Mayor Scott Solberg called the Spring Grove City Council’s regular meeting to order at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Council Members in attendance were Travis Torgerson, Trent Turner, Karen Folstad, and Chad Rohland. Also present were Julie Amundson, city clerk/administrator and Courtney Bergy Swanson, CEDA/EDA, via Zoom.
The Council approved the meeting agenda and consent agenda as amended.
Old business
There was only one piece of old business to attend to. After an update from Amundson that the number of walkers is decreasing due to the warm spring weather, the council approved a motion to end the walking program at the Fest Building on April 1. There were no complaints and the Fest Building was kept clean. There were a couple of mornings when the doors were not locked when Morning Madness participants showed up to use the Fest Building.
New business
The 2021 Simple Living Farmers Market is scheduled to open on Wednesday, May 12, and will run until Wednesday, October 13. Market hours are 4-7 p.m. May through August and from 4-6 p.m. during September and October because of diminishing day light hours. There is a vendor meeting Saturday, March 20, at 2 p.m. at the Log Cabin, Viking Memorial Park. Currently, the planning committee is looking for food vendors. The Farmer’s Market and Music in the Park are working together. Councilmembers approved the Farmer’s Market if the food vendors for the Farmers Market do not overlap with Music in the Park food vendors. The committee is also required to follow the Governor’s COVID-19 guidelines that are in affect at that time.
Councilmembers enthusiastically appointed Mayor Solberg as the council liaison for the 2030/Community Foundation.
Courtney Bergey Swanson, CEDA, shared EDA’s idea for the first Spring Grove Alley Project which could be a model for future alley projects in Spring Grove. The alley is located between the YOOH (Ye Olde Opera House) and Keller Williams. Swanson is asking the council to approved writing a SMIF Paint the Town grant to fund the proposed Alley Project. a grant out there. Proposed alley features include an arch entry way, install lights to it the public area lit at night, benches, mural(s), and flowerpots. Mayor Solberg made a motion to authorize CEDA to apply for SMIF Paint the Town grant to beautify the city owned alley. The council approved.
After an update by Councilmember Rohland regarding the 2021 Syttende Mai/Musikk Fest, the council approved the road closure request, May 15, Maple Drive, and 1st Ave NE bordering Viking Memorial Park; approved the Running with My Gnomes route on May 15 from 9-11 a.m; and the temporary liquor license requests for Syttende Mai and Musikk Fest.
After careful consideration councilmembers approved removing four parking spots from main street. It was noted that this is a good time to decide before the city starts repainting the street markings. The four parking spots include one at the corner by Trinity, one west of the fire station, a single spot between First Ave NW and Kwik Trip, and one immediately east of the Kwik Trip exit.
The city received an offer to purchase two parcels (150075003 and 15007003) of city owned land. The city is required to advertise the land for sale and to hold a public hearing. It was noted that there is not any access to the property. The city approved advertising the sale of the property.
Landowner Josh Myhre,applied to the city to waive the platting requirements of real estate he currently sold that was subdivided. The area in question will no longer be five lots. Instead, it will be one lot. The council unanimously passed Resolution 21-17.
The city approved starting the hiring process for the utility director’s position. The goal is to have the new position in place by June so the current director can mentor them from June to December. It was confirmed that the council included two positions in the budget.
Council action is not required for the proposed pool repairs because the repairs were anticipated, so $60,000 was included in the budget. Filters will be replaced as well as the pump. Staff will remove the filter and dispose of the sand.
The council unanimously approved the list of 2021 swimming pool staff as presented. Front desk: Amelia Solum, Ella Wennes, Hailey Borreson, and Paige Jahnke; concessions: Addyson McHugh, Ben Udstuen, Caleb Eiken, Carson Anderson, Emerson Ingvalson, Isaac Nerstad, Joelle Halverson, Kendall VanMinsel, Lillian Hundorf, Sydney Holland, and Zander Thorson; lifeguards Haley Ellingson, Jaxon Strinmoen, Jonah Udstuen, Julia Halverson, Kylie Reynolds, Reid Bjerke, Tysen Grinde, and Zach Folstad; WSI: Brianna Johnson, Dane Edgington, Harlee Gavin, Kailee Olerud, Kelsey Bratland, Maggie Lile, Mckenzie Fisch, Kaitlyn Gross, Mariah Edgington, Alyssa Johnson, and Ava Olerud.
The Spring Grove City Council’s next regular meeting is April 20, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Fest Building. The public is invited to call-in, Zoom, or attend the face-to-face meeting. Contact city hall at (507) 498-5221 for login information.