Wykoff Council Addresses Infrastructure, Grants and Fees at January Meeting

By Zech Sindt

The Wykoff City Council convened for their first monthly meeting of the year on January 14 at 7 p.m.  All council members and officials were present with the exception of council member Barbara Fate.  In attendance were Mayor Ryan Breckenridge, City Administrator Becky Schmidt, Administrative Assistant Luann Hare, and council members Kaleb Himli, Jeffrey Hare, and newly appointed member Jane Baker.  The meeting commenced with the official swearing-in of Jane Baker to her new position on the council.

Following a brief period with no visitors addressing the council,  committee reports were presented.  Rick Whitney, supervisor of the wastewater treatment plant, had positive news to share. He reported that the plant had operated under budget for the year, and expressed optimism that the plant might receive an award for its performance. Whitney also detailed some recent maintenance work, including repairs to the wellhouse heater which he discovered malfunctioning  in freezing temperatures.  He emphasized the need for a heater replacement in the coming year due to the corrosive environment caused by fluoride and chloride. Whitney also mentioned his involvement in addressing a recent water main break.

Discussion then shifted to an ongoing issue with a damaged fire truck pump.  Fire Chief Mike Lund expressed his strong disagreement with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance company’s refusal to cover the damage. The insurance company claimed the damage was a result of the pump running dry, an assertion Lund refuted, stating the truck was full of water at the time of the incident. City Administrator Becky Schmidt advised that the city could appeal the decision, and Lund clarified that the pump overheated due to a lack of water movement, not a lack of water in the truck.  The council agreed to appeal the insurance company’s decision.

First Responder Cory Bremseth provided an update on emergency services, noting a slight increase in calls. With 69 calls for service last year, Bremseth highlighted the growing demand for first responders in the community.  

The Personnel committee had no new matters to report. The Community Education committee also had no report.

In the Streets committee report,  the council discussed the construction of a new duplex on Diamond Court, with Mayor Breckenridge expressing hope for further housing development in the year ahead.  The need for proper signage at the new intersection was also noted.  The council confirmed that other street projects were progressing on schedule.  A recent water main break on a 4-inch line was also addressed, with the council acknowledging the successful repair of the line. 

Councilmember Jeffrey Hare, representing the Parks and Recreation committee,  highlighted the extensive use of the community skating rink this year, emphasizing its popularity among local children and the broader community.  Mayor Breckenridge then addressed the council regarding the Zoning committee,  informing them of a received petition to vacate an alley and an application for rezoning the Methodist church parking lot.  A motion was passed to schedule a public hearing to address these requests.

Under new business,  City Administrator Schmidt provided an update on a grant application for library funds, confirming the submission of a grant request for $340,000.  The council expressed hope for a successful outcome. An Arvig right-of-way grant application was also discussed, with Schmidt noting that the application had been under review for two months. To mitigate potential issues with underground utility lines, the council considered implementing a policy requiring camera footage for all underground directional boring projects.  Rick Whitney, with his expertise in wastewater management,  was tasked with assisting in the drafting of an ordinance to ensure compliance from all companies involved in underground boring.

The council then addressed a committed fund resolution amendment, with Schmidt revising the fire equipment 406 fund to $229,280.19.  This resolution was passed.  A date and time were set for the public hearing on the cannabis ordinance and vacating alley ordinance, scheduling it for February 10 at 6:30 p.m., half an hour prior to the regular council meeting.

New committee appointments were then reviewed and approved. Kaleb Himli and Jane Baker were assigned to Streets/Snow Removal, meeting on the first Monday of each month at 5 p.m. Jeff Hare and Ryan Breckenridge were appointed to the Sewer and Water committee, meeting the Thursday before council meetings at 5 p.m.  The Personnel committee was assigned to Barb Fate and Kaleb Himli, meeting the first Monday of each month at 9 a.m.  Park and Recreation, including representation on the Joint Trails Board, was assigned to Kaleb Himli and Jeff Hare, meeting the first Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m.  Barb Fate and Jane Baker were appointed to the Community Education committee, meeting the first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m.  John Baker was appointed to Pest Control, Cody Meyer to Incident Command, and Ryan Breckenridge to Deputy Incident Command.  Jeff Hare was appointed mayor pro-tem.  The council reaffirmed the Fillmore County Journal as the official newspaper for public notices and retained Lee Novotny as prosecuting attorney and Nethercut/Schieber as city attorney.

A comprehensive discussion on administrative fees followed, with the council opting to maintain most fees at their current rates.  However, several changes were approved. The base water fee was increased from $18.70 to $20.  Hourly hall rental rates were raised from $30 to $35 per hour, with the small side rental increasing from $150 to $175 and the large side from $225 to $250.  The base rate for lawn mowing, trimming, and fence-line maintenance was increased from $75 to $100 per hour, and junk removal and general clean-up services also saw their hourly rate increase from $75 to $100.  A new fee schedule was established for miscellaneous ordinance violations, with the first offense resulting in a warning, the second offense incurring a $100 fine, and the third offense a $200 fine.

The council then addressed matters of governance and electoral operations, approving a voter account agreement with Fillmore County.  Under this agreement, the county, which is responsible for administering absentee and mail balloting, maintaining election equipment, and ensuring election security, received $6,610.54 in 2023 and is set to receive $25,574.88 in 2024 from the state.  The council also reviewed and acknowledged their current computer use and code of conduct policies.

A resolution was adopted accepting donations to the  Wykoff Fire Department from several community members, including Bob and Margaret Cole for $100, the Ramaker families for $564, Joe and Amy Mulhern for $100, and Kruegels Inc for $100.  The council then reviewed and accepted a quote from English Electric for $4,709 to upgrade the light fixtures at the community center.  This project includes the installation of 52 4-foot LED lamps, one 2-foot lamp, and electrical work at the shop building.

A revolving loan request from The Gateway Cafe at 118 Gold Street North was discussed.  The cafe requested $25,000 for a $29,000 project involving elevator installation, basement stair reconstruction, electrical upgrades, and new flooring.  The council approved further review of the request, scheduling a special meeting to assess the applicant’s financials.

The meeting concluded with discussions on garbage service and zoning for telecom towers.  With Waste Management currently holding the contract for garbage service, the council agreed to open the contract for bidding to allow for a proposal from Hartert.  The council also acknowledged the need to address zoning regulations for telecom towers and expressed their intention to develop new ordinances and policies on the matter.