Accept loan offer from Minnesota Public Facilities Authority to assist in digging well, raw water line for Well #7
The city’s 2015 preliminary budget and 2015 preliminary levy took center stage at the Monday, September 15 meeting of the Mountain Lake City Council.
In connection with that preliminary budget discussion, Mountain Lake Fire Department equipment costs and township fire contracts, employee salaries and the on-going agreement with Mountain Lake Public School dealing with city support for the indoor swimming pool.
The final 2015 levy will be adopted in mid-December, and can be equal to or less than the preliminary levy – but not greater.
Council members agreed to set the preliminary levy at $633,991.24 (including the Mountain Lake Economic Development Authority (EDA) levy of $8,110.89 that was adopted at the September 8 council meeting).
The preliminary levy, while 10% higher than the 2014 final levy, is expected to drop significantly.
The 2015 preliminary levy is determined by setting the 2015 budget for the General Fund, Library Fund, Fire Fund, Ambulance Fund and Lake Commission, as well as Bond Funds (which includes the 2002 Street Bond, 2006 Street Bond, Lakeview Estates, and the City-Wide Project) and then subtracting any 2015 Local Government Aid (LGA), revenue, other aid or assessments from each category. Those final numbers, along with the EDA levy, are then totaled to reach the 2015 levy amount.
The date for the public input meeting was set for Tuesday, December 2, at 6:30 p.m., just prior to the regularly-scheduled council meeting.
PFA loan offer accepted
While most of the funds to dig the new well – Well #7 – as well as the raw water line are grand funds from the Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) and the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA), there is also a small PFA loan.
Council members accepted the loan offer from the PFA to purchase a $47,444 General Obligation Water Revenue Note. The loan is for 20 years at 1% interest.
In other business
* Held a closed meeting based on attorney-client privilege, on a lawsuit stemming from the 2012-2014 Utility and Street Project.
* Discussed the preliminary assessment roll on the project from Andy Kehren, city engineer, of Bolton and Menk. A public assessment hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, in the Council Chambers of Mountain Lake City Hall. In addition, the council set a 20-year payment period with a 2.25% interest rate on the project assessments.
* Awarded the auditing services for the 2014, 2015 and 2016 city audit to Dennis E. Oberloh, LTD, of Redwood Falls. Five firms presented proposals. The draft budget has been adjusted to reflect the change.
* Reviewed the Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP). There are benefits to both the city and its employees if the plan is adopted for employee retirement payouts. By consensus, the council agreed that the city’s non-union and union employee groups should be asked to consider adopting the plan.
* Karen Stoesz, a 2nd Avenue resident, addressed the council during the agenda’s Public Forum time. Stoesz discussed her concerns with the repairs made earlier this year on 2nd Avenue as part of the 2012-2014 Utility and Street Project. She also comment on the Kuechle Underground Inc. lawsuit against the city.
