Photo byWanda Hanson
Marilyn Frauenkron Bayer addressed the Houston City Council at their regular meeting September 8 to request their support of a grant application for a visit by the Minnesota Design Team once again. Houston has benefited from such visits twice before. In October 1995, Houston hosted a design team for the first time. In April 2006, Houston was one of the first communities in the state to be awarded a second MDT visit; one reason they received a second visit was that Houston had achieved 17 of the 20 goals for the community that had been set in 1995.
The up to $10,000 grant would be used to cover expenses of approximately $7,500 for the design team itself. A team of 12 to 20 design and community development professionals will visit the community. Community members will be asked to submit a photo survey of the community. One photo will show what they like best about their community, one of places that represent the least favorable image of Houston and one that shows what is most significant about the community (or what the opportunities are for creating unique places in the community).
Bayer enthused that the visit from the design team brings people together to create a vision of what they want to see for the community. The team will tour the city with a goal to “enhance the assets we have!” The team will stay in Houston for several days; food and lodging will need to be provided for the team.
In both 1995 and 2006 people had commented that the city had no identity. Now the Owl Center has given Houston such an identity statewide. Having a design team visit prior to the building of the new Owl Center will allow Houston to plan ahead.
According to Bayer, there was a great group of people who led the first visits. Some of the same people have agreed to be involved this time as well. Bayer herself has offered to write the grant application.
Applications for the grant for next fall are due in January; they will be reviewed within four weeks of their submission. The council approved supporting the application.
“This is a joint community endeavor!” Bayer declared as she thanked the council, “Everyone will have a say in it!”
Roof Repairs
The council needed to make several decisions regarding roof repairs of city buildings. The city hall roof had leaked “significantly” during a recent rain event. After examining bids from Winona Heating and Ventilating and MacCabe Roofing, the council chose to go with the WHV bid of $32,740 with a replacement of insulation as needed with a per sheet price. The worst case scenario with replacement of all the insulation was estimated at an additional $8,000 by City Administrator Michelle Quinn.
The bandshell roof was damaged again during the July 28 wind event. Insurance coverage will pay for the cost of replacing the asphalt shingles with the same minus the deductible.
City staff had suggested that the same steel shingles as used on the Nature Center building be used instead since they seem to last better. The shingles would cost $21,942 which would be $10,042 more than asphalt shingles.
Quinn informed the council that if the applied for disaster funding was received, it could cover the deductible. She also told the council that there was a total of $7,800 available in the Parks and Nature Center funds. The remaining $2,200 would need to come out of the city funds.
Steve Westby shared that he’d been told the sound was perfect in the bandshell; he wanted to take good care of the bandshell. Danny Todd added, “We know that steel outlives asphalt.” The council chose to go with Affordable Siding and Roofing’s bid for the steel shingles.
Water and Sewer Rates
At the recommendation of the city’s financial advisor Mike Bubany, the council decided it was necessary to raise the water and sewer rates for the coming year. In order to have the customers cover the cost of the water and sewer services, the council raised the water rate by 4% and the sewer rate by 5%.
Other Business In other business, the council:
- Approved the preliminary budget levy of $617,400, a 3% increase; Quinn noted that later this may be reduced to a 2% increase;
- Set the Truth in Taxation meeting for December 8 at 6:15 p.m.;
- Approved gambling permits to the Fire Department Relief Association for their February gun raffle and DLC, Inc. for a January 24 event;
- Approved selling old street signs on a first come, first served basis for $20 each.
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