As part of the economic development authority’s monthly report at the Harmony City Council, on Tuesday, August 11, council members and staff learned that the city would be starting another Small Cities Grant cycle for rehab of residential and rental housing and commercial properties.
Mayor Steve Donney and Councilman Steve Sagen, both of whom also serve on the EDA, reported that the EDA had decided at its August meeting, held the previous Thursday, to begin the process through CEDA.
Chris Giesen, CEDA employee and Harmony EDA director, facilitated a conference call discussion with his colleague Allison Wagner regarding the Small Cities Block Grant.
This grant could be used to renovate commercial, rental and residential properties, she explained. Income qualified homeowners would get 100% forgivable loans for home renovations like roofs, windows, siding, heating and air. Owners of rental units could qualify for 70% in forgivable loans if 51% of their tenants are income qualified for renovations similar to owner occupied properties but also for finishes like cabinets and flooring. Owners of commercial property could qualify for 80% forgivable loans for primarily exterior fixes like windows, roofs, siding, and even signage without any income limits for the owners.
She also explained that due to application timing, the next available slot to apply would be in the fall of 2021 for projects in summer 2022. There is only one application round per year and applications take several months to receive approval from the state.
The board discussed and agreed that the program sounded very beneficial. The EDA voted at that point to direct Wagner to begin the process by securing their spot on her calendar, beginning the grant process in the summer of 2021 with community surveys, which would determine need and interest in the program. The motion carried unanimously.
City resident
complains about staff
Harmony resident Gary Ehler addressed the council during the public forum part of the meeting. Ehler, who had been issued a citation for littering, alleges that the charges are just another part of a city employee’s harassment.
“The allegations are false,” Ehler told the council. “They are nothing but harassment and allegation.”
Ehler claims the city employee is a “loose cannon” and needs to “take anger management classes.”
Ehler alleges that the city employee has been bothering him since March 31 and stem from an incident where Ehler drove over a pothole, lost some of his lawn debris on the street and reported the incident to the city office. He said he asked about filling the potholes.
As Ehler shared his side of the story, he claimed two city employees drove by him multiple times while he cleaned the debris off the street. Soon, there was a sheriff’s deputy there, saying the sheriff’s office had received a call that he was raking debris onto the street. There was no citation issued at the time.
Since that initial incident, Ehler alleges that the city employee has cursed at him, given him “finger language,” and given him a hard time.
The citation, issued for littering, was the result of Ehler allegedly disposing of food waste near the wastewater treatment plant. However, as Ehler was speaking during the public comment period of the meeting, he was exceeding his five minute limit and was cut off by Mayor Steve Donney.
“Now, I have a citation to fight,” Ehler told the council as he left the meeting. “The whole issue was started by your own employee. I’m sure there’s more coming down the pike for me.”
The council did not act or discuss the matter again during the meeting.
Public hearings
The city council held two public hearings at the meeting for the purpose to hear comment on two grant applications from the fire department. The USDA grant would fund equipment and a new truck for the Harmony Fire Department.
No one was present to speak for or against the grant applications, so the hearings were subsequently closed.
The council then approved the individual grant applications to be submitted for the proposed equipment and emergency services vehicle.
Street improvement
City Engineer Brett Grabau was at the meeting to request the city approve a pay request for the street projects taking place throughout Harmony this summer. The request was approved.
While at the meeting Grabau explained that, overall, the contractor is on schedule, as well as a bit ahead. There has recently been a lull in action, he said, while the general contractor waits for the concrete sub-contractor to install new curb and gutter along the streets. He expected that sub-contractor to be in Harmony this week,
There was a question about some of the fire hydrants being elevated so far out of the ground. Grabau explained they have all been installed using the standard base, but will be cut down or elevated as needed as part of some of the final phases of the street project.
Other business
The owners of BReaKeRs have requested a second cutout and access to allow customers more direct access to the business. The council will look at safe options for a driving lane as well as ways to keep traffic at a low speed near the bike trail. “It is not something we will solve tonight,” said Swanberg, “but thought we could start the conversation.”
In the park board report, Lynn Mensink said they had discussed the addition of a skate pad near the tennis and basketball courts as well as the 2021 budget. She reminded the council that volunteers are needed for the installation of new playground equipment at the community center on Saturday, August 29.
The library board also met and Mensink reported that there had recently been four virtual programs held that were “pretty well received.” The library will be purchasing new seating in the computer room to allow more spacing between patrons. She also noted that patrons were coming into the library, using precautions and being respectful of social distancing since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, she added that the SELCO system added several e-magazine subscriptions that have been very well received and have a good number of readers.
In her final report, that from the arts board, Mensink said there has been concern noted over the two remaining musical statues in town. The bases are rotting and other damage is occurring.
Donney brought up, under other business, a concern he had received a call from a resident voicing concern over the mosquito fogging. The resident had first believed the fogging was harming her lilac bushes. However, after some research, she had determined that southeastern Minnesota lilacs have been victims of some blight. Donney had also talked to the company who fogs the town and was told the fog does not contain any herbicide, just a small of amount of pesticide and water vapor.
Finally, as Tuesday was the last day to file for a city office, it was reported that four individuals had filed to be placed on the ballot for city council in November. They were incumbents Deb Swenson and Lynn Mensink and challengers Domingo Kingsley and Jesse Grabau. Mayor Steve Donney will once again be running unopposed in November.
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