The Monday, May 14 Rushford Council meeting may have had just three regular business agenda items, but there was plenty of discussion, some of which was regarding public notices and consent agenda issues.
An annual wholesale power rate schedule was detailed in a letter and documentation from MiEnergy. In comes at the same time as a recent discussion by the Rushford Electrical Commission. April 25 discussion included a recommendation from Tom Nigon, of Star-Energy, to implement a power cost adjustment to recover cost increases in wholesale power. The rate will be reviewed in one year to determine if a rate study is necessary.
According to City Clerk Kathy Zacher, some of the demand fluctuation may be due to the demand charge of the new Rushford-Peterson School. Zacher indicated that after the one-year period, better information will be available. “Now that they’ve been doing different mitigating, they’ve been able to reduce demand. That helps us to keep rates flat. It might be that there’s too much variation from the school in there. It might be an anomaly of that instance, after a full year of them being consistent. If it’s still high after one year, we may do rate study to determine if modifications are needed.”
At this time, the city doesn’t feel any change in rates is required. Dairyland Power is increasing wholesale electric rates, by 2% on the transmission charge, in May 2018. “The power cost adjustment is just temporary,” added Zacher, who noted rates were last reviewed in 2012. “The biggest thing is in fixed charges. We have to try and control that peak amount.”
In other news, a letter from Bolton & Menk Engineer Derek Olinger details additional engineering analysis required by the Army Corps of Engineers for the canoe launch road project. When any improvement over the levee system takes place, additional testing requirements may be imposed by the corps. Based on updated corps rules, the project will require a 408 Review Process, including the extended timeframe. Rather than wait a year or more, Bolton & Menk has requested a written scope of testing expectations. “This will hopefully keep the project moving forward,” said City Administrator Tony Chladek.
The corps’ concern revolves around verification of new fill placement. According to Olinger, they need to verify it will not cause settlement and that landslide excavations, required for drainage, will not cause “unacceptable hydraulic conditions.” American Engineering Testing (AET) has been contacted to perform the soil testing and analysis. “AET is familiar with the area and performed the soils investigation needed for the recent levee recertification,” wrote Oligner. The cost for the testing is estimated at $7,900. Once complete, the data will be sent to the corps for review.
City Clerk Kathy Zacher indicated that the Minnesota Department of Transportation has also had to review soil information for the project and Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District has already conducted a wetlands study.
“We want to be sure we’re not compromising the levee system; that’s what this process is for,” stated Councilor Terri Benson. The Department of Natural Resources is also involved in the project.
“In our area, when you do a project, you usually bump into one, two, or three of those folks,” added Chladek.
The city council has also reviewed an assessment to be charged to a parcel at 770 Horseshoe Drive, in the Pine Meadows subdivision. The property will be hooked up to the city utility system, per city policy which prohibits the repair of failing private systems within city limits. “They must hook up to the city system,” noted Zacher. “The cost is $5,135.”
When the subdivision was created, the previous residents opposed assessments against the property for city services. The council at that time took action to defer the sewer and water, but imposed street, curb, and gutter assessment. Per council decision, the interest of the sewer and water assessment would accrue at a rate 7.8% per year with the option of paying the interest or having it added to tax rolls.
When the property was sold in 2001, the new owners were not made aware of the sewer and water assessment. “They showed me all their papers. Under the assessment line item, it read $0,” clarified Zacher. “It was not disclosed to the purchaser. Zacher further added that the current owners understand the benefit and want to hook up to city services, which are already stubbed in at the property.”
In a bit of fun news, Mayor Chris Hallum noted that goats will once again be brought into the city to graze invasives on Olson Bluff. Only a portion of the property being grazed, which sits on the east side of the city, is city land. Cedar trees were removed from the area in 2017 and the goats will target any regrowth of invasives. Local company Chimney Rock Forestry secured the winning bid for the project.
An upcoming community meeting regarding the Destination Medical Center (DMC) Initiative is slated for Wednesday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m., in the R-P School Forum Room, The purpose of the meeting is to provide a community update on the DMC Economic Development Agency’s goals of leveraging growth, attracting families and new businesses to the southeast Minnesota area.
The next regularly scheduled council meeting is Tuesday, May 29, at 6:30 p.m., at city hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
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