County 1 sewer, water utility work awarded by Mountain Lake City Council

Lake Commission project bids reviewed

 

New ML city council 1
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.

Andy Kehren of Bolton and Menk, the city’s engineer, was on hand at the Monday, April 3 meeting of the Mountain Lake City Council to review bids received for 2017 sanitary sewer and water main replacement work along Cottonwood County Road 1.

A total of nine bids were received, ranging from $196,693.65 to $305,880.

The council awarded the project to Holtmeier Construction Inc. of Mankato, the low bid. in fact, this low bid was 10% below the Engineer’s Estimate of $218,987.50.

Some Lake Commission projects awarded, trail work bids rejected

Dave Bucklin of the Lake Commission, Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff, Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer and council members discussed the state bidding law and reviewed the bids for four projects earmarked by the Lake Commission.

Two of the projects bids were awarded. The Mountain Lake Golf Course sediment basin project was awarded to Lohrenz Construction Inc. of Mountain Lake at a cost of $11,727.50. Nickel Construction Inc., with a bid of $5,500, was presented the plunge pool outlet wall and storm water channel repair project.

All bids for the Lawcon Park Mountain Lake Trail wet spot tile project and the north side trail wet spot culvert project were rejected.

Council members directed Kehren to prepare plans and specification for the Lawcon Park and north side Mountain Lake Trail wet spot projects and call for bids.

The sediment basin project will be receiving $7,500 in cost share funds from the Cottonwood County Soil and Water Conservation District.

In other business

Tabled the McKinstry work contract for the installation of LED street lights to the Monday, April 17 council meeting. Approved, following review, was the resolution determining the necessity to issue $210,000 General Obligation Bonds for the acquisition of equipment.

 

+ Reviewed the list of city-funded and utility-funded tree removals with Bucklin, in his role as a member of the Tree Commisison. A city-funded tree outside the right-of-way and a utility tree were moved from the list and the quotes from the three companies presenting bids – Kolander, Zinniel and Carr – were compared. Following the review of quotes, the project was awarded to Zinniel Tree Service of Sleepy Eye at a cost of $7,675.

+ Learned that Bucklin, this time as an employee of the Cottonwood Couunty Soil and Water Conservation District, had, on behalf of the city, applied for, and was awarded a $3,000 grant for the purchase of bee and monarch butterfly-friendly trees and plants. The city must contribute $1,000 of in-kind labor. The council accepted the grant.

+ Heard, reviewed and discussed the first reading of an ordinance amendment to the citiy’s Alcoholic Beverages Licensing and Regulation. An amendment is needed so that the ordinance chapter conforms to the new state statute regarding the allowance of Sunday off-sale liquor sales, which becomes effective on July 1. No action was taken.

+ Learned that current city ordinance does not give the city the authority to certify unpaid fire service charges for collection with property taxes. State law gives the city this power if adopted by ordinance. The needed revisions to the current ordinance were reviewed. No action was taken.

+ Heard, reviewed and discussed the first reading of the proposed ordinance concerning Utility Bills and Contract for Deeds. The ordinance makes both vendors (sellers) and vendees (buyers) in Contract for Deed agreements responsible for payment of utilities. No action was aken.

+ Updated on the meaning of “hazardous projects,” and discussed the diesel gas leakage situation on 1112 Fourth Avenue, the site of the Mountain Lake Public School/Palmer Bus Service Bus Garage. At the council’s Monday, March 20 meeting, members learned that a complaint about the 525-gallon diesel fuel barrel located in the alley west of the garage had been referred to the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, and that had resulted in a compliance order. At that time, council members recommended that the school district and bus company seek a variance from the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, and that the city not take any action until the outcome of the request is known. No action was taken at this meeting.

+ Learned that Cottonwood County is requesting to store ground asphalt on a private property on the edge of the city that is not zoned for open storage of construction materials. Council members prepared an offer to be presented to the county.

+ During Public Forum, Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) School Board Chair Chad Pedersen provided the council with a comparison of tax capacities and tax rates for surrounding counties and cities, and discussed the need for the city and school district to work together. Also discussed were the school’s facility needs.

+ 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.

+ Learned that the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization will be held at Mountain Lake City Hall from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 4.

+ The next Mountain Lake City Council meeting will be on Monday, April 17, beginning 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.

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