Cornell City Council; Police department fully equipped to give care

By Ginna Young

As a way to offer even more services to the city they call home, full-time officers in the Cornell Police Department are now all fully trained in emergency medical responder courses and are licensed with the Cornell Area Ambulance Service.

“There are only three police departments in the state that do this and the other two run ambulances, which we’re not going to do,” said Cornell Police Chief Glenn Rehberg at a Cornell City Council meeting Dec. 1. “It is really an accomplishment, where we can provide advanced medical care until the ambulance gets there.”

The latest full-time officer to get trained and licensed, is Ryan Salzman, who spent many hours preparing and studying.

“The City of Cornell can be proud to have the police department we got,” said Floyd Hickethier.

During the meeting, it was also reported that the Planning Commission recommended to rezone Lots 3 and 4 to R2, at the Brunet Heights Subdivision. They also agreed to adopt standards from the City of Eau Claire, for governing manufactured homes.

It was also reported that the city is looking at replacing the crosswalk signage on Bridge Street, as the current ones were heavily damaged this summer. The city does intend to repaint the crosswalks and possibly add extra crossings on Bridge Street.

Because Bridge Street is on a state highway, Cornell is working with the WisDOT on that.

“They have to send somebody out,” said Ashley Carothers, council member/chair of Public Health and Safety.

Also mentioned at the meeting, were the sidewalks that had yet to be cleared of snow after the recent snowstorm a couple days before then. While it’s understood that not everyone is able to get out and shovel, they are required to clear the walks.

If not, they could face fines from the city. “When that happens, call the city shop and leave a message,” said Carothers. “And then they follow up from there.”