Mayor Adam Wilder called the regularly scheduled meeting of the Mabel City Council to order on August 14 at 6 p.m. He announced that garbage and recycling will be picked up on Thursday, September 5, not Wednesday, September 4 due to Labor Day.
In addition to Mayor Wilder, council members Kirsten Wyffels, Cory Wilson and Tina Bakke were present. Valerie Arnold called in.
Staff present included City Clerk Karen Larson and Public Works Director Robert (Bob) Mierau. Also, in attendance were Clarence Brumm and April Brumm.
The minutes from the July 10, 2024, meeting and the accounts payable and financial reports were approved as written.
There was no old business.
Under new business four zoning permits were approved. One for Brian Aberg at 412 Oak Street North to shingle his house; Gary Steuart at 130 N. Main for windows, siding, roofing, concrete, repair and replace steel roof, and replace walls; Adam Wilder at 324 Minnesota Ave. West, to replace a garage roof; and Aasum Electric at 106 E. Alpine Ave for a storage shed – install new garage door and new steel siding. Wilder noted that all had been checked and approved by city staff.
The city unanimously appointed Larry Gifford as the Mabel Public Library representative to the SELCO Board of Directors. It was noted that he does not get paid for his time but will be reimbursed for mileage.
The city received six bids on the side-by-side ranging from $8,500 to $15,000. The council unanimously accepted the high bid of $15,000 from Kevin Manning.
The council approved a $300 increase in compensation for city council members and the mayor effective January 1, 2025. The mayor will receive $1500 per year and council members $1300 per year, which is more in line with other town officials in the area. Larson noted that she is bringing it up, and not a council member. She also said that the council had not received an increase since 2008 when Terry Torkelson, Brian Street, Kirsten Wyffels and Tracy Benson were on the board, and James Westby was mayor.
No action was required on the Small Cities Assistance Program. In 2025, the city will be receiving $21,718.00, an increase of $8,369. In 2024, the city received $13,349.00. The funds are for street construction and maintenance in cities with a population of less than 5,000.
The council unanimously approved the purchase of an ad in the Fillmore County Journal recognizing Mabel’s emergency response teams.
The council approved an on sale and Sunday liquor license for Juan Bacilio Vaca. Vaca is leasing the former Joe’s Pizza Palace from Joe Houdek and opening El Dorado Mexican Restaurant.
Wyffels reported that EDA did not meet in August.
The council unanimously approved the additional asphalt work in front of the library and the bank. The total project cost was $93,889. Mierau said that they did a super job!
Mierau reported on seven different topics including the work Mitch Aasum is doing on the street lighting that did not pass inspection which might require putting in an additional service, still working on the purchase of a generator for the city but have not come up with an economical solution, dewatered the waste water facility, updated the council on the value of the town’s assets which was completed by the League of Minnesota, the lead and copper survey, the county is updating their emergency management plan, and the state will be cleaning the ditch along the highway.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:33 p.m.
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