By Patrick Andrews
The July 11 Ostrander City Council meeting opened with a visit from Sheriff John DeGeorge. Sheriff DeGeorge spent half an hour discussing Ostrander’s contract with Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office, the services that contract ensures, and the jump in price that will be required to maintain those services in 2024. The City of Ostrander currently pays for two hours of Fillmore County sheriff’s deputy time per day. This means the city pays for a deputy to be present in Ostrander a total of two hours per day in addition to responding to non-emergency calls and enforcing ordinances. Six Fillmore County cities have similar contracts with the Sherriff’s Office. Sheriff DeGeorge explained that such arrangements are made when city police departments are “folded up,” and cities contract with the sherriff’s office to “fill that gap.” If a city did not pay for such coverage, non-emergency calls would not be guaranteed a dispatch from a county deputy.
Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office has reevaluated the cost of putting deputies on the street for the 2024 budget year. Since 2015, Ostrander has paid the same yearly rate of $24,000 to enjoy the sherriff’s office’s services, but in 2024, the fee will increase to $44,000 per year. This breaks down to approximately $61 per hour. To put the price in context, Sheriff DeGeorge explained that Wabasha County charges $57 per hour for similar services, while Goodhue County charges $100 per hour. The sheriff emphasized, however, that other counties’ fees were only looked at after his office had determined their own costs and did not influence the new contract fee. City council members voiced their determination to fit the increased cost into the city’s budget.
Following the sheriff’s visit, a young man’s application to Ostrander’s volunteer fire department was quickly and unanimously approved. Eighteen-year-old Joseph David Ketchum Jr. of Spring Valley will be joining the city’s fire department.
City of Ostrander’s budget and income was also reviewed point-by-point. The city’s budget for 2023 is $293,720. Total 2023 spending to date amounts to $169,000 (which includes some bills from 2022) while total income thus far amounts to $136,305.
Included in the budgetary discussion was talk of proposed capital improvement spending, for which the budget allocates $55,000. The main project discussed was improving eight of the city’s roads. The council reviewed a comprehensive engineer’s estimate by civil engineering firm Bolton and Menk, which gave a quote of $472,000. to repair all eight roads.
The steep price was met with surprised tones from at least one individual and prompted displeasure from another community member who wanted to know where such money would come from. A council member responded saying the city could get a loan, raise a levy, or simply be selective and repair fewer streets. However, the same council member voiced determination that some repairs be made. “It really needs to be dealt with,” she said, “We can’t just allow it to continue to deteriorate.” The city, being required to obtain at least two quotes for projects greater than $25,000, will be receiving an additional quote from Rochester Sand & Gravel. If the project surpasses $175,000, public bidding will be required, and would need to be published in a newspaper. Should the project stay under $175,000, only two quotes will be necessary.
One individual proposed that capital improvement funds be used to buy a new city truck, the current city truck being 18 years old. The individual who made the proposal would like to see a plan for the truck’s replacement before it turns 20. Said truck would be used for jobs that include plowing snow.
Towards the end of the meeting, one council member proposed increasing the budget’s allocation for council member pay. “Some of us don’t work anymore,” he said. The idea was quickly rejected by other council members.
Ostrander City Council meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in the Ostrander Community Center, 410 N Main Street. The next meeting will be held August 1.
Leave a Reply