A letter stating the Zenith Street homeowners’ perspective on the proposed Zenith Street East paving project was distributed at the May 7 Lanesboro City Council meeting as part of the public hearing to discuss the project.
Several of the Zenith Street homeowners were also present to make one last statement before the council decided whether or not to go ahead with the project. The council had previously approved a motion to pave the gravel road to the end of Woodview, but had later discussed the possibility of paving it all the way to the end of city limits instead.
Zenith Street resident Phil Dybing noted that he and the other homeowners were ready to sign a waiver agreeing to be assessed for 50% of the costs, no matter which paving option was chosen.
The public hearing was closed so the council could discuss their thoughts on the proposed paving project. A resolution declaring the adequacy of the petition presented by the homeowners and ordering preparation of a report was approved. The second resolution on the table was a commitment of the city to pave the road and was amended to include paving to the end of the city limits. Mayor Autumn Johnson pointed out that the quotes received for the work were around $12,000 higher than the original ones presented when the possibility of the project was first approached. “I’m against it. We literally do not have the money to do this,” she stated.
“Even if they (the homeowners) are willing to pay the 50% (for assessments), we don’t have the money and dipping into the reserves is not a good idea.”
After some discussion, the council voted on the resolution to pave the gravel portion of Zenith Street. The motion was approved with three council members in favor of the project and two against.
Resolutions were also passed approving the plans and specifications and to award the quote for the project to the low bid from Elcor Construction in the amount of $95,042.15. The assessment term and interest will be set at the June council meeting.
Another public hearing was held to discuss the city’s wellhead protection plan which was presented by Jennifer Weier from the Minnesota Department of Health. Weier gave a brief overview of the plan which included a map of the city’s wells as well as action items. Only three issues were identified, which were the old municipal wells, private property wells, and the limited staff and resources of the city. Among other things, the plan included finding and identifying all wells within city limits and sealing those that need it, continuing to work with the MDH staff to test water and stay safe water compliant, and managing the area around the city’s well head.
City Administrator Michele Peterson was able to attend the Minnesota Municipal Clerks Institute. “It was very eye-opening and interesting,” she said. “I learned a lot of things that I would like to bring back to the council.”
The Planning and Zoning committee accepted a resignation from Peggy Hanson and will be looking for a new member to fill her seat. The hiring committee conducted three interviews for the part-time seasonal position and recommended hiring Garrett Melander for the job. The council approved the hiring.
One workday has been completed for the ball field improvements since the Minnesota Twins Field of Dreams grant was received. Several more will take place over the next few weeks to complete the project. Volunteers are welcome.
The council approved the Park Board’s request to begin the application process for a USDA grant to achieve ADA compliance with the municipal garage and bathroom.
City Maintenance Director Andy Drake asked the council to review a $95,000 quote for a 2020 truck to replace the current city truck. He pointed out that when the truck was purchased new in 1999, it was decided to trade it in every 15 years, but that hasn’t been done. The truck is in need of some expensive repairs if the city is going to keep operating it. While several of the council members agreed that a new truck is needed, they pointed out that it’s not currently in the budget. “The timing is off,” council member Tom Smith said. Council member Jason Resseman noted that only about a third of the cost to buy a new truck is available in the funds right now.
Resseman asked to see a cost breakdown of the repairs needed on the existing truck before making the decision to purchase a new one. “We do need that truck, we use it all the time,” he agreed, “but we need to know the whole picture before spending that much money.” The council decided to table their decision until Drake can present quotes for repairs.
Ambulance Director Deane Benson updated the council on the service. Since the beginning of 2018, they have gone on 30 calls. They are still looking for new EMTs and have two who will finish their classes in August so they can join the crew. Benson and the other crew members are working hard to promote the service and encourage locals to join as EMTs via word-of-mouth and social media. The new Stryker lift cot is working out very well, and the old cot is being sold for $5,000.
Last year, during budgeting, a project to remove trees on Zenith Street was identified. “It’s a mess,” Drake said about the trees. “They’re all tangled together.” Drake has been looking into options to do so and informed the council that the most cost effective way would be to grub each one and then burn them, rather than having the trees hauled away and then burned. At least one resident on the street is opposed to burning the trees, but to haul them away would double the cost of the project. Several of the residents were at the meeting and indicated that they were also not in favor of the tree removal. “It sure seems like we’re focusing our efforts on one section of town when there’s a lot that needs to be done somewhere else too,” Resseman pointed out. “I would be inclined to just let it lie for now.” The rest of the council agreed and the motion to remove the trees was denied.
The Fillmore County EDA is asking cities in Fillmore County to contribute to a county-wide housing study to plan for future growth. Lanesboro’s portion would be $500. The council approved the payment from the EDA budget.
A liquor license was approved for Home Sweet Home.
The next Lanesboro city council meeting will be held on June 4 at 5:30 p.m.
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