by Mari Radtke
The Sutherland City Council held a public hearing prior to its regular council meeting on Monday February 2. The public hearing was to get public consent or hear concerns to amend the city’s Urban Revitalization plan. The amendment amends the Urban Revitalization plan to include commercial properties. Properties building or expanding in Sutherland and wanting to get revitalization benefits will pay taxes on a minimum assessed value. Residential properties are already the core of incentives to build or improve properties. For interested persons contact the Sutherland City office.
The regular meeting followed with Andrew Frenking, Viking Industrial Painting was present to thank Council for their business and to answer questions of the council about what repairs to expect for the contract presented.
Frenking explained the various repairs identified. A manway access to the wet area is bent and creates an opening that for safety reasons should be fixed. Vents to the water tower are damaged. The current vents are made of a lightweight material. Frenking expects a longer-lasting vent grate will be used. Worker safety concerns included adding a roof corale and repairs to the manway. The corale bears a $30-50,000 cost. The city is currently not adding the roof corale. Frenking notified council that if Viking employees were to need to access the area one would be requested. A paint design was the final work agreed to. The tower will get a new paint job and lettering. The bottom of the water bowl on the tower will be black, the stem and top of the bowl will be white. Lettering will be orange. The resolution approving the contract was approved by council. Frenking explained that the black stem could present problems from warming or other factors that white paint does not invite.
Patrick Nelson reported that Economic Development would be increasing its “Spruce Up Sutherland” grants to be more realistic about the cost of qualified projects. Tearing down a structure, siding, painting and other qualifying projects can received reimbursement from the program.
The library will schedule the opening of the time capsule this year after Labor Day. The opening is in recognition of the nation’s 250 years. Consideration of a new time capsule is underway.
Police Chief Brent Koppe reported that the body cams do not work. He will look for funding for upgrades. He also asked Council to consider installing silent alarms and camera security in City Hall and the Library, which already has security cameras.
A budget amendement hearing was set for Monday March 2 at City Hall at 7:00pm. The public is welcome to submit comments or attend the meeting to learn more. The need for a budget amendment is due to the leaks in the water system. Several leaks have been found and repaired, but the problem continues. The high number of gallons going to the sewer ponds exceeds the number of gallons going through meters causing the city to be buying more water than it can collect money for. The loss has been considerable this year, resulting in the need to amend the budget.
A tax abatement for proerty at 110 E. 2nd Street, a commercial property was approved. The lumber yard is expanding its footprint.
After some discussion the council decided that both “The Marcus News” and “The Peterson Patriot” will receive legal notices for publication.