The Harlan City Council discussed and approved a lease agreement for Harlan Little League on Monday.

A motion was made to adopt a lease agreement that would allow the Little League to use Huff Park during their season, which begins in early April.

The lease would not provide exclusive use to Little League, but allow them to use Huff Park for their regular season and other events upon approval from the city.

Little league would be required to maintain insurance with a $4 or $5 million limit.

Discussion was also had about Ray Field. Council members approved a motion to allow little league to use Ray Field as a practice field. The city will care for the grass and landscaping, as well as redo bleachers and dugouts. However, the field cannot be used for regular season games due to the condition of its concessions area.

A general statement was also added to the proposed lease by the city attorney, which states use of the premise by other entities, such as Relay For Life or the Poke Sallet Festival, must be approved and scheduled in advance with the city.

Harlan Little League was deemed a “responsible group of people” by council members during the meeting, and a motion for the lease to be approved and adopted was passed.

In regards to other discussed topics, Mayor Joesph Meadors made it clear he wants to see the city cleaned up after seeing various pictures of slides, trash and scrap material from around the city.

“We’ve got to clean this place up,” Meadors said.

After a second reading of the fats, oils and grease ordinance, the council made a motion to pass it. The new ordinance will give more specific regulations on the pumping of grease traps by establishments and is to be enforced more strictly than in the past.

Establishments must report on their grease traps and comply with the ordinance.

A certified letter will be written and sent to establishments that prepare food. The letter will educate owners of the ordinance and the consequences they will face if not compliant.

The ordinance was approved and adopted by the council after further discussion.

City council members also discussed the possibility of having a city-wide spring cleaning week or month. It would allow citizens to set out garbage, scrap and other things, such as stoves and refrigerators, that the city would then collect each day.

Harlan City Council Member Jeanne Lee mentioned the difficultly of disposing larger things like a stove when the family may not have access to a truck or a single woman not having the “man power” to move things on her own. Lee added that a spring cleaning week or month is a good idea.

Council members continued their discussion on various ways to help clean up the city of Harlan, including reviewing other ordinances, such as the nuisance ordinance. More discussion will follow at their next meeting in April.

In other council activity:

• Harlan City Fire Chief Linette Hutchison reported her department received $21,000 in grant money back, completed 70 man hours of training and responded to an arson case that is still under investigation;

• Harlan City Police Chief Mike Thomas reported his department received 1,138 calls, worked 13 automobile accidents, opened 10 criminal cases, issued 27 citations and made 23 arrests;

• Harlan City Council members passed a motion to begin creating a website and/or Facebook page for council information and events.