Spring Grove’s City Council met for a special meeting on Tuesday, May 30, at 168 West Main Street in Room 100 from 7-8:12 p.m. Council members present included Mayor Saundra Solum, Karen Folstad, Chad Rohland, Trent Turner, and Heather Edgington. Also in attendance was clerk/administrator Jana Elton.
The council adopted the agenda, approved the consent agenda, and approved the minutes from the May 16 regular city council meeting.
Open Forum consisted of no participants.
Old business
Engineer Tim Hruska and Nate Sherburne joined the council meeting via Zoom to discuss Sherburne Gronne Dekar. Mayor Solum started off with reading an email from financial advisor Mike Bubany in regards to the proposed project. Council member Folstad stated, “I’d like to hear what Nate’s thoughts are.” Sherburne recommended to shift gears, and instead sell the corner lots in their current condition; that would cost the city nothing and the city would not be responsible for updating the road, street, or water line. Council member Edgington questioned Sherburne on what would happen to the three center lots if the corner lots were developed. Sherburne explained he would hay or farm the land.
Mayor Solum asked the council, “So what do you all think?” The council agreed to develop all five lots instead of just the corner two lots. Edgington questioned tax implications in regards to Spring Grove residents. Solum acknowledged Spring Grove being short on housing and stated, “We know we need housing.” Another special council meeting will be set up at the next regular council meeting.
Amanda Myhre, who serves as Spring Grove’s Animal Control Officer and with the nonprofit organization Frodo’s Legacy-All Animal Rescue, shared with the city council the results of the recent TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program she, veterinarian Dr. Jan, and Camp Companion took part in. The location for the TNR program was the firehouse in Hokah, Minn. The friendly cats who received treatment went to La Crescent Animal Rescue in La Crescent, Minn., and local farms afterwords. Ten cats were released back into Spring Grove following treatment, six of these cats ended up dead as some residents did not want these cats to return. Overall, twenty-one cats underwent the TNR program.
The city of Spring Grove continues to face issues with residents feeding stray cats, in turn, additional cats come in search of food. The current ordinance allows three registered pets per household; a number of residents are not abiding by this ordinance. The council discussed options to address this current issue, and a few suggested ideas including: Enforcement of city ordinance in where each household is only allowed three registered pets within city limits and to look into how other cities dealt with problems involving feral cats.
Myhre provided her 60-day resignation notice as Spring Grove’s Animal Control Officer. Myhre stated, “I’m not going to do this again for this city. $3500 per year is not worth my time.” The council thanked Myhre for her service and accepted her resignation notice.
Council member Turner moved, second by Rohland to set the following liquor license fees: $150 for off sale, $550 for on sale, and $100 for Sundays in turn motion carried. Fees were compared between the cities of Spring Grove, Chatfield, Lewiston, and Harmony.
New business
Due to the inclusion of June 19 as a state/federal holiday (Juneteenth), the city office will remain closed Monday, June 19.
Tabled to the next regular council meeting had been approval for new signage in regards to the Fest Building Park.
The next regular Spring Grove City Council meeting will be held Tuesday, June 20, at 6 p.m. at 168 West Main Street in Room 100. The public is invited to attend.
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