The new director of the Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce, Andrzej Zalasinski, attended the March 2019 Whalan City Council meeting to introduce himself to the council and to address any questions from the council as the towns of Lanesboro and Whalan work closely together on a number of issues.
Present at the March 11 council meeting were Mayor Marlys Tuftin and Council members Kim Berekvam, Everett Johnson and Johnny Halvorson. City Clerk Lolly Melander and Council member Owen Lewis were absent.
In Melander’s absence, Tuftin read the minutes from the February 11, 2019, council meeting aloud. She then presented the treasurer’s report and bills due. After a review of the treasurer’s report and discussion of bills due, no additions or corrections were requested.
Visitors comments
Zalasinski, who officially took over as the Director of the Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC) on January 31, 2019, addressed the council explaining that he would like to find the best possible way for “the two towns to work together.”
“I’m here to listen,” said Zalasinski. Council member Johnson held up a copy of the 2019 Official Lanesboro Guide which the LACC was in charge of creating and said, “Beautiful this is – but you left Whalan out, why?” As Whalan contributes to the lodging tax, which is used for promoting tourism, the council feels Whalan should have been represented in the guide.
“On my clock this won’t happen,” replied Zalasinski, as he is new to the position of Director of the LACC, and was not yet in that role when the 2019 guide was created.
Cheryl Johnson, newly appointed liaison between the LACC and the Whalan City Council, offered an explanation to the council, saying, “Our last director left in August and that’s when it gets made and so there are board members that took over that project and they dropped it, but assured the council that it will not happen again. Council member Berekvam recently became a liaison between the city council and the LACC as well.
Barb Jeffers with the Lanesboro Area Community Foundation (LACF) addressed the council to invite area residents to the Lanesboro Area Community Foundation’s 2019 Annual Banquet, which will be held on Sunday, April 7 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Lanesboro Community Center. The event will be catered by the Pastry Shoppe of Lanesboro. Special guest speaker Dean Johnson will be the highlight of the evening. A silent auction will also be held. Ticket cost is $15. Tickets are available at Granny’s Liquor, Merchants Bank and the Parkway Market & Coffeehouse in Lanesboro.
Wes Harding with the Root River Trail Towns committee had a few comments to the council regarding tourism. The latest issue of Midwest Living magazine includes a nice article on the Root River Trail System. The article mentions Whalan and some of the businesses in town.
Root River Trail Towns has learned that the Root River Trail System has been nominated for the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame. Harding plans to get more information to the council as to how the online voting works for the award. More information can be found online at railstotrails.org.
A resident that received a letter about their past due utility bill approached the council looking for a solution to the upcoming April 15 disconnect date. The late fees on their bill are so large they are unable to get the bill current. MiEnergy advised them to contact the City of Whalan to ask about waving the late fees. The council advised the residents to talk with MiEnergy again. The council will discuss the matter with Melander.
Old Business
A second letter was sent out March 1, 2019, regarding the Cindy Cresswell repair bill. The matter was tabled until the April 2019 council meeting.
Tuftin and Melander attended the rural fire meeting in February. According to Tuftin, in 2020 there will be no changes in rates for ambulance service, however there is a projected 3% increase in fire department rates.
Accepted was a quote from Barb’s Carpet Care for carpet cleaning in the city hall in the amount of $463.08.
New Business
Tanya Cook with the Stand Still Parade committee stated the organization would like to purchase a new grill for use at events and discussed the possibility of sharing the cost with three other entities in town that could also use it, including the city. The cost would be no more than $150 for each group. Approval was made to pay one-fourth the cost (not to exceed $150) of a new grill.
A Safety and Loss Control meeting with the League of Minnesota Cities will be held April 9 in Rochester. Mayor Tuftin plans to attend. Tuftin encouraged council members to attend also.
Halvorson suggested the City of Whalan compensate Larry Johnson and Scott McElmury for helping with snow removal during the latest heavy snowfalls, using their own equipment. A thank you note and monetary gift will be sent to each of them.
The next regularly scheduled Whalan City Council meeting will be held April 8 at 5 p.m. in the city hall. Residents are encouraged to attend.
Photo by Barb Jeffers
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