A June 1 letter to the city announced that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had selected the city’s Outdoor Recreation Grant application for 2018 funding. The matching grant is for $150,000 for construction next year, and there are already funds set aside from the Eden Valley Lions and others that should count toward the $150,000 matching funds. This means that there will be at least $300,000 to begin construction of Friederichs Park next spring.
The plan at left is one drawn up in early 2016. This will be a starting point for a plan to be implemented next year. The baseball field and football field will remain in place, but much of the parking area for them will be removed to make way for things like a splash pad, playground area, horseshoe pits, RV campground, skating and hockey rink, and asphalt trails connecting them all. Again, this is a preliminary plan, a starting point as nothing has yet been finalized. Watch for information soon on how to be involved in the planning of this addition to the city of Eden Valley, or contact the city office to learn more, (320) 453-5251. Mayor Bengtson noted that it’s time to get the Parks & Recreation Committee back together.
The council approved entering into a joint agreement with the city of Paynesville to jointly purchase a boom truck.
City inspections of rental property are going slowly, partly because the inspector (Brian Peterka) broke his arm. Fifty-five percent of rental properties (58 licenses) are in compliance; 16 are non-adhering, and 39 are waiting for inspection, with the remaining 76 units somewhere in the process toward compliance and licensing. The consequence of non-compliance will be having the owner vacate the properties; this is something the council agreed at its June 7 meeting to move forward with.
There were two permits approved by Planing & Zoning Commission in May, and approved by the council June 7: one for a modular house with a foundation and attached garage, and one for a house to be moved onto a site above a new basement.
The council discussed the proposal to sheetrock the interior of the library. The city has already committed $10,000 to sheetrock the Event Center and finish the dividing wall to the library. The library board is inquiring how much the city might contribute toward finishing the sheetrock (and insulation) inside the library portion of the building. The council will wait to see what the library is willing to pay toward it, stating that there needs to be something left in the building budget for unplanned needs. It would be a better deal if the contractor can do the whole building at once, it was noted.
The council approved closing the usual streets for Valley Daze. A new coordinator for Valley Daze is being sought, to start next year. If you’re interested, contact mayor Brent Bengtson!
The new automatic water meters will be installed for the August billing cycle.
One individual, a student from Estonia, has applied for a transient merchant license. She will be going door-to-door selling books (as others have done each summer).
The next regular meeting of the Eden Valley city council will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 12.