Last Arcadia police officer resigns

The Arcadia city council accepted the resignation of the last remaining full-time police officer in the department during last Wednesday’s meeting. 

Edwin Olmos Arias submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the council during the meeting. The latest resignation leaves the department without any full-time officers as all five have resigned this year. 

While support from the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office is being utilized to help patrol the city during the hiring process, council members said the loss of the last full-time officer creates a significant knowledge gap for incoming recruits. 

Diana Anderson, chief for more than 10 years, was the first to resign, leaving the city in early January. Brandon Larson resigned in March and both Israel Garcia and Lucas Lindquist resigned earlier this month. At a meeting two weeks ago, the council approved offering a higher salary to the chief and discussed offering more for full-time officers. Officers have cited a high call volume and public criticism from the city government as reasons why they left the city.  

The Utility Commission attended the meeting to hear the recent results of the 2024 financial audit conducted by Johnson Block. The review included detailed information about the various city accounts held by the City of Arcadia, Arcadia Electric, and the Water & Wastewater Utilities. Overall, the financial audit yielded positive results, with a Johnson Block representative noting increases in revenue across all accounts compared to the previous audit year.

During the meeting, the council, with the Utility Commission present, discussed the installation of 20 new light poles along the walking track at Memorial Park. Mayor John Kimmel inquired about potential support from the Utility Commission for this project. Although the project has received several donations and various funding sources, there is still an outstanding balance that Kimmel hoped to address. The Utility Commission indicated they could assist with the installation of the lights and would discuss any additional contributions at their regular meeting.

The council also considered the possibility of collaborating with the Arcadia School District to fund a stipend for crossing guards at the elementary school. 

Traditionally, the role of crossing guard, which helps children safely cross the street before and after school, has been performed outside of regular hours, according to Kimmel. The proposed stipend aims to attract more crossing guards and ensure adequate coverage throughout the school year and during summer school. Given the school’s proximity to Main Street, the council recognized the potentially dangerous situation for children walking to and from school. However, some council members expressed concerns about the stipend.

“This could be a slippery slope,” Alderman Jason Lockington said. He raised worries about liability and noted that he had never encountered such a stipend before.

After discussion, the council reached a consensus that the proposed stipend of approximately $3,000, which would cover the remaining period of this year, summer school, and all of the following year, was a reasonable investment to ensure the safety of the children in the district. The council voted to approve the stipend pending legal review.

The council also:

• Received information about the TID 3 outstanding debt and different repayment options.

• Approved the hire of a new Aquatic Center Assistant Manager, Morgan Baier, at a rate of $21 per hour.

• Approved paying $500 for grant writing from Scott Jewell, which if the grant is approved, could help to make needed improvements on Willow Street.

• Discussed the Trempealeau County Concerts in the Park series. The discussion involved different artists, concerns around the pavilion, and poor lighting.