At its April 13 regular meeting, city engineer Kent Louwagie discussed the $80,000 budgeted for street maintenance in 2017, and the $220,000 or so in needs. Priorities were discussed, including trailer park roads, repaving the city parking lot (across Central from McCarthy Park), and seal-coating.
This discussion was tabled as it is not clear who actually owns the road in the trailer park (which would probably be scheduled for work next year). In 1997, the city paved School Avenue; in 2007 when many streets were re-done, the city didn?Äôt touch it. According to the abstract of the property, which is privately owned, there is no right of way or easement for the road; this leans toward private ownership of the road. The city has been plowing the road, though, which is increasingly difficult given the terrible road condition. The legal definition of the road needs to be clarified if repairs are to be assessed. The city will have to check into this before next month?Äôs meeting.
It was pointed out that the roads in Watkins?Äô EDA areas in Glenshire Estates and the townhomes near Hilltop are privately maintained, although the sewers under them are owned by the city.
Louwagie reported on the intersection of School Avenue and Highway 55. School curves to the east where it connects with the highway, and the city would like to straighten that out and make the intersection perpendicular. This would cost about $20-25,000, said Louwagie, and MnDOT doesn?Äôt have any issues with it. The intersection would be much safer, especially for school buses coming in.
Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze presented his department?Äôs 2016 report. Drug crimes and arrests are up, as are criminal sex cases and sex trafficking; the latter he says are driven by the internet, and no community is untouched. Thefts in general are down (although there?Äôs a surge of them currently in the area). For years, methamphetamine has been ?Äúking,?Äù but heroin is slowly creeping in, he says. All Meeker County Deputies will carry Narcan (an overdose antidote), with training in about two weeks. The owner of PleasureLand RV Center, whose son died of an overdose, is donating Narcan to be carried (and replaced as needed) by every first responder in the area. In 2015 his foundation funded medication drop boxes in Stearns and Benton Counties.
The pool manager Ashlee Lundberg was reappointed for the 2017 season, with a 50-cent pay increase citing her ?Äúexcellent?Äù work and stating that she is ?Äúwell worth it.?Äù Her position began April 15. The council approved splitting cost for Water Safety Instructor training with the lifeguards, based upon the pool manager?Äôs recommendation: half reimbursement now, and half reimbursement at the end of the lifeguard?Äôs second season with the Watkins Pool; maximum is $300.
Pool season passes will again be available, at the same prices as last year and with early bird discounts; note that the passes are good through Aug. 20 when the pool will close for the season. Swimming lesson sign-up will be from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, at Village Hall. Season passes will be available then as well.
The pool roof needs to be replaced, with shingles only on one side. The pool cracks will be filled again this year. One of the skimmer lines is broken under the cement; it will be dug up and fixed. The pool will use the same pool supply company as in past years.
The council agreed to do a city-wide spring clean-up this year. Last year?Äôs was postponed, and then Mother Nature forced a clean-up of her own (with the July 11 tornado). The plan is to host a clean-up collection point from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, May 20. Details will be in the newsletter to residents.
The council approved resolu-
tions to support local decision-
making authority (as other local cities are doing), and to recognize national pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day on Oct. 15.
The council moved unanimously to have the county assessor abate taxes on a piece of railroad property on which $1,800 in taxes are due. There are no buildings on the property, nothing to assess the taxes to. The assessment will be removed, and the property will revert to the railroad.
The Diffley property on Central Avenue was again discussed. The only visible improvement is that the dumpster has been removed. The south wall is still crumbling, and the roof has not been replaced as promised. Another letter with another deadline will be sent; if noticeable improvement outside has not been made by their next meeting (May 11), the issue will be turned over to the city?Äôs attorney.
The council unanimously approved the USDA fire truck loan for $135,000.
The Valley Victors 4-H club wants to plant 12-15 evergreen trees in VFW Park in the Faber Addition, and they will water them this year to make sure they do well. The suggestion was to plant them along the north side.
The Valley Victors also are looking to help plant trees for homeowners for $40 each, for 4-inch diameter trees. (The trees cost $80, but homeowners only pay $40; the balance has come from donations by the Watkins Lions and others). If you lost trees in the July 11 tornado and would like to replace them with good-sized spruce and maple (which cannot be planted in the boulevards), call George Lemke at (320) 764-5332.
The city is in compliance with its Pay Equity report; they are good for another three years.
The electronic sign on city hall is nearing its end of life. The council agreed to start budgeting to replace it next year, at which point it will be 12 years old. So far it?Äôs working fine, but there will be limited parts replacement available after June 1 this year. Cost for a replacement sign could be $15-40,000; they likely will keep the structure and update only the sign itself, with the same company, Scenic Sign.
The EDA is writing a letter to Meeker Memorial Hospital expressing interest in them establishing a clinic and full pharmacy here in Watkins. Hilltop Health Care Center is in full support of this. The EDA wants the mayor and council to sign off on it. The EDA has Highway 55 frontage to offer them for the clinic/pharmacy. Chrissy Tschumperlin resigned from the EDA.
The city?Äôs siren on the Village Hall is not eligible for Hazard Mitigation. The city will need to budget for a replacement siren on its own.