Photo by Wanda Hanson
The City of Rushford Village held a public hearing regarding a proposed fee schedule ordinance prior to their regular June 16 meeting in order to get public input on the ordinance. While the council spent the time discussing the ordinance, there were no citizens present to speak.
City Clerk Mary Miner reminded the council that they needed to find a way so there will be no judgement. Councilman Mike Ebner agreed and commented that there needs to be consistency when people call Mary for information.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Jon Pettit commented that they will accept whatever the council comes up with as a final version. Pettit suggested maybe the council wanted to look at the ordinance a little longer, but reminded the council that a fee schedule is a way for the city to get back something for paying him.
The council closed the public hearing and opened the regular meeting. Mayor Dennis Overland and council members Mike Ebner, Robert Hart and Rick Ruberg were present; Travis Link was absent. After calling the meeting to order, the council tabled the schedule fee ordinance to get more information.
No citizens appeared to speak during the public input section of the meeting.
Jon Pettit updated the council on new permits in the city. These permits were to Roger Knutson to replace a concrete driveway, Lee Loerch to repair a deck, Jeremy and Nicole Williams to put a metal roof on their house and garage, Justin Rasmussen for a concrete basketball slab and Richard Bovy for barn repairs.
Farmers Win Cooperative
Farmers Win Cooperative applied for a conditional use permit for construction of a facility along Highway 43 to replace the existing building in the City of Rushford. There will be grading on the site. With a conditional use permit the neighbors will be provided the opportunity to voice any concerns at the required public hearing.
Derek Olinger of Bolton & Menk explained the project, He pointed out there would be no outside or exterior storage proposed. There would be a wastewater connection with the sanitary sewer system. The area that needs to access wastewater would be documented. Olinger presented other possible options of the requirement of a screening fence, dust mitigation for the gravel road and control of operating hours. Planning and Zoning felt that all that would be needed was dust control.
Four people from Farmers Win attended the meeting to answer any concerns – Travis Blockhus, Ronald Cruise, Tony Kjos and Tannor Burke. Blockhus informed the council that Farmers Win was just replacing the facility currently in Rushford with a new building on this site.
The council had no further questions and set a public hearing for the project for 6:45 p.m. on July 7.
County Line Road
Mary Miner shared with the council that she’s received a call about speeding on County Line Road. The caller requested that a slow road sign be installed.
Mike Ebner suggested that perhaps the electronic sign could be moved from south Rushford. Public Works and Maintenance Administrator Darrin Dessner commented that on every gravel road there is speeding. He shared his concern that the electronic sign might be vandalized. Ebner suggested that the sign could be placed near a home to provide less of a chance of vandalism.
City Attorney Joe O’Koren suggested they could call the sheriff’s office for enforcement. Derek Olinger told the council other cities are making their roads “less comfortable” for speeders by narrowing the roads or adding obstacles.
Ultimately, Councilman Bob Hart suggested leaving it up to Dessner to decide what to do.
CEDA Report
Mayor Dennis Overland shared that CEDA had received a grant award from the Rushford Community Foundation. He went on to suggest that the park in South Rushford might be able to get a grant from the Rushford Community Foundation as well.
Overland suggested holding a community meeting with the residents of South Rushford it get a better idea of exactly what they wanted for the park.
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