The Primghar City Council met in a workshop session on November 21, 2023, at 5:00 PM in the council chambers with Mayor Kurt Edwards presiding. Council present – Steve Wittrock, Tim Honkomp, Ryan Jenness, Kevin Smith, and Ken Miller. Staff present – Jessica Whitney. Mike Carr in discussion with Lynch about the Lagoon Project – March 2022 found less than a foot and a half of sludge – planned to take sludge out of north inlet and the rest of the pond did not have as much. Ended up with 2 ? feet of sludge currently. South cell now has 1 ? to 2 feet of sludge – handout shows the drone that measured the sludge. The Second pond all must go away and be dry for wastewater. Photos shown from the Lagoon that shows what looks like woodchips and what is referred to as the “red island”. Russ gave an update that they went out to the Lagoon today and took photos and looked at the spots of concern – they do not see the chips out there other than out at the island – they understand there are woodchips out there, but they do not believe there is as much as talking. They shared photos they took at the Lagoon and how they do not see any woodchips out there. Mike Carr discussed that after time, the woodchips would break down and start to disintegrate and that is what is included as well in the “sludge”. Lynch has recently put new screens in at their truck wash and they couldn’t spend the money on a new truck wash without the commitment that the woodchips would not be in the lagoon. They decided to get the new screen to help with the elimination of the woodchips going to the lagoon. They are doing what they would have done with the new truck wash. They have realized that there are issues, and they are trying to help with things as well for examples, getting a new pump worth around $7,000 and screen around $40,000. They do not want to have any issues with the City. Most washouts are using this same screen system. The screen is working, and they use this in their other location in Wacoma as well. Lynch states there are no woodchips now that goes in to the lagoon with the new screen. The council states that they have now has been the goal and is great for the future but now we need to fix what has been done already. If the screen was in place before, there would not be as much material in the lagoon currently. The samples that were taken south of the opposite corner of the inlet showed examples of the wood chips in the Lagoon. Russ agrees that there are woodchips, but he is frustrated that the only sample was taken from the same corner that the woodchips were visible on the rocks. Explanation that the sample is from all the way across the pond by an outlet. Discussion on the latest 2006 Lagoon project and if it was drained at that time, unsure if it was or not. Usually, towns clean and drain every 20-30 years. Russ stated that they have been washing trailers at their washout for years and wonders why in the last year it has doubled. Mike Carr states that it is not the entire Lagoon, but parts, that have doubled. Russ would like us to get together what we are proposing so he can bring it to his company and see what they would like to do from there. He does not want to move the company out of town and he does not want bad blood between the company and the city.
Discussion that there was an interview for the Assistant Deputy Clerk Position and she is will to do the ambulance as well. Discussion on the $19.50/hour. Workshop closed.
Special Meeting was now opened with a motion by Honkomp. Seconded by Jenness. All ayes, motion carried. Motion Honkomp, approving the hire of the Assistant Deputy Clerk at $19.50/hour with ambulance. Second Smith. All ayes, motion carried. Motion Smith to close the special meeting. Second Honkomp. All ayes, motion carried.
Published in O’Brien County’s Bell-Times-Courier Dec. 7 2023