Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
The Caledonia City Council held its annual Truth in Taxation meeting at the December 12 council meeting. The council approved the 2023 proposed budget and 8% levy for taxes payable in 2023.
Mayor DeWayne (Tank) Schroeder called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and led the council and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Council members in attendance include Mayor Schroeder, Robert “Bob” Klug, Amanda Ninneman, David Fitzpatrick, and Brad Rykhus.
Other attendees include City Clerk/Administrator Jake Dickson, Finance Officer Stephanie Mann, Bob Burns, and Randi Vick.
The council approved the minutes from the November 28 council meeting and the consent agenda, including resolution 2022-24 Designating Polling Places, the 2023 employment agreement with Police Chief Kurt Zehnder, the Betz Enterprise salvage yard permit, and the 4.65% utility deposit interest rate for 2023 as required by the State of Minnesota.
The city was contacted regarding a bicycle tour rolling through the city in mid-August. The ride starts in Lanesboro, and the bicyclists will ride 50 to 70 miles daily. The group is looking at overnighting in Caledonia on the evening of August 18 and planning to attend the county fair on Saturday, August 19. The group will need space for 300 bicyclists to set up tents and access to sewer and water for the shower and restroom trailers. The only location in Caledonia is the fairgrounds, but since the event is happening during the fair, the fairground is not available for camping. Council members suggested three other possible locations: Winnebago Springs, Eitzen, and Wildcat Landing. Dickson noted that If they do not stay overnight in Caledonia, the riders plan to attend the fair. It was also confirmed that the time trials this past spring will be happening again in 2023 but will not be using Caledonia streets.
The council unanimously approved the proposed five-year capital improvement plan. Dickson noted that there just was not time to hold a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) workshop in 2022, but that next year he plans on having a CIP workshop allowing the council an opportunity to actively participate in developing the living document. 2023 big ticket items include $90,000 to replace the boiler in the auditorium, $120,000 to replace the roof on the liquor store, $90,000 for the tennis court and pickleball court at Veterans Park, $53,500 for a police vehicle, $1,476,289 for the wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades, $1,697,000 for S. Marshall St. And E. Grove St. improvement project. In 2024, $287,000 for a new ambulance, $3,366,000 for a new joint ambulance and fire station, $250,000 for a plow truck, and $65,000 to repave the S. Decorah St. parking lot. In 2025, $1,104,000 for the S. Winnebago St. Improvement project and $350,000 for a new street sweeper. In 2026, $165,000 will be for SCBA packs and tanks for the Fire Department, $50,000 for sewer lining/manhole rehab, $50,000 for the materials building, $100,000 for a snow haul truck, and $574,431 to repaint the water tower number 2. In 2027, $300,000 will be used for a new plow truck.
In other business the council,
•Appointed Paul Fisch to the city’s EDA board.
•Approved the City of Caledonia 2023 Fee Schedule. Residents can contact the city for a copy of the fees;
•Canceled the December 26 City Council meeting because Monday is a holiday since Christmas falls on Sunday;
•Reviewed the overtime report for November 14-27. No action is required.
The next regularly scheduled Caledonia City Council meeting is Monday, January 9, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the Caledonia City Hall, 231 E. Main Street, Caledonia. The public is invited to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.