The January 12 Harmony City Council meeting began with the swearing in of new council members Jesse Grabau and Domingo Kingsley. City Attorney Greg Schieber conducted the oath of office.
The new sound system was set up in the council meeting room at the community center for the evening. The system consists of microphones and speakers to allow all who attend the meeting to hear clearly.
The consent agenda was reviewed and approved.
A public hearing was opened to discuss Ordinance 149 regarding the annexation of 10.2 acres right next to city limits for the Dairyland Power Cooperative project. $1,000 will be paid to the township to offset taxes. The EDA recommended approving the ordinance. The public hearing was closed and Ordinance 149 was approved.
The council reviewed Resolution 21-02 regarding the setting of a public hearing on March 9, 2021, to discuss the establishment of a TIF district for Dairyland Power.
Resolution 21-03 was approved allowing the city to write-off an unpaid utility bill. The bill was last paid in September of 2017 and numerous attempts to collect payment since then have been unsuccessful. City Administrator Devin Swanberg checked with the city’s auditors and was told that it was common practice to write off a debt like that.
The council approved a motion to pay off GO BOND 2031B early, which will save the city money.
Swanberg asked the council how they felt about the possibility of livestreaming the council meetings via YouTube to allow citizens who cannot physically attend meetings to still be involved. The new sound system in the council meeting room would make it possible to do so as the microphones could feed directly into the livestream. Swanberg noted that comments would be disabled on the videos. “I think it’s a good idea,” Mayor Steve Donney said. Swanberg will work out the details and update the council later.
The EDA annual report was reviewed. During 2020, a three-month loan payment holiday was granted to interested businesses with a total of $1,000 forgiven in accumulated interest. $132,500 in small business loans was granted to five Harmony businesses which were affected by the state shutdown. The EDA has continued to work with the Minnesota DNR for the state bike trail extension and with Dairyland Power Cooperative on their expansion project. At the recommendation of the EDA, the council passed Resolution 21-04 allowing the EDA to apply for a grant to help with costs related to the Dairyland project. They also recommended that the council approve the continuation of the new home credit and home renovation program which they did.
The Personnel Committee met on January 11 to discuss employment and the Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA, for city employees. Steve Sagen gave a report of the meeting to the council. The committee discussed a potential 3% increase for COLA and is considering the possibility of conducting a wage study to put another step in between steps three and four for when employees obtain licensing. The council approved the COLA at 2.5%.
Swanberg recommended ending Clerk Samantha Grabau’s probationary period pending a positive review. The council approved the recommendation with council member Jesse Grabau abstaining.
Councilmember Domingo Kingsley mentioned that he’s heard that the speed signs coming into town do not always work. City Maintenance worker Corey Whalen said that the signs do work, but they cap out at 40 mph so if someone is going faster than that, it does not register on the speed sign. It’s a factory setting, but could possibly be changed with the purchase of a computer program. Whalen will look into the cost of it.
The next Harmony City Council meeting will be held on February 9 at 7 p.m.
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