Eden Valley approves housing study

At their Nov. 4 meeting, the Eden Valley City Council approved spending $1 per resident (from EDA funds) to participate in Meeker County?Äôs housing study. The total project will cost $30,000, and cities and counties are asked to contribute a small portion of that. Even though Eden Valley is split between Meeker and Stearns counties, the study would cover all of the city. The results of this study can be used by developers to get bank funding for building projects, for instance, or the city to apply for grant funding. It can also help the city to plan (planning and zoning, economic development, water/sewer capacity and needs, and incentives for certain types of housing that is needed).

Eden Lake Township requested a five-year lease of using the fire hall for their meetings, at $450/month. The city had proposed $600. The council agreed to counter with $525/month.

There is an OSHA matching grant available to cities up to $10,000 to improve security of council chambers and city hall. They may try for it in 2016.

A new deputy clerk has been hired: Darla Kurzman will start work, part-time, Monday, Nov. 16. The plans are for her to work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and other days as needed to fill in for the clerk.

The police squad car lease was reduced from $548 to $433/month for 2016.

The council discussed joining Code Red notification system. They will look into sharing the cost with surrounding townships.

The next meeting of the Eden Valley City Council will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9; this will be the tax hearing and regular meeting. A special budget/tax workshop will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2.