Mountain Lake City Council approves replacing front door of Community Center
At the Monday, October 16 meeting of the Mountain Lake City Council, its members gave support for the use of property tax abatement in the Zaremba Group/Dollar General project in connection with the option chosen to provide water and sewer lines to the property, provided a satisfactory agreement can be reached. A development agreement with specific amounts and terms will be presented to the council for approval once they are known.
This action came following discussion about the project, as well as further development in the city’s southwest corner.
Water and sewer lines need to be extended to the lot Zaremba intends to purchase from JLJR Midway LLC on 3rd Avenue West. Zaremba will prepare plans for the project for approval by Andy Kehren of Bolton & Menk, city engineer; hire a contractor and pay for the work.
Three options were presented by Zaremba at the Thursday, October 12 Utility Commission meeting. In all three options, the sewer line crosses the property in a southeastern direction to a manhole on the sewer main being constructed to serve the Mountain Lake Commercial Park. It was noted that there is no difference in cost for the construction of the sewer line.
JLJR has agreed to an easement allowing the sewer line to cross the property they will continue to own after the sale of the Zaremba lot.
The cost for water in the three options varies, however. Option #3 meets Zaremba’s needs. Kehren stated, that in order to meet city requirements, he is recommending Option #1 or Option #2, with 8-inch water mains. Option #1 is the best for the long term, Kehren noted, because it puts in place infrastructure that would support further development south on Cottonwood County Road #27, and the eventual looping of water to the new subdivision.
The cost difference between Options #1 and #3 – roughly $25,000 to $30,000 – was discussed. The Zaremba business will not be a significant water user.
The Utility Commission approved the use of Option #1 with 8-inch water mains at the October 12 meeting, and recommended to the council that the cost difference between the two options be refunded to Zaremba through a property tax abatement. The rough estimated value of the building, the approximate amount of property tax generated and the approximate amount that could be abated were additionally discussed prior to the council’s decision to concur with the commission on the option and support the property tax abatement.
New replacement front door for Mountain Lake Community Center
Council members approved the purchase of a new replacement front (south) door at a cost of $1,882.43. The kitchen floor will be replaced at some point in the future.
In other business
+ Addressed questions raised regarding storing recorded city council meetings to meet legal requirements, re-broadcasting on the public access channel and accessing recorded meetings from the city’s website. Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer will contact Computer Lodge to gather those answers. Planning has been done to broadcast council meetings live on Facebook.
+ Reviewed the expenses, revenue and fund cash balances of the 2017 Budget through the end of the third quarter. No action was taken.
+ Briefly discussed several public nuisances during an update by Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff.
+ Heard the first reading of the draft Floodplain Management Ordinance and reviewed the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) currently in effect. The ordinance will be forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for approval.
+ Agreed that the next “Coffee with the Council” be tentatively scheduled for Friday, November 17, 12 noon, at The Laker, with Kruser and Ysker in attendance.
+ The next city council meeting will be Monday, November 6, 6:30 p.m., in the Mountain Lake City Council Chambers.
2017 meeting schedule
Council meetings will be held on the traditional first and third Mondays of the month – with the exception of:
- The second meeting in June had been rescheduled to Thursday, June 22 due to the annual Pow Wow celebration.
- Both July meetings were rescheduled to the Fourth of July on Tuesday, July 4. The first meeting of the month will be Monday, July 10 and the second, July 24.
- The first meeting in September has been shifted to Tuesday, September 5 due to the observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 4.
- New dates have been scheduled for both meetings in December due to local school holiday events. The first meeting of the month will be on Tuesday, December 5 and the second on Tuesday, December 19.
- Meeting start times are 7 p.m.
City of Mountain Lake Meeting Dates
+ Mountain Lake City Council meets the first and third Mondays of every month at 7 p.m.
+ Utilities Commission meets the second and fourth Thursdays of every month at 7 a.m.
+ Economic Development Authority (EDA) meets the second Friday of every month at 12 noon.
+ Lake Commission meets the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Library Board meets the second Wednesday of every month at 4:45 p.m.
+ Police Commission meets the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.
+ Planning and Zoning meets the last Monday of the month, if needed.
+ Tree Commission meets quarterly – January, April, July and October – at 7:45 p.m.
