Award two-year contract with Muske, Muske and Surhoff for legal services
The Mountain Lake City Council held a follow-up meeting with Rich Gisch, Ron Becker, Al O’Bannon, Dave Ahlbrecht and Brian Bergling, all of the Mountain Lake/Odin/Ormsby Sportsmen’s Club (MLOOSC) at the city government group’s Monday, August 21 meeting.
The members had been in attendance at the council’s Monday, August 7 meeting to discuss the current four-acre trap range on city-owned land west of the current second wastewater treatment pond. At that time, the MLOOSC members presented that they were interested in applying for a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Grant, but would prefer to own the property before doing any more improvements.
Andy Kehren of Bolton and Menk Inc., the city’s engineer, shared at the earlier meeting that after the new wastewater treatment ponds are constructed, the existing ponds will be rehabbed and sludge removed in 2019. He added that the current spot is the only logical staging area. The city might need the property for other pond-related reasons after 2019, and encouraged the council to not sell the property at this time.
Council members and MLOOSC representatives agreed to be flexible and work together to make the property usable for both groups.
Deed restrictions and any Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) restrictions on the sale of the property were in need of being researched.
A purchase agreement for the sale of the property after 2020 was also discussed.
Following research by Kehren and Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff after that meeting, the council directed Suhrhoff at the Monday meeting to draft a 99-year lease on the current trap range property. The lease will be available at the first city council meeting in September.
Agree to two-year contract with Muske, Muske and Suhrhoff
A two-year contract with Muske, Muske and Suhrhoff for legal services was presented, reviewed and approved. Contract dates run from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Attorney Suhrhoff also agreed to update the council of open items at each meeting.
In other business
+ Approved the purchase of a 2017 Chevrolet G4500 ambulance from Everest Emergency Vehicles at a cost of $149,000. At the meeting to present the bid were Dave Watkins and Tim Janzen of the Mountain Lake Ambulance Squad. The bid does not include a trade-in. The 2006 Chevrolet ambulance will be sold or donated.
+ Accepted a $5,000 grand from the DNR to the Mountain Lake Fire Department. This is a matching grant that will be used to purchase turnout gear.
+ Received a bid from Karr Tuckpointing LLC for tuckpointing at the Municipal Power Plant ($47,383) and the Mountain Lake City Park Bandstand ($10,257). Council members suggested looking into using a grant for the bandstand’s cost. The ceiling at the power plant was also discussed, with no action taken.
+ Approved the abandonment agreement for a portion of Branch F, County Ditch #21 with Cottonwood County. The Cottonwood County Drainage Authority had earlier approved the abandonment of that portion of the ditch located in Mountain Lake Commercial Park. The City of Mountain Lake will install and maintain a new 10″ diameter tile line along the south line and the east line of Lot 4, Block 2 of the commercial park.
+ Approved submitting the Active Living Mini-Grant.
+ Heard and reviewed the second reading of city ordinance that establishes a transitional business district zone. This district provides a location for commercial and retail uses that are largely dependent on thoroughfare traffic, wholesaling, manufacturing and related uses whose operations are entirely enclosed within buildings and whose operation will not cause noise, odors, smoke or vibrations beyond their buildings or grounds, and conform to all related requirements. No changes were made.
+ Reviewed portions of the 2018 Budget. More review will take place at the next council meeting.
+ Learned that Attorney Suhrhoff has sent a letter of agreement to demolish to the owner of property at 805 Basinger Memorial Drive, a hazardous nuisance, for signature. The owner had earlier contacted the city and agreed to voluntarily allow the city to demolish the buildings on the property.
+ Learned that the equipment to record and broadcast council meetings on Facebook has been set, and that the August 21 meeting was recorded.
+ Approved a gambling permit for the Good Samaritan Society of Mountain Lake.
+ Were presented the General Liability survey from the League of Minnesota Cities.
+ Heard a “Thank You” note from Paul Metcalf, Mountain Lake Pow Wow Road Race committee member.
+ Learned that 12 people attended the Tuesday, August 15 “Coffee with the Council” (with Mayor Mike Nelson and Mountain Lake City Council Member Darla Kruser) at Sweetfields. The public relayed concerns about maintenance items at the Mountain Lake Community Center. Staff will check into these items of concern.
+ The next city council meeting will be Tuesday, September 5, 7 p.m., in the Mountain Lake City Council Chambers. The date change is due to the observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 4.
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 in June had been rescheduled to Thursday, June 22 due to the annual Pow Wow celebration.
- Both July meetings were rescheduled to the Fourth of July on Tuesday, July 4. The first meeting of the month will be Monday, July 10 and the second, July 24.
- The first meeting in September has been shifted to Tuesday, September 5 due to the observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 4.
- New dates have been scheduled for both meetings in December due to local school holiday events. The first meeting of the month will be on Tuesday, December 5 and the second on Tuesday, December 19.
- Meeting start times are 7 p.m.
City of Mountain Lake Meeting Dates
+ Mountain Lake City Council meets the first and third Mondays of every month at 7 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.
