Mayor Jeremy Leis praised City Clerk/Administrator Jake Dickson and Public Works & Zoning Director Casey Klug for their leadership and negotiation skills at the February 9 city council meeting. Mayor Leis called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Council members in attendance included Amanda Ninneman, John Rauk, David Fitpatrick, and Mayor Leis. Member Klug was not in attendance.
Mayor Leis said, “I sat in a bunch of meetings with MnDOT and watched these two work hard for Caledonia. We’re gonna get a road half paid for because they worked really hard for us.”
City Clerk/Administrator Jake Dickson said that this is the first time in Minnesota history that MnDOT has paid to build a road for a community. “It is the way of the future for small towns for getting big road projects completed.”
The city will receive $400,000 to put toward the Warrior Avenue extension from the high school to Highway 76. “The $400,000 is based on the cost to put in the bare minimum of a bypass road,” Director Klug explained. “The city needs to get the road built this year but curb and gutter and pavement and sidewalk may not happen until next year.” He figures it will be a “minimum of gravel surface out there.”
Dickson reported that the city’s wastewater treatment plant received two Engineering Excellence awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota.
The agenda, January 26 minutes, and the consent agenda which included payments and disbursements, and the Warrior Avenue boring agreement with Braun Intertec Corporation.
Residents can get free firewood at Sprague Woods on Saturday, February 14. Director Klug explained that DNR Natural Resources Specialist Val Green received a grant to identify the oak trees in Sprague Woods that need to be removed. The oak logs were then sold at an estimated $1,300.
New Business
President of the Caledonia Police Reserves Foundation, Inc. Nate Pearson requested $2,500 from the city to outfit the four new reserves which brings the total number of reserves to six. The council agreed that the city should allocate city funds to cover the cost of outfitting, including new equipment, the four new reserves. The cost is approximately $400 to $500 per reserve. Pearsons has overseen the reserve program for 12 years noting that “we have had a hard time over the last several years getting people to volunteer for the reserve program.”
Pearson was asked what the reserves do. They organize National Night Out and assist with traffic control at the Christmas parade, security at the prom, Founder’s Day street dance, Houston County Fair, Applefest parade, Houston Hoe Down, Houston Triathlon, security at prom, and pass out candy for Halloween.
The council approved several electric rate increases because of the Power Cost of Service Study presented by Kristi Robinson, PE, Director of Operations, STAR Energy Services LLC. The increases take effect on April 1. Residential customers will see the monthly service charge rise $3, from $12 to $15. Summer energy rates will increase from $0.1370 to $0.1390 per kilowatt-hour and the non-summer energy charge from $0.1170 to $0.1280 per kilowatt-hour. The changes represent a monthly increase of 9.9%, or approximately $8.33 per month. Commercial rates also increased. The increases will generate an additional $310,000 in retail electric revenue for the city.
Per the approved amendment to the Verizon agreement, two panel antennas will be removed from the water tower on Decorah Street and replaced with three panel antennas within the next six weeks for a total of nine panel antennas with means one additional antenna is being added to the contract.
The council went into closed session at 6:47 p.m. pursuant to 13D.05 to discuss active or reasonably anticipated litigation. No action was taken.
The council examined overtime reports for the period ending February 1. Mayor Leis asked about Water/Wastewater Superintendent Craig Nelson’s 19 overtime hours, which were attributed to him covering the plant alone and working weekends.
Old Business
Gretchen Brau was hired as a part-time police officer contingent on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board Licensing and Personnel Committee review.
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