At the Spring Valley City Council meeting on September 17, Chris Danielson asked about several bills to be paid in the “Accounts Payable.” She stated, “We have some outstanding bills that are finally getting paid. They are from 2016, 2015, and 2017.” Fire Chief Troy Lange explained that the bills were for equipment/gear purchased by the fire department, but that the invoices had only recently been received. The invoices in question totaled $3,348.99, and Danielson stated, “Just so you know, that’s coming out of the fire donations fund.” She suggested Lange check his email frequently for any such invoices, and said she would follow up with the vendor, in hopes of avoiding a similar situation happening again. The council approved the Accounts Payable as presented.
All council members were present (Luan Ruesink, Chris Danielson, Greg Brooks, John Dols and Mayor Tony Archer). Also attending was City Clerk/Administrator Deb Zimmer. No visitors had signed up to address the council on any concerns.
The council considered Resolution 2021-27, which proposed to refer the 2022 Fremont Street Improvement project to the firm of Bolton & Menk, to determine costs and feasibility. The proposed project will include street construction, sanitary sewer, watermain, and drainage improvements. Deb Zimmer said the city hopes to use American Recovery funds, as available. The resolution was approved as presented.
Zimmer said there is a tentative date of November 2 for a “neighborhood meeting” to discuss preliminary assessments related to the Fremont Street project. Sometime after that, there will be a public hearing about those assessments.
The council discussed the plans to trade in the Spring Valley utility pickup truck around January 2022, toward getting a new truck. The old truck is a 2012 Chevrolet, with 49,500 miles. Deb Zimmer explained, “We have budgeted $18,000… and that will include any gear that they would need additional.” The council approved the sale of the old truck.
John Fenske said he has temporarily closed bathrooms in the city parks, due to a recent Tik Tok trend, in which bathroom supplies and equipment are vandalized. He said he will continue to open the bathrooms for scheduled events.
Chris Hahn reported on EDA happenings. He mentioned that two downtown buildings were recently sold (117 Broadway and 124 Broadway). He said he’s excited at the potential for new businesses to open in these locations.
Sue Puffer reported that the ambulance service has had a busy month, with 55 calls so far. She added, “Three times, we had two trucks out, and two times because we had two trucks out, we needed some mutual aid from Grand Meadow and LeRoy.” She said she’s working on grant funding for upgrading some equipment.
Troy Lange reported on the fire department, stating that the crew is preparing for the annual pancake breakfast. He added that weather and conditions are primed for “field fire season,” so his crew will be ready to deal with those situations as they arise. Danielson asked if Lange has a price yet on the side-by-side vehicle for the fire department. He replied that it will be $20,000.
The council approved closing the city office for a half-day on October 12, so that staff can attend a regional safety training event. A liquor license was approved for Kwik Trip, due to the store moving to a new location in Spring Valley. Mayor Archer asked citizens to be sure they don’t let leaves get into city streets and drains.
The council’s next regular meeting will be Monday, October 11, at 6 p.m., at City Hall. The public is welcome.
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