On Wednesday, March 8, at the Mabel City Council regularly scheduled council meeting, the board accepted the estimate from Metering and Technology to replace 240 of the town’s 500 plus electric meters. The material costs a total of $60,200, which includes a $500 per month software and maintenance fee. The Public Works Department will install the meters. The city will replace the second half of the meters in 2024.
Public Works Director Bob Mierau explained, “Replacing half now and half in 2024 will be easier on the city budget.
The city approved the purchase of a used 2011 Elgin Pelican street sweeper from MacQueen Equipment, St. Paul, Minn., pending financing and a successful equipment inspection. The estimate is $82,500. Mierau added that MacQueen will give them $7,000 for the current sweeper.
Due to the cost incurred in purchasing the street sweeper this year, the city accepted Mierau’s recommendation to buy a one-year warranty for the city’s lawnmower instead of replacing it.
Mierau submitted a revised quote from Normans Electric Service Inc., Rushford for the Hagen Street upgrade project that has been talked about for two or three years. Two years ago, the cost was around $20,000 and the revised quote came in at $32,749 because of the increase in material. City Clerk Karen Larson noted that this is an electric fund project.
Council members in attendance: Mayor Adam Wilder, Tina Bakke, and Valerie Arnold. Absent Kiersten Wyffels.
The council unanimously approved the minutes from the February 8 regular city council meeting. The board also approved paying the March bills, a total of $78,431.08.
Cleanup Day is Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 8 a.m. to noon. Council members agreed with Mayor Wilder, “Great thing we offer.” The council agreed to keep the rates the same as last year.
Both Larson and council members emphasized that the city does not make any money off garbage and recycling and has been absorbing the fuel surcharge. The council approved increasing the monthly recycling rate by 52 cents, which will cover the cost of the 23 cents increase from Richard’s Sanitation, part of the fuel surcharge, and any future increases over the life of the 7-year contract. The new rate is $4.30 a month.
Davy Engineering, Co. notified Larson that Mabel received a competitive score on the Small Cities Development Program (SCDP) project proposal. As a result, Davy Engineering, Co will submit the final grant application in April. Mierau explained that Mabel is “moving forward.”
Larson shared the letter from Heartland Security notifying the city that there will be a rate increase on the next invoice.
Mabel EDA typically meets before the city council meeting, but the committee did not meet in March. Larson reported that all EDA loans are current.
In other business, the council:
• Approved three zoning permits, one each for Audrey Woxland, Colten Miller, and Mitchell Aasum.
• Approved the updated Mabel Fire Relief Bylaws.
• Approved a gambling premises permit for Joe’s Pizza Palace & Pub to sell pull tabs.
The next regularly scheduled Mabel City Council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, at the Mabel Community Center, 201 South Main Street, Mabel. For questions, contact City Clerk Karen Larson at (507) 493-5299 or karen.larson@cityofmabel.com. The meeting is open to the public.
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