Move made following public hearing
After holding a public hearing as part of the group’s Monday, September 18 meeting, the Mountain Lake City Council approved modification of the downtown redevelopment project (the Sanford Project), along with the transfer, loan and repayment of Mountain Lake Economic Development Authority (EDA) funds.
During the hearing, Tammy Omdal of Northland Securities explained that modifications to the downtown redevelopment project were needed because the project and the amount of increment expected to be generated have changed since the project’s TIF (Tax Increment Financing) plan was established and approved several years ago.
Briefly reviewed were the sections of the TIF plan that needed to be modified.
Also discussed was the project under consideration.
The transfer, loan and repayment of EDA funds came following an EDA request for city authorization to use the money from two of its funds to cover start-up development costs. TIF increment and/or income received once the project has tenants will pay back the interfund loan.
There were no questions or comments from the public during the hearing.
Street Department grader purchase approved
Early on in the Monday meeting’s agenda, council members approved the purchase of a new grader for the Street Department at a cost of $284,846 without trade-in and $251,846 with trade-in on a split vote (Mayor Mike Nelson and Mountain Lake City Council Members Dana Kass and David Savage in favor, with Mountain Lake City Council Members Darla Kruser and Andrew Ysker voting against). John Deere is offering a $33,000 trade-in value on the Champion, but it is believed that it would be possible that the city could sell the Champion for more than that amount.
Just prior to adjournment, the purchase of a new grader was revisited, with the motion to reconsider defeated, again by split decision (Kass, Kruser in favor; Nelson, Savage and Ysker against).
The city’s motor grader is 20-years-old, and the company that manufactured it, Champion, no longer exists.
Under the city’s 2018 Capital Improvement Plan, previously adopted by the council, has the grader scheduled for replacement in 2018, 2019 or 2020.
Brian Thilges, salesperson for RDO/John Deere, in attendance at the meeting, explained to the council that he wanted to make them aware that the 2017 state bid year ends September 30, and the prices will be increasing 5% to 7% in the new bid year that beings October 1. Thilges told the members that if it was the council’s intention to purchase a new grader in 2018, they should consider making the purchase now, and paying for it and taking possession after the first of the year. State bid quotes for a John Deere (JD) 672G and Caterpillar 12M3 were reviewed and discussed.
Also considered were the number of hours a year the grader is used, waiting for a better time to buy, buying a slightly cheaper JD 672 with less technology, selling the Champion instead of trading it and the size of the street department’s reserves currently – and after purchasing – a grader.
In other business
+ Approved the hiring of Tristan Varpness as a lineman, effective September 5.
+ Approved the loan resolution security agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Rural Development for the purchase of a new pumper for the Mountain Lake Fire Department. The city is purchasing the new pumper at a cost of $325,000. The fire department will use reserves, along with the $125,000, 3.25%, 15-year loan from the USDA – Rural Development to purchase the pumper.
+ Addressed the nuisance property at 805 Basinger Memorial Drive. The property’s tax statement, a list of repairs needed drafted by the city’s Building Official and two bids to demolish the house and garage were reviewed. Curt Fast of Mountain Lake is interested in buying the property from the current owner and substantially repairing both structures. Fast is willing to pay the back taxes, asked the city to waive interest and penalties, along with an attachment that is the result of closing a well on the property. Council members made the decision to make Fast responsible for the taxes, interest and penalties and that the city will defer collection of the well-closing bill for two years, provided that at that time the repairs are completed. They also agreed that Fast must submit a repair plan that is approved by the city’s Building Official; that the property is purchased and that taxes, interest and penalties paid and that the repair plan is approved by Wednesday, September 27. They also approved a demolition bid of $7,250 to Lohrenz Construction of Mountain Lake if Fast does not accomplish all of the requested items by September 27.
+ Reviewed the draft agreement with the Mountain Lake/Odin/Ormsby Sportsmen’s Club for the group’s use of city property as a Trap Range. The draft has been forwarded to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for their review.
+ Requested a summary of 2018 public nuisances to be provided at the next council meeting on Monday, October 2 by Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff.
+ Authorized the submission of grant applications to the Odell Wind Farm Community Trust, the Robert and Helen Remick Charitable Foundation Trust and the Mountain Lake Area Foundation for Mountain Lake City Park Bandstand tuck-pointing.
+ Reviewed a preliminary 2018 budget summary with a levy increase of 3%. Following the review, the council approved setting the preliminary levy at $650,688.56, an increase of 4%. The final levy will be set in December. The final levy can be less – but not more – than the preliminary levy. Members also approved the preliminary budget at $2,243,863.86, a 3.1% increase. A public meeting to discuss the levy and budget, inviting public input, was set for Tuesday, December 5, at 6 p.m., one-half hour prior to the start of the regular council meeting.
+ Addressed issues raised at the August “Coffee with the Council” gathering as well as a recent Mountain Lake Senior Club meeting concerning the Mountain Lake Community Center. Mountain Lake Clerk/Administrator Wendy Meyer has asked a local contracttor for quote to replace the south entry door. Also reviewed were quotes for new kitchen flooring, new blinds for the large south windows – along with the community center budget. Administrator Meyer was instructed to bring the quotes for the door and installation of the floor to the next council meeting on Monday, October 2 for further discussion.
+ Approved moving the start time of the remaining 2017 council meetings to 6:30 p.m. Earlier this year, the Mountain Lake Public School (MLPS) School Board and the city council had adjusted their meeting start times on the third Monday of each month to 5:30 p.m. for the school board and 7 p.m. for the city council. The change was made at that time to enable a representative of each group to attend the meeting of the other group. However, the meetings continue to overlap, making it difficult for the city council representative to be present at the entire school board meeting. It was agreed that the school board should be a standing item on the city’s agenda. This will give the school board representatives a few minutes whenever they arrive at the city council meeting to update the council on items with which the school board is currently dealing.
+ Agreed that Ysker will attend the Monday, October 17 MLPS School Board meeting on behalf of the city council.
+ Agreed that the next “Coffee with the Council” be tentatively scheduled for Friday, November 17, 12 noon, at The Laker, with Kruser and Ysker in attendance.
+ The next city council meeting will be Monday, October 2, 6:30 p.m., in the Mountain Lake City Council Chambers.
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.
