2017 preliminary levy set with a 7% increase over 2016
THE MOUNTAIN LAKE City Council. Seated front, from left, Council Member Dana Kass, Mayor Mike Nelson and Council Member Darla Kruser. Standing back, Council Member Andrew Ysker, left and Council Member David Savage, right.
The Mountain Lake City Council received an update from the city’s Streets and Parks Department on the seal-coating clean-up at the storm sewer outlet, plunge and rip rap that flows into Mountain Lake.
The initial pollution control emergency environmental response was conducted on Friday, August 5 by a Haz-Mat team from WCEC (West Central Environmental Consultants, Inc.) Emergency Spill Response. This emergency response was due to the washing away of sealcoating into the city’s storm sewer system on Thursday, August 4. On that day, city street crews and workers from the Cottonwood County Highway Department were working jointly to sealcoat 8th Street, 9th Street and Prince Street in the City of Mountain Lake. A series of rain systems moved across the area throughout the day, with the rains washing the applied the (a bituminous liquid mixture that is applied to asphalt) down storm drains and through culverts into the city’s storm sewer system, and on to where it is expelled near the lake.
Clean-up is mostly complete. The material that was collected is stored near the boat landing, and needs to be disposed of at an approved landfill. Collection booms remain in place at the plunge pool outlet, and will be monitored until late September, at which time the plan calls for their removal.
On August 23, the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, the city’s insurers, notified the city that it has coverage for the incident.
Preliminary 2017 levy is adopted
Council members reviewed the 2017 preliminary budget sheet.
As presented, the budget decrease is $13,940.61 – 0r 0.63% from 2016.
As presented, the levy increase is $35,054.08 – or 5.5% – from 2016.
As of yet, no cuts have been made to the draft budget, but the council identified possible cuts at the meeting. There was also discussion on the dollar amount at which the preliminary levy should be set.
The preliminary levy must be set by September 30. The final levy will be adopted in mid-December. The final levy can be less than – but more than – the preliminary levy.
Council members decided to set the 2017 preliminary levy at $679,518.89 – a 7% increase over 2016.
In other business
+ Held a discussion with Mountain Lake Fire & Rescue Chief Tim Coners, along with other department members, Dave Watkins, Pat Oja and Jason Kruser. The four reviewed the fire department’s draft 2017 budget. Reviewed and discussed were the status of the township equipment fee, repair and maintenance of equipment and the department’s reserves. The old pumper needs to be replaced, and it is listed on the city’s capital purchase plan. The cost, financing and the possibility of purchasing a used vehicle were discussed. A new vehicle would likely be delivered one year after it is ordered. The Council decided to call for bids for a new pumper.
+ Learned that the Economic Development Authority (EDA) has been negotiating the purchase of a 24-acre parcel just southwest of Mountain Lake, and has reached a tentative agreement price of of $14,250/acre with the owner. The project, especially its financing, was discussed. Once the property is purchased, it will need to be annexed. No action was taken by the Council.
+ Decided to divide equally the $62,500 settlement with Kuechle Underground Inc. vs. the City of Mountain Lake between the City and the Utility, per a request by the Utility Commission.
+ Discussed rental fees for a resident interested in offering dance classes two or three late afternoons a week at the Mountain Lake Community Center. Center rent is $125 per event, with a refundable $125 damage deposit. Rental fees are not waived for businesses. Talk centered around a reasonable fee for the dance studio, as the Council want to support new businesses and activities that draw people to Mountain Lake. By consensus, it was agreed that the rent for the dance studio be set at $10/day, plus the $125 damage deposit, for the first year. The fee will be revisited next summer before classes begin in fall 2017.
+ Heard a final reading and adopted a city ordinance amendment concerning Mountain Lake City Cemetery. The amendment repeals in its entirety the ordinance that no monument shall be placed on either a single or double lot before a burial has occurred.
+ Adopted a resolution establishing the salaries for City of Mountain Lake Commission and Board Members. A subdivision of Mountain Lake City Code authorizes the Mountain Lake City Council to establish these. However, not all Commissions and Boards had established salaries for its members. This resolution calls for the establishment of a $10/meeting salary for those meetings that meet requirements, with the exception of the Mountain Lake Utility Commission.
+ Reviewed and discussed a first reading of city ordinance amendment concerning the salaries of Mayor, Council Members and Members of Boards and Commissions. This amendment establishes that compensation for day-long out-of-town meetings be $75.
+ Heard an update from Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff on the status of the on-going public nuisance abatement at 1406 3rd Avenue.
+ Approved the closing of a portion of 8th Street on Sunday, September 11 for the CenterPoint Church Dedication and Open House.
+ Briefly discussed the CMPAS (Central Municipal Power Agency and Services) Annual Members Meeting invitation and the CenterPoint Church Dedication/Open House invitation.
+ Accepted the resignation of part-time Parks and Mountain Lake Trail employee Levi Grams, effective Wednesday, September 7.
+ Heard from Mountain Lake resident Allen Rahn about unlicensed vehicles on an identified property in his neighborhood that have not been moved in several years. He has discussed the problem with the Mountain Lake Police Department. Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer will discuss the situation with the Police Department.
+ Closed the open meeting and opened a closed meeting, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 179A.01-179A.25, to consider union contract negotiation strategies.
+ Closed the closed meeting and reopened the open meeting, after which the Council authorized the sending of notice of desire to negotiate to the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) unions.
City of Mountain Lake Meeting Dates
+ Mountain Lake City Council meets the first and third Mondays of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Utilities Commission meets the second and fourth Thursdays of every month at 7 a.m.
+ Economic Development Authority (EDA) meets the second Friday of every month at 12 noon.
+ Lake Commission meets the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Library Board meets the second Wednesday of every month at 4:45 p.m.
+ Police Commission meets the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.
+ Planning and Zoning meets the last Monday of the month, if needed.
+ Tree Commission meets quarterly – January, April, July and October – at 7:45 p.m.
