Photo by Barb Jeffers
Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge attended the July 12, 2021, Whalan council meeting to share information with the council and visitors about the Jail Needs Study which will be completed soon.
Present at the regularly scheduled council meeting were Mayor Marlys Tuftin, Kim Berekvam, Thore E. Johnson and Owen Lewis, along with City Clerk/Treasurer Michele Peterson.
The agenda was accepted, with the removal of MiEnergy from Visitor Comments and the addition of Whalan Good Ol’ Days to Miscellaneous.
Mayor Tuftin read the Minutes of the June 14, 2021, council meeting. The Minutes will be approved at the August council meeting after several errors are corrected.
The Treasurer’s Report was approved as presented.
Visitors comments
Sheriff DeGeorge provided a wealth of information about the Jail Needs Study and the reason it is being conducted. The Minnesota Department of Corrections degraded the Fillmore County jail from a 365-day holding facility to a 90-day holding facility in 2017.
Sheriff DeGeorge discussed the different options that are being looked at for how the facility should move forward. These options include outsourcing, being a 72-hour holding facility, continuing as a 90-day holding facility or going back to a 365-day facility.
The facility does not meet today’s standards and if nothing is done the facility would most likely be permanently closed by the Department of Corrections.
Visitor Ben Ruberg questioned whether or not the compliance data has been included in the Solid Fuel Ordinance. Clerk Peterson will check on the matter and report back at the August 2021 council meeting.
Continued business
The Lodging Tax Committee will report their progress to the council at the October 2021 council meeting after the tourism season has wound down.
A bid of $2500 from Norby Tree Service for annual tree maintenance was accepted.
Discussion on additional road maintenance was tabled until Small Cities Assistance funding is determined.
Thore (Everett) Johnson will be reimbursed in the amount of $255.35 for portable bathrooms for the ballfield. The portable bathrooms will be removed at the end of July 2021.
New Business
Sheila Higbe was appointed as the interim council member.
The AcenTek Video Franchise Agreement was on the agenda. A Public Hearing will be held at the August 2021 meeting to allow for questions and review of the agreement. A representative from AcenTek will be there to answer any questions. The discussion was tabled.
Resolution 2021-09, and Chapter 71 draft of Title 7 of the Ordinance Book were accepted as presented.
Chapter 13 of Title 7 of the Ordinance Book was accepted after removing the requirement of permitting.
The draft of Chapter 74 of Title 7 of the Ordinance Book was accepted as presented.
Miscellaneous
The town will donate the use of the Town Hall for Whalan Good Ol’ Days on August 7, 2021.
It was decided that due to a lack of interest in an EV charging station and also a lack of cell service, no further action will be taken to attain a charging station.
Johnson reported to the council on the success of the softball tournament that was recently held in Whalan.
The next regularly scheduled Whalan council meeting will be held on Monday, August 9 at 5 p.m., at the Whalan Town Hall. For further information visit the City of Whalan website at cityofwhalan.weebly.com or call the Whalan City Office at (507) 467.2212.
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