A regular meeting of the Ostrander City Council was held on December 13, with all members in attendance (Erin Volkart, Pam Kunert, Mayor Pat Nesler, City Clerk Christine Hyrkas, Heidi Jones and DJ Start). Brian Malm, representing the engineering firm of Bolton & Menk, updated the council on plans regarding the upcoming street and utility infrastructure project, and asked them to consider approving two resolutions.
Malm explained that the first resolution would be to set plans for the project and to advertise for bids. He suggested that after bids are received and a contractor is selected, it would be wise to schedule a public meeting to answer all of the various questions that citizens and business owners may have regarding how things will be handled during the construction, such as parking, garbage pickup, business impact, sidewalk access, and so on. Malm added, “It’s all been roses up until now, now the work starts!” He explained that, “It’ll be a two-year construction process… So the first year we would do all the underground utilities… all the curb and gutter and sidewalks would go in. The street would get filled in with gravel. And then in 2019, the contractor will come in and take that gravel out and put the concrete paving in.”
Regarding the second resolution he asked the council to consider, Malm stated, “This has to do with some of the grant funding. If you remember, we have Rural Development loan, and grant directly from Rural Development, and a big part of your grant need comes directly from the state in the form of wastewater infrastructure fund and water infrastructure fund money. That funding is there for you; you have $750,000 on the water side and $750,000 on the sewer wide.” He explained that the second resolution is simply the formal process of applying for these funds that are already set aside for the project. The council voted to adopt both resolutions as submitted.
Rick Whitney gave an update on happenings at the wastewater treatment plant, including helping with water shutoffs recently. He also added that, “It’s been a pretty light three months.” Dustin Tart (city maintenance) discussed the city’s interest in obtaining a new tractor, and asked if this should be done soon, or wait until next year, since the truck is working OK for plowing snow now. Mayor Nesler stated that the city is awaiting more numbers on cost estimates.
Brian Miner gave an update on the fire department, stating that “things have been quiet” since the crew helped out with a business fire in Spring Valley. He shared that the department held elections for officers who will start January 1, including Dustin Johnson (fire chief), Jason Rice and Brian Miner (assistant chiefs), Caleb Hall (secretary), and Blake Ehlendfeldt (training officer).
Deputy Leif Erickson addressed the council, stating that he and the other officers have copies of the city’s ordinances to refer to, and the officers have been reminding citizens of the winter parking laws.
The council voted to re-approve the city’s official newspaper and banking institution, but a decision was not yet reached about naming a city attorney for 2018. The council will check into alternatives, and discuss it at the next meeting. The council also is continuing the process of trying to hire a new city clerk, with Christine Hyrkas continuing to fill in even though she is working full-time at her new job.
There was discussion about how and when to fill the vacancy when Erin Volkart resigns from the council at the end of this year. Heidi Jones said she’d checked, and found out that since there is more than two years remaining on Erin’s term, the city cannot simply appoint someone to fill the vacancy. She said the options are either to leave the vacancy open until the next regular election (November 2018) or to hold a special election. The council voted to leave the vacancy unfilled until November. It was pointed out that three council member positions will be voted upon then, since DJ Start and Pam Kunert will be up for re-election at that time, as well.
The meeting adjourned about 6:45 p.m. The council discussed the 2018 meeting schedule, and chose to regularly hold meetings on the first Tuesday of each month, so the next regular meeting of the council will be Tuesday, January 2, at 6 p.m. The public is welcome.
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