Mayor Sarah Schroeder and Councilmembers Karen Folstad, Travis Torgerson, Scott Solberg, and Chad Roland attended October 20, 2020, regular meeting of the Spring Grove City Council at the Fest Building. Also present were Julie Amundson, City Clerk/Administrator; Jordan Gerard, The Caledonia Argus; and Charlene Selbee Fillmore County Journal. Mayor Schroeder called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Motion approved to adopt the agenda.
The council unanimously approved the consent agenda. The agenda included the minutes from the regular September 15 meeting and the September 22 special meeting, and Resolution 20-44 Authorizing Transfer of Funds to meet its budgetary obligations ($8,311.07 from EDA 2002 Revenue Bond Fund (320) cash to Swimming Pool Fund (430) cash (Interfund Loan); Resolution 20-45 Accepting Gift from Spring Grove Communications $9,000 for financial support of library services in the City of Spring Grove for Q4 2020; Resolution 20-46 Accepting Fire Department Donation $3,150.00 from Mound Prairie Mutual Insurance Company; Resolution 20-47 Accepting Parks Donation $500.00 from MiEnergy for purchasing native wildflower seeds for the Roverud Park Pollinator Planting Partnership; and Resolution 20-48 Appointing Student Election Judges. Student Election Judges are Camron Kraus, Carson Gerard, Kennedy Bornholdt, Caden Grinde, Jonah Udstuen, Marah Mathison, Reid Bjerke, Garrett Bergrud, Isaac Griffin, Jakob Myrah, Samuel Flatin, Kelsey Bratland, Vanessa Peterson, Wyatt Spier, Brody Christiansen, Paige Jahnke, Ava Olerud, Julia Halverson, Brianna Johnson, Matthew Doering, and Caden Nelson-Cody.
Old business
Amundson shared an updated CARES ACT Expense Sheet from Treasurer Erin Konkel with the council. She explained, “We are doing really well spending our grant.” She continued to explain that there is a balance of $11,715 and that once the last two invoices are paid, the city will have a balance of $3,000. Amundson mentioned that it would be nice to have a backup laptop and purchase partitions for the front office.
Amundson informed the council that the electrical work and water is complete on the water tower. Workers will be connecting the water main to the tower on Thursday. She emphasized that there will not be any disruption to service.
Spring Grove Elementary students sent the city a thank you card for revitalizing the shelters at Trollskogen Park for their outdoor classrooms. Residents are encouraged to drive by and look at the completed shelters because they are impressive. The picnic tables have arrived, and volunteers are needed to assemble them. The new water fountain has arrived and will be installed next spring when it warms up.
Many residents are interested in using the Fest Building for walking this winter. The council approved opening the Fest Building for walking from 8-10 a.m. and 5-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday when there is not another scheduled event. Per the State’s COVID-19 guidelines, the max number of people in the building cannot exceed 25% capacity, and walkers will need to wear a mask plus sign in. The city will send an employee to the Fest Building to open it at 8 a.m. and again at 5 p.m. A city employee will close the building at 10 a.m., and a police officer will secure the building at 7 p.m. Everything will need to be locked up, and there will not be any access to the bathroom. A sign will be posted informing users of the guidelines.
Amundson confirmed that the Online Utility Pay System is up and running and that one person has used it. The remainder of the conversation centered around the city’s two websites and which website the Pay System is on. The weblink to access the online payment system is www.springgrovemn.com/city-of-spring-grove. The council made it clear that they want the second website to go away. Mayor Schroeder stated, “It is very confusing to visitors to have two websites.”
New business
The City Clerk/Administrator, Julie Amundson, probation period ended October 13, 2020. The Council unanimously approved moving Amundson’s employment status from probation to regular.
The school requested closing 1st Street NW (one way by the school only) during school hours on Friday, October 23, so students can decorate homecoming floats outdoors. Residents living alongside the street will be contacted first to ensure that they are okay with the road closure. The school will need a couple of barricades from the city to block off the street. The request was approved.
The council approved removing the no parking zones by the school and Little Gnomes since they are not enforced.
Torgerson made a motion to double the amount of zoning permit fees if the permit is acquired “after the fact.” Torgerson confirmed that “after the fact” zoning permits can be denied.
Solberg explained that he would like to see the city implement online shelter reservations. Currently, the fee to reserve a shelter is $25, and the city collects approximately $100 per year. COVID-19 CARES funds can be used to pay the city’s webmaster, Robin Bartell, to add an online calendar to its website for reservations. Solberg also recommended posting a sign with a Quick Response (QR) code and the city’s web address so users can access the online calendar from the park. Users can still call city hall, and city employees will make their reservations. Instead of a fee, councilmembers agree to a $10 donation.
The council approved Roland’s motion authorizing Solberg to apply for the MN Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Community Roadside Landscaping Partnership Program funding. The program is a reimbursement program designed to beautify the state highway rights of way.
The next regular meeting of the city council is November 17, 2020, at 6 p.m. at the Fest building. The public is invited to dial in. Contact city hall at (507) 498-5221 to be included in remote meetings.