At the Feb. 7 regular meeting of the Kimball City Council, the city?Äôs engineer Dave Blommel reported that the new lift station is substantially complete. The project went really well, he said, adding that it couldn?Äôt have gone better. There was no loss of service in transferring service from the old to the new lift station.
The next project will be accessible bathrooms in city hall, and an accessible sidewalk in front of the building.
Police report
Police Chief Jason Mehr reported that the engine went out on the Durango. The bearings are going out. He could have repaired the engine for $5,000, and risk the bearings going out. Or, for $7,000, he can get a new engine with a two-year warranty. The Durango is getting a new engine.
Mehr attended the Fair Haven Township meeting the night before. He has requested that one of their supervisors sit on the hiring committee the next time a Kimball police officer is to be hired.
Chad Peka is now full-time as an officer. Tom Fread has left the department. Mehr will not yet hire another part-time officer.
The department is working with Jeff Orbeck to be able to buy gas at Kim-Built Country Store as well as Casey?Äôs and A.M. Maus, splitting the local purchases among the three gas stations.
Fire Department
Fire Chief Mike Schneider reported that they are looking for a new tanker truck for the department. The existing truck, a refurbished 2001 truck, is the most unsafe truck in the department?Äôs fleet, with too much weight for its build.
They have found a replacement truck in Iowa, a 2008 3,000-gallon capacity truck for $144 (for comparison, a new truck would cost $252,000). The purchase of a replacement truck will increase the department?Äôs ISO rating and increase the pump capacity (at least 2,250 gallons is needed). The plan is to spend $55,000 remodeling the old truck, and sell another truck for about $20-30,000. The total for all would be about $200,000. The department has about $300,000 for such a purchase, as they?Äôve been planning about 5-6 years to do this. A trip is planned Feb. 18 to check out the truck in Iowa.
?ÄúI?Äôve never second-guessed any purchases you?Äôve requested,?Äù said mayor Tammy Konz. The council voted unanimously to put the purchase out for bids.
The Fire Department has ordered a washer for after calls. Everyone will have an extra hood. It?Äôs $8,500 for the new washer (to wash their turnout gear after fires, removing possible carcinogens). A dryer would be $10,000, blowing air from the inside out; this is not being ordered at this time. They may install a mop sink for waste water in part of the space where the old furnace was; the new furnace is smaller, and currently waste water is run through the shower.
March 12 is the official 100th anniversary of the Kimball Fire Department. They will have an open house from 2-5 p.m. on that date. A bigger celebration is being scheduled for July 22.
The council accepted the retirement of John Gohmann after 30 years of service, including six years as chief.
The department will replace its lift airbags, used to life cars off of people. The current bags are from 1983, and their usual life expectancy is 10 years. They will use funds from last year?Äôs pancake breakfast to make this purchase.
The department has developed a social media policy that will be voted on by department members.
Other business
The council approved eliminating monthly water/sewer service charges for two properties in town that are not currently connected. The grain elevator (owned by Dennis Libbesmeier), does not use water and has no plans to in the future. Another property, on Hazel Ave., is not connected and hasn?Äôt been for some time. The council recently approved charging for minimum monthly service for properties that are temporarily disconnected (e.g., snowbirds). This waiver for the two properties is valid until either is reconnected to water and then all fees will be applicable.
The council voted unanimously to meet with a representative from Integra Solar about the possibility of participating in a solar garden.
With the resignation of Rose Borman, the council discussed finding someone else to clean the city hall and Willow Creek Park shelter.
The council will adapt the social media policy from the city of Clearwater as it meets the needs of Kimball; it?Äôs short and to the point.
The city will renew its membership in the Kimball Area Chamber of Commerce, and will participate in the April 1 Expo again this year, splitting two booths with the city, Fire Department, and Police Department.
The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 6, with representatives from the Great River Regional Library about the Kimball library facilities and to discuss findings of the Minnesota Historical Society on the building. ?ÄúI don?Äôt think we?Äôre on the same page,?Äù said mayor Konz. ?ÄúWe need to work together.?Äù Aaron Dahlinger expressed that he views some of what the Friends of the Library says could be viewed as threats to pull the library out of Kimball. ?ÄúWe?Äôre not going to lose our library, even if we have to do our own,?Äù said Konz.
There will be a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 6. The next regular meeting of the Kimball city council is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 7.