By Kirsten Zoellner
At the January 16 meeting, the Rushford Village Council covered several agenda items relating to annual in-house paperwork. Annual items included appointments and designations, meeting times, and committees.
Acting Mayor Mike Ebner will continue to serve in the absence of Mayor Dennis Overland. Meetings will continue on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the village hall. Due to election conflicts, meetings in March and November will be on the third Tuesday of the respective month.
All credit cards, official depositories and signatories, official paper and contracts remain the same for 2024. The council did approve the renewal of a three-year contract with Minnesota Pump Works, at an 8.9% increase, for annual lift station inspection. The village expected the amount and included it in the Sewer Fund budget.
The Zoning Board recommended keeping the same rates and fees for 2024 and will continue to meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the village hall. Board members have agreed to continue serving. They include Zoning Administrator Jon Pettit, Gordon Johnson, Jesse McNamer, Glen Kopperud and Hamilton Peterson.
The NOW (Negotiable Order of Withdrawl) account balance is $403,958. It includes approximately $184,870 for the General Fund, $77,459 for Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) repayments, $88,228 for the Water Fund, $13,602 for the Sewer Fund, $10,938 in American Rescue Plan funds and $28,860 for the 2021 Street Reconstruction bond.
Investments for the Village are $572,063 and include approximately $145,822 for the General Fund, $233,157 for the MIF revolving loan, $142,717 for water repair/replacement and $49,366 for sewer repair/replacement.
Total outstanding indebtedness is $804,511. Totals due include approximately $53,804 for a semi-annual sewer upgrade loan, $150,000 semi-annual payment for the water loan and $600,674 for 2021 street reconstruction.
A review of the village pay rates and fees had one change. Minnesota’s new Earned Sick and Safe Time law requires employers to provide paid leave to employees who work in the state, as noted by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. The village budget included funding for employees Graham and Pettit.
The meeting also gave Public Works Supervisor Trenten Chiglo a chance to review completed and ongoing goals for 2023 and 2024 and the addition of new goals. According to Chiglo, many items are ongoing, including tree trimming and ditchwork on roadways. He did note that the proposed work on Gilbertson Road is still in the permitting process with the Department of Natural Resources.
Items completed for the year include the replacement of all water meters in south Rushford, updating the Personnel Manual and painting the community center. The village aimed to update the Comprehensive Plan by the end of 2023, but it is underway.
Work on the maintenance shed is also still progressing. Water to the shed is complete and NES is working on electrical. Cleaning the existing shed is complete, but an inventory is still underway. The council elected to carry forward the goals of purchasing a generator, putting a wash bay in the shed, and purchasing attachments for the 450 truck. They removed the goals of putting overhead doors on the south salt shed and trading the 450 for a 550 truck from the goals list.
Goals still needing to be done include playground equipment repair, meeting ADA compliance at the park, putting soft pads under sinks, working on an under-road cattle pass, purchasing a backup pump for the lift station, and putting a bulletin board and new sign in front of the village hall/community center.
The village still has over $10,000 left in funds from the American Rescue Plan. The council debated using them to complete goals that fit the funding criteria. Councilor Mike Ebner and Travis Link volunteered to look into options further.
Lastly, the council set the date for the annual Spring CleanUp. It will be held Saturday, May 4, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the village hall. While the event typically costs the village money, Overland stated the cleanup is a service to residents and helps keep ditches free from garbage, not a money maker. Prices for the cleanup will remain the same as in 2023.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is February 6 at 7 p.m. at the village hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
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