City Council discusses dance coming up in August
By Dan Kuss
lbnews@itctel.com
The Lake Benton City Council met with the American Legion manager Guy Pribyl in reference to blocking off a section of Center Street for an upcoming street dance in August with a live band performing. It would be the section of Center Street from the bottom of the hill, in front of the American Legion, encompassing the alley and extending to the back for security reasons.
All proceeds for the event will go to Honor Flight Southwest Minnesota to assist in sending three or four WWII veterans from Lake Benton on the next Honor Flight some time in September.
Pribyl suggested the American Legion would put up a snow fence so access could be granted in case of emergency.
The council granted the request for a license similar to the Fireman’s street dance, asked Pribyl to verify insurance and asked him to file for the license with the clerk.
Police Chief Guy Harding reported that Saddle Horse Holiday went smoothly. There were a few issues with horses being ridden downtown after the parade. Harding noted that because of safety issues, things may change after the accident during a Fourth of July parade in Iowa when a team of horses bolted through the crowd, killing one person and injuring several others.
Harding also reported that new uniforms, vests and equipment have been ordered for the new officers and asked that they be sworn in at the next meeting.
Sherry Jessen, Lake Benton Municipal Bar manager, presented the council with a check for $2,000 to go back into the general fund for costs associated with remodeling and adding an outdoor patio at the bar.
Jessen reported that the bar is coming together nicely and operating in the black. The air conditioner was working hard and froze up during Saddle Horse weekend due to the large number of people in the building, but is okay if regulated properly.
Jessen also reported that there are some fun things coming up with caricatures being drawn for patrons from 6 – 8 p.m. on July 22, a Big Brother game and picnic on the patio.
Community director Heather Ulrich-Glynn met with the council as the Economic Development Association to discuss incentives for bringing a business into the community. There are 10 acres with city water lines and necessary utilities for new businesses. This is a very preliminary proposal for new business in the city.
The EDA also discussed that the Nature Conservatory owns 1,381 acres in Lincoln County and they are trying to discourage them from purchasing any more land in town. Though they don’t pay a lot of taxes, the city won’t hold them back as they paid 100 percent of their street assessment.
The EDA will invite the county commissioners, Pheasants Forever and the Department of Natural Resources to meet and discuss options.
The council discussed the National Flood Insurance program through the DNR. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will not declare a disaster area unless communities participate. Many areas of the lake meet the criteria as flood plains as they are less than 1,763 feet above sea level. The City of Lake Benton is qualified and will proceed.
City Maintenance Supervisor Todd Draper performed a walk-through with committee members and Reinert on designated street repairs. They will drill down one-and-a-half inches and fill with asphalt adding fabric where it is wet underneath. Rural Development said it is not needed, but Banner says it would be a good idea.
They will also look at the alley behind the Community Center and American Legion as water runs down and shoots out about six feet.
There is also a lot of traffic under the viaduct now that Becker’s have added their new dining room and will look at asphalt when the street project is at the asphalting stage.
Draper suggested the Morton Street issue be dealt with as the longer the city waits, the more it is going to cost. The city can get a break on recycled asphalt, which can be used in some places but not others.
Some can be overlaid but the alley must be dug out. Draper suggested that a sewer ordinance be adopted or mingled to deal with seven or eight individual septic tanks within the city limits.
Draper mentioned that the softball players really came through on the softball fields by doing a lot of work with tiling and addressing safety issues. The DeZeeuw family donated a double first base which also helps with the safety issues.
The city and the ball teams have received many compliments on the field updates.
Mayor Carpenter asked Draper to look at some of the trash barrels in town as they are rusting out at the bottom.
Draped mentioned he will be on vacation the week of July 12–16 and again Aug. 1–7. There is a lot of mowing to be done all the time and vendors call to deliver to the bar during the day. Mayor Carpenter will cover in Drapers absence.
The city clerk got a call from the county on the GIS agreement. There are 581 parcels at 2.5 and a lot of different layer. The program is difficult at best. The city is trying to find a rebuilt old desktop computer and monitor for the program which will be on the agenda in two weeks.
Committee member Don Hughes reported that the estimate to update the Community Center comes to $8,411.64, which doesn’t include painting and the ceiling. The council will look at this issue at the next meeting. The project would be slated for early winter and would require closing down for a few days to get the work done.
The final audit is in from Kinner. Council members should review it as soon as possible and there is a copy for the general public.
Aug. 10 is the primary election. Election judge training will be on July 21 for City Clerk Rosie DeZeeuw, Bea Nordmeyer, Joyce Miller, Muriel Grooters and Barb Hurd, who have served as election judges in the past.
The council discussed the Library Project as an application for the grant is due by Friday, July 16. Banner has worked to reduce the cost from $400,000 to nearly half of that estimate. After further discussion, the council set up a special meeting for 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 13 to meet with all of the parties involved and get feedback from the community.
The next regular meeting of the Lake Benton city council will be on July 19 at the Heritage Center.