Matt Mohs of Bolton & Menk visited the Houston City Council March 11 to request approval of a resolution for preliminary studies for the upcoming Spruce Street project. A feasibility study will first be completed; maps, cost estimates and coordination with the county will be explored. Mohs will visit the council again with more visuals and presentations when the feasibility study is completed.
A design team including city employees (and council members if so desired) will meet; there will be working sessions in the future. There will be a public improvement hearing with neighborhood meetings following that to keep the neighborhood “in the know.”
Construction is planned for 2025. The MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) has extended the PFA (Public Facilities Authority) for a year. There is the possibility of loan and grant dollars from PFA for the project. The exact percentage of the project available for such funding is not known at this time. Some portions of the project such as storm sewer or new water main are not eligible for PFA funding. The city will need to bond for those expenses.
The council approved the $57,410 feasibility study resolution and the work order with Bolton & Menk for this CSAH 13 (Spruce Street) project.
Mohs also updated the council on the city’s sewer line project. All the cleaning of the line has been completed. As Public Works Director Randy Thesing had suspected, there were some rough spots in the line, but all the lines will be able to be lined. Work is expected to be completed before the end of March. Fliers were distributed to the affected business owners and residents before the lining work was set to begin.
2023 Audit Recap
Andrew Forliti of Smith Schafer also visited the council to present the city’s financial summary for 2023. Smith Schafer issued an unmodified “clean” opinion on the statements. This provides “reasonable, but not absolute assurance that the city’s financials are free from material misstatement.”
Forliti pointed out that the gap is widening between LGA (Local Government Aid) and expenses; the city ends up needing to pay for more of the expenses as a result.
The general fund unassigned fund balance is at $356,984; this is 52.1% of the general fund expenditures. With all the special revenue funds having positive balances and city bonds being paid on time, the city is doing well. A balance of $397,794 is in the Infrastructure Construction Capital Projects; this fund is for future projects.
Revenues from water and sewer rates are now paying operating costs, debt services and their share of administrative costs (excluding depreciation).
A final audit update will be submitted later.
Mental Health Resources
The League of Minnesota Cities had contacted the city to encourage the adoption of a stand-alone mental health program for city employees. City Administrator Michelle Quinn checked on what the city currently offered its employees and on what was available for mental health needs.
Gundersen Health offers a program that provides up to five mental health counseling sessions per incident for employees at a rate of $20 per year per person. Quinn shared that, in Houston’s small community, many employees “wear many hats.” She called such a program a “nice way to say you care about the staff.”
The council approved the adoption of the program. Volunteer firemen, ambulance staff and all city employees will have the program available to them.
Other Business
In other business, the Houston council:
•Appointed Sarah Merchlewitz to the library board and thanked Anita Werner for her years of service on the board;
•Signed a letter of support for the Gravel USA Cycling National Championship Event;
•Approved an exempt gambling permit for the Chamber of Commerce to hold a cash-back raffle July 28 at the fest grounds;
•Learned that the city attorney would be able to draft the purchase agreement for the Owl Center property as part of the services the attorney provides the city;
•Approved advertising for student help for the summer rec program.
The next Houston City Council meeting will be held April 8 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall. The public is welcome to attend; a public comment period is provided at the beginning of the meeting for citizen input.
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