At the March 18 Preston City Council meeting, the purchase of 16.6 acres from Robert Doherty was unanimously approved. The total cost for the property is $232,400. The city paid $15,000 against the purchase price months ago to extend the option. The remaining cost for the city is $217,400.
This is about an acre and a half more than the city initially intended to purchase. The state requested the extra area for grading and slope mostly along the future access road off of Golfview Drive. City Administrator Joe Hoffman said the state will get us a clean legal description of the final boundaries. City Attorney Dwight Luhmann expects the description and title work to be available in a few days.
An option agreement for the 16.6 acres between the city and the state of Minnesota was also approved; it will allow for the conveyance of the property from the city to the state.
Trout City Brewing
Anita Bisek applied for an on-sale intoxicating liquor license and a Sunday liquor license for Trout City Brewing, LLC. The brew pub will be located in the old Red Bench building at 132 St. Anthony St. South. Andy Bisek explained they don’t intend to serve hard liquor, but only beer, wine, and hard cider. They will also serve food, like brats or beef and pork sandwiches (bar food). They are expecting to be open about four days per week including Saturday and Sunday.
Hoffman noted they could qualify as a Category 2 food service establishment; by granting this license the council acknowledges the establishment to be a Category 2 restaurant. The application was unanimously approved.
Other business in brief
• Jason Boynton, Smith Schafer and Associates, LTD, reviewed the city’s 2018 audit. An unmodified “clean” opinion was issued by the firm. Boynton said the audit went fine with no issues. The city’s general fund equals 59% of annual general fund expenditures. All debt service funds are being adequately funded and all outstanding bonds are being paid on a timely basis.
Since 2010 Local Government Aid is little changed in real dollars. Boynton said the gap between state dollars coming in and local dollars is growing. The audit was accepted as presented.
• Ambulance Director Ryan Throckmorton recommended an increase of the per capita rate from $14 to $17 effective in 2020. He noted the per capita rate was raised from the 1998 rate of $7 to $10 last year. This year it is being raised from $10 to $14. The increases are necessary to sustain operating expenses and future ambulance purchases. The proposed $3 increase will bring the city’s current per capita of $19,964 to $24,242 in 2020. Townships are in support of the increase contingent on the city council’s approval. The increase was approved by the city council.
• Permission was granted to Sarah Monroe, Fillmore County Victim Services, to display teal ribbons on lamp posts in Preston during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The ribbons will be put up the week of April 3 and taken down the week of May 1. The teal ribbons are intended to make people aware of sexual assault and the resources that are available to victims of sexual violence. One in six boys and one in four girls will experience sexual assault by age 18.