Hear presentation on dog park proposal
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.
City of Mountain Lake residents learned what the 2017 levy and budget will be as members of the Mountain Lake City Council approved both at the group’s meeting on Tuesday, December 20.
Reductions to the budget made to achieve a 0% levy increase over 2016 were the topic of discussion for the council. Restoring those cuts would require a levy increase of slightly less than 2%, no more than $12,701.28.
Council members who attended the Monday, December 19 Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) School Board meeting summarized the presentation of the indoor swimming pool report and its related discussion.
Following that summarization, Mountain Lake City Council members voted to remove $15,000 for the school swimming pool from the line item, restoring the cuts that were made to achieve the 0% levy increase.
After that move, the council set the 2017 levy at $635,064.38, a 0% increase over 2016. Members also approved the 2017 budget at $2,174,632, a budget increase of about 2.1%.
Going to the dogs
Members of a volunteer committee spearheading the creation of a dog park in Mountain Lake were in attendance to present their plans to the council. The committee had requested that the park be located in the southwest corner of Lawcon Park.
After gathering the information from the presentation, and discussion, the council gave the committee the green light to move forward with the project at the Lawcon Park site as outlined on a 4-1 vote. Voting in favor were Mountain Lake Mayor Mike Nelson and Mountain Lake City Council Members Dana Kass, Darla Kruser and Savage. Mountain Lake City Council Member Andrew Ysker voted against the proposal.
The committee will now set a budget and raise the needed funds – no city funds will be used. Included in the plans is the installation of a fence, benches and other amenities. They also intend to hold an annual fundraising event for on-going dog park needs.
Emily Bentson and Jason Kruser were involved in the presentation, distributing a hand-out, including a map, to the council. Discussion before the decision centered on the pros and cons of dog parks, size of areas for large and small dogs, park rules, fencing details, including or excluding the trees on the west of the site and lighting.
The dog park location is an area to the west of Lawcon Park and to the north of Island View Campground and Prince Street. Proposed fenced-in dimensions are 176′ long by 117′ wide, located inside the tree line to the west, and 84′ west of the last white fence post of Lawcon Park. The total space would be 20,000 square feet, or ½ acre.
Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer had contacted the City of Springfield, who completed a dog park this past October and the City of Windom, who considered a dog park, but did not take any action.
According to Springfield City Clerk Amy Vogel, “The dog park is going fine. It really wasn’t finished until October, so there really wasn’t a “grand opening” of sorts. The water has not yet been turned on; that will happen in the spring. People seem to like it. I have not heard any negative comments yet.” Vogel estimated costs for the park at $25,000. The size of the fenced-in park is 250′ by 175′ (one acre), with a fence height of sixth feet.
Responding for the City of Windom was Windom City Administrator Steve Nasby. A dog park was discussed in Windom, with the city offering up several locations. “But, the promoters wanted a location just off the highway to attract travelers (but did not have a site),” stated Nasby. “Their second choice by the Windom Rec Area is in the city’s well-field. When Windom completed its state water plan, the council asked the consultant if a dog park should go on the city well field. The consultant said, ‘No,’ so that shut down the dog park discussion.”
David Bucklin of Cottonwood County Soil and Water is to be the contact person on the trees. Water/Wastewater Superintendent Kevin Krahn is to be contacted if the committee makes the decision to install water fountains.
Jay Schied was also on hand to discuss issues how the Three Rivers Park District dealt with at its Bryant Lake dog park when he was a district employee.
The committee will provide regular updates to the council as the project and fundraising move forward.
Below is a satellite image of the dog park locality:
In other business
+ Bid openings for the electric equipment enclosure, AC and DC electrical, ground grid, fencing, steel structure and foundations for the new electric sub-station and storage area were moved to Friday, January 13, 2017, at 2 p.m., based on the responses from contractors and the recommendation of the project’s engineer, Mike Thielen of Utilities Plus Energy Services (UPES). The original date was Tuesday afternoon, December 20.
+ Approved payment of $331,164 to OTC Services Inc., the transformer manufacturer. The transformer is finished and ready for shipment.
+ Discussed removing the one-way designation on the alley on the east side of the Laker Apartments, along with adding a one-way designation to the alley on the west of the Mountain Lake Public School’s bus garage. The city will arrange a meeting with the school to meet and confer on these proposed moves.
+ Adopted changes to the revised Drug and Alcohol Policy.
+ Discussed possible dates to meet on contract negotiations with Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The open meeting was closed, and the closed meeting opened to prepare union contract offers and counter offers. The meeting was closed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 179.01-179A.25. The closed meeting was closed and the open meeting was reopened following a four-minute closed meeting.
+ Learned that council members who have not taken the Board of Appeal and Equalization online training were encouraged to do so. At least one member of the council present when the city governing body sits at the Board of Appeal and Equalization must be trained and certified. Currently two members are trained and certified, with their certification expiring in 2017.
+ Learned that the Active Living Plan Committee will meet Monday, January 23, 2017 to update the current plan. Two residents are interested in joining the committee.
+ Learned that the city will be receiving a $31,459 property/casualty dividend from its insurer, League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT).
+ Reviewed and discussed an annexation resolution draft prepared by Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff. Other aspects of the industrial park projects wee discussed.
+ Approved cigarette licenses for 2017.
+ Closed the meeting at the request of Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer for evaluation of the administrator/clerk position.
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.
