Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
The Spring Grove City Council met Tuesday, March 15, 2022, from 7-8:41 p.m. at Spring Grove Communications. Mayor Scott Solberg led the council and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
All city council members were present – Mayor Scott Solberg, Travis Torgerson, Karen Folstad, Chad Rohland, and Trent Turner. Also present were Administrator Julie Amundson, Lee Hoekstra, Stephanie Gulbranson, Harlee Gavin, and Tim Hruska.
The council adopted the March 15 meeting agenda with two additions.
The council approved the minutes from February 15 regular council meeting.
The Spring Grove city precinct boundaries remain the same and the Spring Grove Fest Building is the designated polling place for state and federal elections.
The council approved the appointment of Scott Van Minsel to the Planning and Zoning Commission. His term expires on March 1, 2025.
A temporary liquor license for the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center was approved.
The council approved the proposed Swim Center hours as recommend by Manager Gavin for the upcoming swim season. The swim hours for 2022 are 1-5 p.m. every day, with night swim every Friday. Special night hours will be advertised for opening week, June 6-9 and July 4-7. Midnight swim will be offered when staff is available. Councilmember Rohland mentioned that Spring Grove is the only pool in the area that does not offer open swim in the evening. Mayor Solberg announced, “If anyone else wants to be a lifeguard, we are trying to get as many lifeguards as possible. If anyone wants to go through the certification process to become a lifeguard, we would love to have them.” The lifeguard certification training is scheduled for June 6-8.
The one-way block on Maple Drive will be closed on Wednesday evenings during Spring Grove Music and Market. Councilmembers approved not charging food vendors a fee to use the log cabin during Music and Market.
Sylling confirmed that the tube slide at the Fest Building has a crack in it and has been boarded off. The slide cannot be repaired, and Sylling recommends replacing the slide with an open slither slide, which will still go around and around without a tube covering. The council approved spending a maximum of $12,000 to replace the slide.
Amundson presented a quote to replace the cabinets in the kitchen at the Fest Building. The quote from Keith Myrah is $15,000. Members agreed to table the discussion until the May meeting giving Amundson, Rohland and Tammy Schiltz from Ivy Grove Cafe the opportunity to tour the kitchen and figure out what is needed and get quotes.
Gulbranson spoke on behalf of Midwest Fuels, stating, “The concern is where we are at with this whole process with amending the ordinance. So really, I need to get a timeline for them.” The council unanimously approved contracting with Bill Burke of Davy Engineering to work with the city on the comprehensive plan and to review certain ordinances. Burke estimates that it will take six weeks to complete the project and will cost $23,000. It was noted that Burke did the original plan that it has not been updated since 2012. Mayor Solberg stressed, “We want to do it right.”
The request to close the one-way block on Maple Drive for two days, Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14, during Syttende Mai was approved.
Councilmember Torgerson mentioned that he has been receiving calls from residents around town regarding the city’s garbage bins policies. “It seems that are a number of people are leaving the totes at the curbs for extended periods of time. Some have been leaving them at the curb for weeks and weeks. There is still a requirement to use a bag inside the bin.” Torgerson stressed that the totes are not to be put out before 6 p.m. the night before pickup and must be off the curb and back up by the house by 6 p.m. the day of the pickup. Garbage is supposed to be contained inside a bag inside the black totes. It doesn’t matter what kind of bag. Amundson stated that if your tote is knocked over by the winds or acts of God, Richard’s Sanitation will pick up the garbage. A reminder will be sent out with city bills in May.
The council went into closed session at 7:54 p.m. to discuss the hiring of the building/grounds custodian and meter reader to start employment on April 4, 2022. An update on the police officers and police chief positions followed by an update from WHKS on city well number 1. The council returned to open session at 8:39 p.m.
The Spring Grove City Council’s next regular meeting is Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. at Spring Grove Communications room 100. The public is invited to attend.