Lanesboro Council revisits street and bridge issues

By News Team
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Fri, Oct 25th, 2002
Posted in Features

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City streets took the spotlight at the October 21 meeting of the Lanesboro City Council. Jerome Halvorson, council representative on the Church alley committee, informed the council that Churchill Properties held the same position as the Lanesboro Council regarding re-doing the road. "They are hesitant to re-do the road with no immediate return (on the investment) in the near future," stated Council member Halvorson. Halvorson went on to say, "If we have to put that road in as per contract, it�ll be big dollars!" After toying with such possibilities as having the contract between Churchill Properties and the city declared void because of the length of time since its signing, condemning the annex of the old school building in order to demolish it for a new street, resurfacing the current road as a temporary fix, or abiding by the city�s portion of the contract, the council decided to check with an engineer to obtain cost figures in order to make a more informed decision. Coffee Street Bridge Further information was presented about the Coffee Street Bridge. According to Orville Amdahl, former Fillmore County Recorder, when a road is relocated, the ownership of any portion not being used reverts to the lower entity (in this case the city). The council had wanted to ensure that the city owned the bridge before city monies were spent on it. Previous communication with John Grindland, County Engineer, had been unsettling. Grindland had informed the council that "if the bridge belonged to the county, this Federal project would never have been proposed, the bridge would have been removed, and all the headaches with it." Power Plant"We don�t oppose it or support it," asserted Council member Peggy Hanson regarding the Heartland Energy and Recycling plant as she presented a draft letter for the council�s approval. Hanson gave her opinion that Lanesboro City Council needed to ask questions if there was a chance that the proposed plant would affect air or water quality in Lanesboro. Council member Kevin Drake said, "The more I read this (draft letter), the more I�m against this! Don�t you think the Preston Council is asking these questions? I think we�d be intruding if we go ahead with this." With a split vote (Cropp and Hanson for; Halvorson and Drake against), Mayor John Brose cast a deciding vote in favor of sending the letter to the area legislators, the Preston City Council and several state agencies including the MPCA, emphasizing that the Lanesboro Council merely wanted to ask some questions and were not for or against the plant.EDA ConsultantThe Economic Development Authority consultant contract was discussed with salary amount (around $35,000/ year) and defined work products (what actually is the consultant expected to produce?) coming under scrutiny of the council. The council decided to table the subject and revisit the contract after the credentials of the potential consultant are presented and concrete outcomes are added to the contract. Barb Hoyhtya, city manager, stressed that the council and the new council need to be behind this undertaking and that time was not a factor.Other MattersIn other business, the council:�Approved the signing of the ambulance agreement for $4,500 with the county. The agreement is run through the Public Nursing Service as a grant for community health. Fillmore County is one of few Minnesota counties that pass grant monies on, giving all cities with an ambulance service in the county the same amount of funding. �Took action on a petition for street vacation of Beacon Street (abutting the Red Hotel). Although there currently is no road in the location, a public hearing must be held before vacating the street. � Agreed to send a letter to the county backing the library�s request for the payment of contracted funding by the county.� Hired Lloyd D. Johnson, CPA, to do the city audit.� Approved the Community Center renovation agreement.

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