Three resolutions were adopted at the July 24 meeting of the Chatfield City Council decertifying three tax increment financing districts. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent.
Chris Giesen, EDA director, explained the three TIF districts have run the course of their agreements. They are all on the Fillmore County side of Chatfield.
District 3-2 was created in 2003 to assist the Lonestone housing development. After decertification the new taxes collected each year will be released to the city, school, and county as property tax payments. The Lonestone district averaged about $150,000 to $170,000 in TIF collections each year, once it was built out.
District 3-4 was created in October 2013 to help with EZ Fabricating’s expansion. EZ Fabricating averaged about $10,000 to $14,000 each year in TIF collections.
District 3-5 was created in July 2022 for a fitness project that did not transpire.
With the decertification of the TIF districts, the city will receive its portion of these dollars for budgeting purposes starting next year.
City administrator
At a special meeting of the Chatfield City Council held on July 12, four finalists were interviewed for the city administrator position. Eighteen applications had been received. Each finalist was given time to answer questions. Councilors asked additional questions for clarification on certain topics.
Each councilor ranked the top two candidates in their view. Each candidate received at least two votes. With a second ballot two candidates were on top. There was more discussion and advice from department heads.
A motion was made to offer the position and to negotiate terms of employment with Michele Peterson. The motion passed 4-1. Councilor Pam Bluhm voted against.
At the July 24 meeting the city administrator employment agreement with Michele Peterson was approved.
Councilor Mile Urban commented at the end of this day’s meeting that the city could not have gone wrong with any of the four finalist candidates.
Other business in brief
• Kay Wangen presented a proposal to upgrade 13 workstations at a total cost of about $38,000. This was supported by the Personnel/Budget Committee at its July 10 meeting. The capital improvement plan schedules workstation replacement every four to five years. The expenses were included in the 2023 budget. The quote provided by Marco to upgrade the workstations was approved as recommended by staff.
• The resignation of Patrol Officer Scott Keigley was accepted with regret. He has accepted a position with the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office.
• Approval was granted to offer the full-time patrol officer position to Trevor Schmidt as recommended by Police Chief Shane Fox.
• Brian Burkholder gave an update on ongoing projects. The street project is going well. The storm water project in West Chatfield will require Hill St. to be closed later this week (July 27) during work hours and may open again mid-week next week.
• A resolution was adopted closing the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) fund. Over 2021 and 2022 the city received about $309,000. The city had adopted a resolution to reimburse the city for lost revenue during that timeframe. The remaining cash in fund #420, ARPA, will be deposited in the General Fund.
• A donation from the Chatfield Booster Club in the amount of $3,500 was accepted to benefit Western Days.
• Mayor John McBroom remembered Bill Clemens of Chatfield who passed away on July 10. A celebration of life was held on July 22. McBroom said he did a lot for Chatfield.
• councilor Pam Bluhm reminded everyone that Western Days is coming up, August 10-13.
• The city council meets next on August 14.
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