Library Board president, Joel Huebner, addressed the Spring Valley City Council during their May 13 meeting to share information about a grant opportunity.
“We’ve been working on a grant that is due on the 15th (of May) and because the city owns the building the grant company wants you to sign off on the grant request,” Huebner explained. “What we are looking for is a grant of $146,850. We will have matching funds out of our library fund. That money will be spent to finish the efface on the exterior of the building and any additional repairs that need to be done pursuant to that. It will involve some stone work to help protect down lower where the shovels and such have damaged the efface.”
The grant is being offered by the Minnesota Department of Education-Library Construction Grant, which is dollar-for-dollar matching program to help provide public libraries with funds for projects such as renovations, construction and improvements resulting in a more accessible library facility.
Library board member Kristina Rader noted, “Right now as the grant is written we are using the matching funds from the capital campaign account that was left over from the original building just for matching funds. At some point, because we don’t want to use all of our capital campaign money for this particular repair since it is also for broken boilers or something like that, we may have to raise some other funds and/or decrease our library fund and/or include some funds in our budget this year. This is a longer term project. We don’t foresee it being completed for up to two to five years so we have time to get into that. The grant only comes around every three to four years. So if we can get the $146,850 secured from the state then we can back into the rest of the money.”
According to library director Melissa Vander Plas they should hear if they were accepted by June or July.
Staff and Council Reports
Parks and Recs Director John Fenske shared the summer recreation packets are now available, as are the swimming lesson forms.
“The staffing situation has gotten better, but we still need lifeguards,” Fenske stated.
The pool is being cleaned and new tanks for the chemicals have been installed.
The community center now has a new furnace. The pickleball courts have been very popular with the public, according to Fenske, and they will soon be adding a windscreen to the courts.
“We got some exciting news last week, I was approached by Aaron Kolling to put in a multipurpose court at Spring Creek Park. It is in the very beginning stages and he is working to get funding to back it, so the only cost to the city would be the upkeep after its done. Thank you to all that are involved in doing that,” Fenske expressed.
The rec program also received a generous donation of $700 from Dallas Smith for new football uniforms.
Economic Development Authority (EDA) Director Chris Hahn told the council there are a lot of conversations regarding progress in childcare and development progressing forward within the community, which he is excited to share when more information is available.
The bike rental program, funded by Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) through Fillmore County Public Health, will be kicking off soon, as will Wednesdays on Broadway which begins on June 19.
Vander Plas said the library has been busy with author visits and a number of programs. Upcoming programs include the summer reading program, which runs from June 3 through July 26. Sarah Hansen will be hosting her second class “Preserving the Harvest” on June 1 and June 8. Nancy Vaillancourt will be presenting the history of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Minnesota on May 21. This is in partnership with the “Testify: Americana Slavery Today” exhibit hosted by the library in April.
The Friends of the Spring Valley Library held a book sale and raised over $1,000 to support the library programs and projects.
Story times will continue on the first and third Fridays of the month at 10:30 a.m. The library will also continue to be open the first Saturday of the month through the summer.
Ambulance Co-Director Sue Puffer told the council there were 49 calls in April and sixteen calls to date. She thanked Mark Sanders and Elliot Grandall for the $1,700 raised for the department during their concert at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
Fire Chief Dustin Johnson noted there was one grass fire, one smoky house and two calls for gas smells during April.
The department also participated in emergency medical responder (EMR) training and anhydrous training.
Johnson shared his thanks to the Spring Valley ambulance crew, the sheriff’s department and the Kingsland School District for their participation in the recent mock drill.
Other business
•The council approved an increase in sewer rates with a $1.37 per 1,000 gallon increase and $5.45 increase to the base rate.
•As part of the Waste Water Treatment Plant project, the council reviewed and approved Bolton and Menk’s work order for their final design and bidding services, which are estimated at 6,300 hours for a total cost of $1,040,000. This is included in the previously approved overall project cost.
•The council approved a quote of $25,000 to $30,000 from Linken Meyer Construction to crush the pile of concrete rubble, asphalt and limestone left from street projects. The city has had issues with people illegally dumping their personal rubble at the city’s pile and are asking the public to call the police if they see suspicious activity in the area.
•The liquor license renewals for Stellar 181, TJ’s, Rack’s, Valley Lanes, Kwik Trip and Casey’s.
•The street closure request for Fins and Films was approved.
•A special meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 29 at 6 p.m. in city hall to review the estimates for the downtown re-striping, trail overlays and the Tracy Road work order.
•A hearing date was set for the next meeting to review Mediacom’s request for a contract renewal.
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