The Department of Homeland Security awarded a grant of $101,196 to the Watkins Fire Department. It is a Fiscal Year 2014 Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
The funds will be used for new SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) equipment, and a compressor and fill station for the bottles. The current SCBAs are not compliant with current requirements; for instance, they don?Äôt have alarms on them.
The grant requires a 5-percent match by the Fire Department, which means they must spend $5,059 toward this purchase in order to receive the $101,196. (This is a very low requirement, and a very high award amount.)
Sheriff?Äôs Deputy Ernie DeFries was not at the Oct. 8 meeting, but he left word that things were ?Äúpretty quiet,?Äù except for the Clear Lake area.
Jerry Oster requested permission to get bids for re-wiring the theater area of the village hall and replacing stage lighting. The lighting that?Äôs there was rescued from the old Kimball high school auditorium about 30 years ago (they can?Äôt get replacement bulbs), and the wiring was put in as a temporary fix at least 15 years ago.
A non-resident asked to speak during the open forum about burning in the city she observed while driving through town. She inspected the site, behind Faber Building Supply, the next day and found what she thought was garbage there. The site is the city?Äôs brush pile which is burned regularly. In later discussion the council agreed that it is a clean brush pile, and that any black acrid smoke would have been caused by green and/or wet branches and leaves. As a precaution, public works will put up a sign prohibiting dumping of garbage there. (It is still legal to burn home garbage in Meeker County most of the year, unlike Stearns County.)
The council gave Watkins Ambulance the okay to transfer $20,000 each year from the ambulance general fund to the new ambulance fund. The ambulance service is self-funded, and transfering these funds would assure that there will be money in place for the purchase of a future rig. (The new ambulance fund can only be used to purchase a new ambulance.)
John and Heath Kramer have purchased Shorty?Äôs Laborer?Äôs Lounge on main street. They have completed an application for a liquor license, which will be for seven months. Meanwhile, Shorty Nistler has requested a refund of those seven months that he paid for his liquor license, which he won?Äôt be using any more. (He plans to pass on that refund to the Kramers when he receives it).
Bruce Walz was approved as fire chief, and Ron Kramer assistant fire chief.
Ray Schlangen?Äôs appointment to the fire department was approved, contingent on his background check.
The council approved an increase in election judge pay to $9.50/hour (from $8) in advance of the 2016 elections.
The council agreed not to pay $1 per household (nearly $1,000) for a Meeker County EDA housing study as they don?Äôt see a direct benefit to Watkins in it.
The council approved several resolutions: #4 allowing canvas buildings, in the back of lots and if kept in good repair; #36 decertifying Tax Increment Financing District #4 (Barrier Technology) as the 20-year time period is up, and the property is now fully on the tax rolls; #37 redemption of the 2007 outstanding general obligation improvement bonds, a total of $735,000; #38 placing delinquent water and sewer charges onto 2016 taxes for individuals; #39 placing assessments for unpaid lawn care charges onto individual taxes for 2016.
The city has received two of three invoices for work done on the sewer line at the skating rink: $1,059.74 so far, with another $800 or so expected. The council agreed to split that cost 50/50 with the Watkins Lions.
There was further discussion of nuisance properties in the city. Some of the properties will be looked at again Saturday (Oct. 10). It was noted that several improvements have been made at the trailer court, although more are needed. The city, working through its attorney, will continue to follow the steps toward getting these properties cleaned up.
Public Works will begin tree trimming soon, and they will remove more than last year; the council approved the purchase of a pole saw for this purpose. A crosswalk sign will be installed on the north side on Central Ave. at the church; the council approved paying about $100 to have the county provide and install the sign.
St. Anthony Manor plans to install a catch basin in their parking lot to tie in with the city?Äôs storm sewer, possibly before winter; there will be no cost to the city, and they understand that there may still be backup in the lot in the event of a heavy rain.
Seasonal parking restrictions begin Nov. 1 through April 1:
no parking on Central Avenue between 2:30-6 a.m. during this time.
The next meeting of the Watkins city council will be at
7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.