The city of Fountain has worked to address ordinance non-compliance in recent years and is making a push for citizens to be more aware. While the ordinances are listed on the city website (fountainmn.org), many issues are still falling by the wayside.
City Clerk Mary Tjepkes notified the council at the September 4 meeting that the ordinances will put the reminder on forthcoming utility bills and heighten awareness through social media.
“People don’t realize we voted on and approved new city ordinances,” said Tjepkes.
The city adopted the MN Livable City Code and it was updated in 2023. According to Tjepkes some of the prohibited and enforced ordinances include the shooting of firearms within the city, vehicles with out of date tags, parking of unregistered vehicles outside of garages, and parking on city streets in the winter. She suggests citizens revisit the ordinances for better awareness.
In other news, the council is planning to review the proposed budget and suggest any modifications to Tjepkes by September 14. Insurance premiums are making a significant increase this year, but all other costs are based on actual 2024 figures. Tjepkes noted a discussion with Preston Police Chief Blaise Sass and that contract is not expected to increase.
“Thank you, Mary. That’s a huge starting point,” said Mayor Tammy Danielson.
The council also learned that Danielson will be training with Tjepkes to step in to fill some of the clerk’s duties, including payroll and utilities, in the instance that Tjepkes is unavailable. Currently, there is no backup, which presents some issues including during illness or Personal Time Off (PTO). Tjepkes currently has more than 170 hours of PTO built up. This happened to the city with Public Works Director John Hanson previously and the city was able to let Hanson use hours by hiring a backup.
There was also high praise from Danielson and Tjepkes for Public Works, particularly now that the department fully took over the wastewater treatment plant in June. The new Public Works employee also received positive comments.
“I commend John and Jordan, they’re making great strides,” said Councilor Jordan Kearns.
“The two are really partnering well together,” added Danielson. “He’s a self-starter. That’s good for the city.”
The council also discussed the need for a priority list for city streets and alleys. The council will compile a collaborative list from all members based on items of note.
“It all needs to be done.Which one do you do first?” asked Kearns. He further suggested putting together a priority list prior to setting the 2025 budget. “We need to budget a certain amount to make some repairs in the next year.”
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