HUMBOLDT — The Humboldt City Council formed a committee to consider improvements to the downtown area at Tuesday’s meeting.

The city is going to issue bonds to pay for improvements to the downtown area, City Administrator Travis Goedken said.

“Especially lighting was identified and the sidewalks obviously have some work that needs to be done downtown,” he said.

Mayor Dan Scholl and councilmen Joel Goodell and Kirk Whittlesey were named to the committee. Councilman Mike Worthington was named an alternate. The committee was limited to two councilmen so that a special meeting is not needed whenever the committee meets, Goedken said. Goedken wanted to involve the council at the very start.

“By having at least two on at the onset than we know that we are headed down the right direction for at least a small portion of the council,” he said.

The committee will work with the engineer and community members to consider lighting and sidewalk repairs and possible curb changes, Goedken said.

“People tend to tell me every week that it is a need,” he said.

The overhead lights provide enough light for safety, but roughly a third of the decorative street lamps do not work at all.

“A third of them are on all the time and the other third actually function as they should,” Goedken said. “We will look at all avenues when it comes to addressing those.”

• The council also set March 5 as the date for a public hearing on the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2018-2019. The city levy will be $17.58 per $1,000 valuation which is down 13 cents from the current year, City Clerk Gloria Christensen said.

• Brian Skow, a local appraiser, was appointed to the position of zoning administrator. The position has been open since Jan. 1.

• Animal registration is due March 1. This is the second year of the requirement.

New tags will be issued this year which have an identification code and a toll free number which can be called 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By reporting the serial number, the owner can be identified and contacted.

Registration is $10 for an animal not fixed, $5 otherwise. Even people outside the city can register with the city. It is pretty good insurance that the animal can be relocated if it is lost, Goedken said.