City’s liquor ordinance needs updating due to Sunday sales change
The Mountain Lake City Council, on a 4-1 vote, approved a resolution giving Mayor Mike Nelson and Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer the power to approve the sale of bonds, and sign a bond purchase agreement not to exceed $3 million and 4.25% interest, for sub-division infrastructure at the new industrial park in southwest Mountain Lake. The split decision was part of the group’s Monday, March 20 meeting agenda. Voting in favor of the move were Nelson and City Council Members David Savage, Andrew Ysker and Darla Kruser, with City Council Member Dana Kass voting against.
The expected bond size is $2,625,000, with an interest rate of 3.5%.
Tammy Omdal of Northland Securities Inc., the city’s financial advisor, was at the meeting to discuss the financial plan for the general obligation project bonds with the council. Bond proceeds will be used to pay the costs to make the subdivision “shovel ready” – which means set with water, dewer, electricity, curb, gutter and streets.
The bonds will also fund the upgrading of city street lights to LEDs.
As part of the project, a Minnesota Energy Resources Company gas line and a Mountain Lake Municipal Utilities high voltage line that crosses the property will have to be moved.
The worst case scenario – no lots sold for the 25-year life of the bonds – was also reviewed.
The need for the city to have”shovel ready” property for commercial/industrial development, and the efforts the Mountain Lake Economic Development Authority is making to attract businesses to the subdivision, were additional discussion topics.
City needs to update liquor ordinance
Due to the recent revision by the Minnesota State House and Senate to allow, beginning on July 1, the sale of liquor on Sundays, the city’s liquor ordinance needs to be updated.
The Sunday sale hours set by the new state law are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. By ordinance, cities can set more restrictive hours.
Setting different hours locally was discussed, with no action taken.
In other business
+ Heard that a complaint about the 525-gallon diesel fuel barrel located in the alley west of the Mountain Lake Public School/Palmer Bus Garage was referred to the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, and that has resulted in a compliance order. Discussed were the pros and cons of options to comply. By consensus, city council members recommended that the school district and bus company seek a variance from the State Fire Marshal, and that the city not take any action until the outcome of the request is known.
+ Learned the quotes for four Lake Commission projects – Lawcon Park wet area tile, culvert on the Mountain Lake Trail on the north side of Mountain Lake, Mountain Lake Golf Course sediment basin and plunge pool outlet wall and channel stabilization. Quotes were received from Lohrenz Construction of Mountain Lake, Nickel Construction of Mountain Lake and Mathiowetz Construction. Nickel was the lone company to bid on all of the projects, and offered a $10,300 donation for work done on all projects outside of the sediment basin. Mathiowetz did not bid on the plunge pool outlet wall and Lohrenz did not place bids on either of the plunge pool projects. The determination of the low bid was discussed. Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff of Muske, Muske and Suhrhoff, will review the matter. The projects will be awarded at a future city council meeting.
+ Heard from Mountain Lake Fire & Rescue Chief Tim Coners concerning a fire department service call. Discussed was information on the matter presented by a city resident at the March 6 council meeting. Chief Coners shared information on fire department billing policy and the department’s experience with carbon monoxide calls. By consensus, the council agreed that the bill will not be withdrawn, and that the city should undertake an education campaign notifying residents that there is a $1,000 fee for all fire department calls, and coverage for this expense can be included on insurance policies for a small fee. Also a topic of discussion was the collection of unpaid fire call bills. The current fire call ordiinance will be reviewed at the council’s Monday, April 3 meeting.
+ Reviewed quotes from three companies for tree removals – Kolander, Zinniel and Carr. To be removed will be six city-funded trees – boulevard hazards, along with six utility-funded trees – growing into or too close to power lines. A question was raised on the inclusion of one tree to be removed be paid for with city funds. Administrator Meyer will contact David Bucklin of the Cottonwood Soil and Water District for an explanation. No action was taken.
+ Learned that mediation with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 65 (AFSCME 65) has been set for Monday, April 17, beginning at 10 a.m., at Mountain Lake City Hall.
+ The next city council meeting will be Monday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m. at Mountain Lake City Hall.
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.
