Photo by Zech Sindt
The Ostrander City Council met May 5 with Mayor DJ Start presiding. Council members Jimmie Dean, Lyn Massey-Mills, Dan Hellerud and Brodi Nesler were present, along with City Clerk Wendy Brincks.
Much of the meeting focused on infrastructure projects, including inspections at the city’s water facilities and the approval of a generator purchase for the wastewater treatment plant.
City maintenance employee Jeremy Runkle reported that recent inspections at the city well and water tower came back in good condition. He explained that the water tower inspection involved a remotely operated vehicle equipped with a camera that was sent inside the tower to document conditions and future maintenance needs.
Runkle also updated the council on issues at the wastewater lift station, noting that several alarms during recent storms were related to power interruptions and float issues caused by heavy rainfall. Despite those incidents, he said the city’s water systems were operating normally.
The council also approved adding safer access steps to a city truck after concerns were raised about how difficult it is for employees to climb into the vehicle.
A lengthy discussion followed regarding bids for a backup generator at the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Brincks said the city received two bids after several companies declined to participate. Gerber Electric of Adams submitted a bid totaling $76,007, while Hunt Electric submitted a proposal for $82,950.
Brincks explained the city currently has generators at the water tower and lift station, but not at the wastewater treatment plant. She said the project is intended as a preventative measure that would allow the city to continue operating critical wastewater systems during a prolonged power outage.
Council members also discussed rising costs and possible tariff-related price increases if the city delayed ordering the equipment. Lead times for the generators could range from 16 to 28 weeks depending on the model selected.
The council ultimately approved purchasing the larger Blue Star generator option with the larger fuel tank. Brincks noted the city currently has roughly $325,000 in reserves and said the project costs would likely be spread across multiple budget years because of installation timelines.
The council also heard a brief report from the fire department, which responded to one call during April involving a fire alarm activation.
The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office reported 41.45 patrol hours in Ostrander during April. The monthly report listed calls including ambulance assists, an animal complaint, traffic, a civil matter, a 911 hang-up, a lost and found report, theft and a trespass complaint.
Brincks also presented a resolution governing write-in vote counting for the 2026 election cycle. The resolution allows write-in votes to only be individually counted if the number of write-in votes equals or exceeds the lowest number of votes received by a listed candidate. Brincks said the policy prevents election judges from spending excessive time counting novelty write-in votes. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
The council also discussed storm damage at the city park pavilion after a tree fell on part of the structure during a recent storm. Insurance will cover replacement of the damaged south side of the roof, but council members expressed interest in replacing the north side at the same time so the structure would match. Additional discussion included deteriorating shingles above the park bleachers, and Brincks said she would seek bids for completing all of the roofing work together.
Brincks reported that the citywide cleanup event was highly successful, with residents filling one and a half garbage trucks along with a full dumpster of scrap metal.
The council then reviewed several nuisance properties. Brincks said conditions at 306 Minnesota Street had improved significantly compared to previous years, while issues involving junk piles, abandoned vehicles and trailers remained at properties located at 403 Robert Street and 424 Minnesota Street. The council approved sending notices to those property owners.
Council members also approved renewing the Ostrander Lions Club gambling permit.
Toward the end of the meeting, council members discussed concerns from residents about the city tornado sirens not sounding during a recent storm. Brincks explained the sirens are activated only through National Weather Service notifications and said the city has no independent control over the warning system. She added that the sirens are tested monthly and were functioning properly.
The meeting concluded with additional discussion about ongoing fiber optic installation work taking place throughout the city, including trenching and service connections being completed in residential areas. The council then adjourned.
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