Harmony Council Sets 2024 Appointments

The annual council appointments for 2024 were set at the Harmony City Council’s January 9 meeting. Domingo Kingsley will serve as mayor pro-tem, Kyle Scheevel and Jesse Grabau on the Street and Utilities Committee, Steve Donney and Kingsley on the Personnel Committee, Scheevel and Grabau on the Building Committee, Donney and Kingsley on the Budget Committee, Donney and Michael Himlie on the EDA Board, Grabau on the Planning Commission, Grabau and Scheevel on the Park Board, Himlie on the Arts Board and the Library Board, and Donney on the Fire Relief Board. Nethercut Schieber Attorneys was set as the city attorney, Fillmore County as the city assessor, the Fillmore County Journal as the city’s official newspaper, and First Southeast Bank and MN Money Market Fund as the official depositories. Samantha Grabau, Lisa Morken, Donney and Kingsley were approved as signatories. Eva Hemenway and Brielle Hjelmeland were approved as student members of the Arts Board. Stuart Morem was approved to serve on the EDA Board.
The consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the December 12 council meeting, the claims and December checks and the cash in CD. Travel and hotel stay reimbursement was approved for City Clerk Samantha Grabau to attend a two-day training in New Ulm in January and another one in February. The city’s prosecutor agreement with Fillmore County was also approved.
A land agreement resolution between the city of Harmony and the DNR was approved. The city owns the land on which the Harmony-Preston Valley Trail Extension will be built. The resolution gives the DNR permission to begin construction on that land in the spring of 2024.
The council reviewed the Downtown Revitalization Grant Program and voted to continue it in 2025.
The EDA’s annual report was reviewed and included highlights from various one-time and ongoing projects around the city as well as the organization’s financial impact on Harmony.
A public meeting and discussion between the EDA, Chamber board, and city council is in the works as a way to refresh communication and examine the ways in which the three organizations can best work together to benefit Harmony. A subcommittee consisting of two EDA members, two council members, and two or three Chamber board members will meet for a discussion in late January or early February before the joint meeting between the organizations takes place tentatively in March. Kingsley and Scheevel will serve on the subcommittee.
Himlie gave the report for the Harmony Library board meeting. SELCO will be switching to a new integrated library system soon. Its new library app to replace the one that recently became defunct will also be available soon.
The fire department has already begun planning for the town’s July 4th fireworks this summer. The ambulance crew reported that it had gone on 243 calls during 2023 and that this year is already off to a busy start as well.
The next Harmony City Council meeting will be held on February 13 at 7 p.m.