Fillmore County Sheriff candidate John DeGeorge paid a special visit to the Canton City Council during its regularly scheduled meeting held on August 8.
DeGeorge stated his primary purpose as introducing himself, of which he has been doing a great deal of to area city councils, fire and police departments, and other civic groups, as well as to provide a brief account of his background in working for the sheriff’s office for the last 21 years. Making sure to note of the inspiration behind his running being provided by the previous leadership he had the privilege of working under, DeGeorge left with his commitment to being invested and involved in Fillmore County should he prove successful in the election held on November 6, stating that there is “more in a job and more in a paycheck.”
Public Works Director Jon Nordsving provided additional details on the street maintenance discussed during last month’s meeting, calculating that the chip seal coating to occur is expected to cost between $18,000 and $20,000.
Nordsving also noted that he will be talking with Tom Davis regarding the plan for removing dirt to create a ditch along Prairie Avenue, anticipating that such a course of action will be financially reasonable, though unsure of the completion date of the project.
Whilst revisiting old business, Mayor Donivee Johnson wanted to clear up some rumors regarding the possibility of Wayne Hall being able to acquire his property up for auction. She dispelled this speculation, assuring that the only way for him to achieve such would be if he was to buy it back at the sale to be held in September.
Councilmember Cindy Shanks gave a brief agenda of the Canton Day Off celebration scheduled for August 17 and 18. Attractions include various concessions and community meals, both a BBQ and a Bloody Mary contest, a raffle, a bean bag tournament, and a handful of band performances.
On this note, the council agreed to close select parts of Prairie Avenue, Ash Street, and a few unnamed streets and alleys during the festivity to prevent problems with people parking in others’ yards and having trouble turning around.
A liquor license is in the works for the Canton American Legion for the occasion.
An issue resulting in a fair amount of discussion during July’s meeting was declared resolved. It was presented that following such, a few individual councilmembers met with Nicholas and Kayla Nichols and approved the location of their desired fence, before noting that if a problem does happen to arise, it will be addressed at a later time.
A quote for a fence encompassing a portion of city property from Plantation Vinyl Products of Ridgeway, Iowa, was both discussed and enclosed to all. Though an additional $800 is expected to be added with the inclusion of differing plants and trees, with $2,500 available by means of a grant and some $2,600 accessible from other sources, a bill of just a couple hundred or so seemed like a win-win among those present, resulting in the motion being approved. The project is expected to be pursued following the Canton Day Off ceremony.
Updates were given on the current predicaments involving both the Holzwarth and Scrabeck properties by means of emails from Attorney Greg Schieber. Regarding the former, he suggested that no action be taken until the September meeting as an attorney has assisted in hiring a company to take care of the issue by the end of August. However, concerning the latter, such seems to be headed toward a much more lengthy court process.
Having attended the meeting herself, Johnson supplied a concise summary of such held between the Mabel-Canton School Board, Mabel City Council, and Canton City Council on July 24. She alleged that it was rather informal in nature and that similar proceedings are planned to occur twice a year. If the public is curious regarding anything that was discussed, Johnson articulated of the availability of a couple articles in the newspapers providing great accounts.
No action was taken on the cost analysis for the fire department provided by the Minnesota PERA. Though the entirety of the council as well as the majority of the fire department are leaning toward this course of action, members decided it best to have both groups meet again with a representative as well as request a recalculation of the cost analysis following the retirement of some and joining of others to the department.
On the topic of new business, the council went about reexamining the charge for fire service, currently set at $10 per person per year. After considering nearby cities, a motion was approved to increase the fee to $25. A form of negotiation regarding such is also expected to take place with the portion of Amherst owned by the township, to settle the issue of not receiving any funds relating to fire service for around 10 years.
An estimation was issued for review assuming a 10% tax levy in 2019. Though no action is being taken until next month when such requires proposal, members were encouraged to look it over and determine if spending needs to be increased in any certain areas.
Representative Greg Davids was recently recognized by the League of Minnesota Cities for his actions, specifically regarding taxes, leadership, and dedication.
As a reminder, election filing ends August 14 at 5 p.m. Open seats include those of two councilmembers and of the mayor.
Johnson additionally brought to attention an insurance appraisal, as well as a great deal of problems associated with it, including what seems to be a fair share of miscalculated structures. It was agreed that it would be best to meet with an insurance agent and further address the issues.
The meeting concluded with the approval of a building permit for Jamie Kelly, who is planning to replace the wood shed on his property with a 16-foot by 22-foot storage structure including a covered porch.
The next Canton City Council meeting will be held at Canton City Hall on September 12 at 7 p.m.
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