By Annika Doberenz
The month of July was a slow one for the city of Ostrander, with no calls being made to the fire department and no major issues popping up for the people services department, either. The only topics discussed at any significant length at their latest meeting on August 8 were those of the recent citywide garage sales, the new cannabinoids ordinance that was passed last month in Fillmore County, the upcoming city council elections and the 2024 budget.
As reported by the City Clerk Wendy Brincks, the garage sales held throughout Ostrander on the weekend of July 3 were quite successful. In fact, a petition was submitted to the council that the sales be allowed to continue every year to become an annual tradition. “They’d like to keep it that weekend, and have [the council] pay for some advertising,” said Brincks. “It sounded like they made some good cash, so I think it was pretty successful.” The motion to make the sales a repeating event during the first weekend of every July was passed by the council, so visitors to Ostrander can expect a similar experience next year.
Although it was only discussed for a brief time before being approved, the council also ratified Fillmore County’s ordinance regulating the use of cannabinoids in public places. The statute was brought up at the July meeting, but the council decided to wait until the August meeting to approve it, in order to give the council members time to individually review the information. While the county had already made the decision about the ordinance and its enactment, each city had to accept it and essentially promise to make sure that it was upheld in each jurisdiction, which Ostrander has now agreed to do.
Thirdly, the council considered the upcoming election. Three seats on the city council will be opening up after this year, and elections are happening soon. The time slot in which Ostrander citizens can apply for the positions falls between July 30 and August 13 at 5 p.m. This year, the positions that are open are two four-year council seats and the two-year mayor position, for which anyone can apply.
Lastly, the council reexamined the proposed budget for the rest of the year. In addition to reviewing the expenses that have been incurred during the first seven months of the year, the council took another deep view of what the rest of the year will look like, as well as the anticipated expenses of 2025. Most majorly, the city of Ostrander is in need of a new town truck. With the old one wearing down and winter approaching, the council has budgeted $47,000 to cover the expenses of buying and maintaining a truck that can stand up to winter for years to come.
To help cover the cost, Brincks proposed that the council make use of the USDAs Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant. In the past, Ostrander has used the grant to help pay for things such as their tornado siren and fire truck. The money they received in those cases has helped the city to be a better-protected place, and the hope of the council is that this case will be no different. “I would suggest that we apply for the grant, which would cover a portion of the city truck and expenses, as well as potentially a small loan to cover anything initial,” said Brincks. “I think that’s the smartest way to go about it, and that way, we’re not raising property taxes. At this time, we should be able to stay within budget by taking some assistance from the USDA.”
All told, the Ostrander City Council’s August meeting was both succinct and successful, and their plan for the September meeting includes opening and approving propane bids, the advertisements for which will be posted in the Fillmore County Journal and the Mower County Independent for the two weeks leading up to the council’s next meeting.