Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
Mayor Adam Wilder called the first Mabel City Council meeting of 2025 to order at 6 p.m. on January 8 in the city hall meeting room.
As required, Mayor Adam Wilder and newly elected council member Kelly Sand took the oath of office at the beginning of meeting. Re-elected council member Kirsten Wyffels took the oath of office on December 27, 2024, since she was unable to attend the January meeting in person.
In addition to Mayor Adam Wilder, council members Kelly Sand, Valerie Arnold, Tina Bakke, and Kirsten Wyffels (who called in) were present. Also present were City Clerk Karen Larson, Public Works Director Bob Mierau, and Mabel property owner Mark Ruport.
The council closed the regularly scheduled meeting to hold a public hearing. The purpose of the public hearing was to allow the residents an opportunity to comment on a variance request by Mark and Tonia Ruport. The Ruport requested permission for a 15’ variance on the north side of their lot to build a house on their property at 200 West Alpine Avenue. City Clerk Karen Larson stated that the city did not receive any comments opposing the variance. After hearing from Mark Ruport, the council unanimously approved the variance.
After reopening the regular session, the minutes from the council’s December meeting and the accounts payable and reports were unanimously approved as presented.
Larson updated the council on the lightning strike at the EMS building and the community center water damage. The city has received one claim check and is waiting on a second check. She will have more information on the water damage at the community center at next month’s meeting once she receives a quote on repairing the damages.
The 2024 audit is scheduled to take place on January 22 and January 23. The audit will take place virtually in-person.
Mayor Wilder announced that it is time to renew pet licenses.
The city clerk shared a copy of the 2025 budget statement with council members so they could see what the city is required to publish in the paper.
The city’s ambulance department received $56,952.84 from the state’s Emergency Ambulance Service Aid, a one-time allocation. The amount each community received was based on the following formula, 20% Licensed Provider Aid, plus 40% Square Mileage Aid, plus 40% Response Volume Aid. Larson confirmed that the funds must be spent or encumbered by December 31, 2025, or it will be returned to the state’s general fund. The funds can be used for operational (personal, supplies/equipment, vehicle maintenance and fuel, travel, education, and fundraising) and capital (long-term assets with an expected useful life of greater than five years) expenses. There is no plan on how to use the money. Larson will come back to the board with a plan after she meets with the ambulance director. “It’s a nice chunk of money for the ambulance to get, and they can definitely use it,” said Larson.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the zoning permit from Mark Ruport.
• Approved the 2025 appointments, which included long-time council member Kirsten Wyffels as Acting Mayor.
• Approved a 3% salary increase for Ambulance Director, Sarah Mengis. “The ambulance director’s job is not getting any easier or less work,” said Larson. “She does a good job.”
• Approved changing city employee Charles Dahl’s job title from public works assistant to public works operator, a full-time position that comes with a wage increase. Public Works Director Bob Mierau stated that Dahl is “really valuable to the city.”
There was no EDA report as the committee did not meet in January due to lack of a quorum.
Public Works Director Bob Mierau updated the council on the status of the water, electric, generator, and sewer projects. He also mentioned that he, Wilder, and Steve Geving sat in on the meeting regarding the Fillmore County All Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan must be updated every five years and Fillmore County is asking for public input. Fillmore County will be sending out a survey for council members to complete and there will be public meetings. Wilder emphasized the importance of the plan in case of a disaster, such as flooding, windstorms, snowstorms, excessive heat, or excessive cold to get FEMA funding.
The council received a copy of the Fillmore County Sheriff’s monthly report for December 24, 2024. In the last month of the year there were a total of 18 calls including one for a welfare check, two civil calls, three calls for information, one fraud/scam call, two funeral escorts, one call for theft, four alarm calls, one drug call, one call for suspicious activity, one traffic call, and one MAARC call.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m.
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