “no parking” signs will be added, costing the city approximately $300 total.

Mayor Waylon Clayton was not present.