Call for bids on Cottonwood County Road 1 water/wastewater project
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 went into a closed meeting during their Tuesday, February 21 open meeting to prepare union contract offers and counter-offers for negotiations with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The meeting was closed persuant to Minnesota Statutes 179.01-179A.25.
Following a 22-minute closed meeting, the closed meeting was closed and the open meeting reopened.
No action was taken.
Bids called for water/wasterwater project on Cottonwood County Road 1
During the open meeting, Council members called for bids for the Cottonwood County Road 1 water/wastewater project.
Prior to the motion, the preliminary cost estimate, with a more precise concrete cost, as well as Bolton & Menk’s project timeline were reviewed.
The project, coordinated with Cottonwood County, will have the utility replace two blocks of sewer line and one block of water line between 3rd Avenue and 6th Avenue. Following that work, the county will be resurfacing Cottonwood County Road 1 with concrete.
This project will include the elimination of one block of water main along County 1 between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue, along with replacing the block of water main between 3rd Avenue and 5th Avenue with new 8″ diameter main. Sewer will also be replaced, with new 12″ lines laid between 3rd Avenue to 6th Avenue, along with reconnecting service to Town’s Edge Auto.
The move is being made to pre-empt any possible future water or sewer issues, as the county does not want any cutting into or digging up of the new concrete.
The Utility Commission will self-fund the project, using sewer funds for both the sewer and water work, with water repaying its portion of the cost.
In other business
+ Discussed a draft contract hiring McKinstry, Inc. to manage the purchase of LED street lights and other city facilities lighting. The Council agreed that the facilities lighting should be removed from the contract. The cost of the project, approximately $200,000, will be included in the 2017B general obligation bonds for new sub-division infrastructure to be issued later this year.
+ Discussed the location of the city’s current General Commerical (C-2) and Industrial (I) Districts. The City of St. James and the City of Windom both have zoning ordinances that include “light commerical” distsrict with uses that fall “between” general commercial and industrial uses. Mountain Lake does not have a “light commerical” district at this time. Council members directed the Mountain Lake Planning and Zoning Commission to address the zoning and related issues of the city’s new sub-division in southwest Mountain Lake.
+ Granted a one-year Leave of Absence from Mountain Lake Fire & Rescue for Audi Nickel (2/1/17 to 2/1/18).
+ Discussed the part-time summer help for the Mountain Lake Trail. It was determined that the position should be advertised at 20 hours per week. The Street Department will also be advertising for ull-time summer help.
+ Reviewed with members of Friends of the Pool the ideas presented by the group at the Council’s Mnday, February 6 meeting. It was agreed that the Friends should determine the project(s) they wish to pursue.
+ The Monday, March 6 Council meeting will begin at 6 p.m., rather than the traditional 6:30 p.m., to allow additional time for AFSCME negotiations.
2017 meeting schedule
Council meetings will be held on the traditional first and third Mondays of the month – with the exception of the second meeting n June, which has been rescheduled to Monday, June 22 due to the annual Pow Wow celebration and the first meeting in September, which was moved to Tuesday, September 8 because of the Monday, September 7 Labor Day observance.
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.
