Mountain Lake City Council maintains Mountain Lake Community Center as city’s polling place
At the Monday, November 6 meeting of the Mountain Lake City Council, its members approved the purchase change order for farm-style street lights and additional fixtures.
The city had undercounted the needs. The added cost is $6,000.
Mountain Lake Community Center remains city’s polling place
A law passed by the Minnesota State Legislature in 2017 requires city councils to designate polling places every year by December 31 for the following year – even if the polling places have not changed.
City council members approved continuing to maintain the Mountain Lake Community Center as the city’s polling place.
In other business
+ Approved the subdivision of property between JLJR Midway LLC and Zaremba Group/Dollar General. JLJR Midway LLC intends to sell a 58,442 square foot lot to Zaremba. The council briefly discussed the maps and draft findings of fact.
+ Also approved the property split between Brenda Harder and JLJR Midway LLC. The owners are trading similar-shaped, same-size parcels in order to create more usable lots. the council briefly discussed the maps and draft findings of fact.
+ Briefly discussed several city legal matters with Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff.
+ Discussed livestream broadcasting council meetings on the city’s Facebook page. The cost of equipment needed and of storage of recorded meetings was also touched on. A post to the Facebook page will be used to determine the public’s interest in viewing council meetings.
+ Approved the sale of the 2006 Ford Ambulance to the City of Lynd for $7,500, with the transfer to occur after the ambulance currently being built is put into service.
+ Approved the revised Emergency Management Plan. The plan is periodically revised to update contact information. There were no substantial changes.
+ Agreed to enter into an auditing agreement with Oberloh and Associates for years ending December 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Yearly Tax Increment Financing (TIF) reports will be prepared by the city’s financial advisor, Northland Securities.
+ Discussed year-to-date Conservation Improvement Plan Tracking. The electric utility needs to achieve yearly spending and energy-saving goals. To date, the utility has exceeded the 2017 energy-saving goal and will likely exceed the 2017 spending goal.
+ Briefly reviewed three grant applications that were submitted in late October.
+ Reviewed the spread sheet for the 2017 Budget, and current fund cash balances. No action was taken.
+ Heard and reviewed the second reading of the draft Floodplain Management Ordinance and reviewed the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) currently in effect. The ordinance has been forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for approval.
+ During Public Forum, two Mountain Lake residents, Jay Schied (4th Avenue) and Jim Quiring (2nd Avenue), discussed excessive vehicle noise with the council. The problem will brought to the attention of the Mountain Lake Police Department. A third resident attending the meeting, Gloria McKissick (3rd Avenue), also commented on 3rd Avenue vehicle noise. McKissick also discussed a utility bill issue, the the limited space for the Loaves & Fishes Food Shelf in the Mountain Lake Community Center.
+ 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, November 20, 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.
