Sutherland’s electronic message board located at the north end of the Main Street boulevard at W 2nd Street failed in 2021. The original sign was installed by the Stamer family in memory of Clarece. At the time the sign failed, it was under the operation of Friends of the Library. The organization was not in a position to meet the needs of the sign and turned it back to the city. The Sutherland Ruritans adopted the project and raised more than $20,000 for its replacement. The City agreed to provide personnel to post and remove messages and to record transactions. Those activities were put into the job description of the Library Director. Messages can be placed on the board at the library. During the council meetings the price was set at $5 per day or $25 per week. The revenue will be split equally between a city account dedicated to the sign for future repairs and updates, and to the library fund,
A fire department grant and street work will require a budget amendment. Council had a brief discussion when that would need to schedule a public hearing on the matter and publish. The fire department grant can wait for an amendment, but street work would require an amendment in August. City Clerk Amanda Vander Hof will get street repair bids for several cited bad spots and prepare a budget amendment and public hearing notice.
The warranty deed for Bonnie and Jack Wallinga for the house they renovated. The project is much more than a simple renovation. It was a rescue. The work included an addition, complete interior gutting and rebuilding, new plumbing, wiring, furnace, appliances, siding, roof, a porch and landscaping. The agreement with the city was extended due to delays in getting certain licensed work completed.
Changes to the property purchase on West Second Street by Mark’s Pump were approved. Original plans were to build a warehouse type of facility. Mark’s Pump purchased property on Vine Avenue, the former Mills’ Construction property and no longer want to build on West Second Street. The will removed the dilapidated house on the property.
The Williams’ property was leased by Swanson Seed for $4350 per year for two years.
Three council members face reelection this year. The terms of Patrick Nelson, Chase Cox and Bruce Engelke.
Council discussed with Rich Van Beek, new Superintendent, the water brought into the city versus the gallons of water measured going into the waste ponds. The problem has been ongoing for years. Van Beek considered out loud that there is some kind of natural source getting into the pipes of ponds.
Discussion about the purchase of equipment for the street and water department to use to locate shutoffs. He is interested in a better locator and a metal detector. The discussion became quite lengthy determining exactly the needs of the city, budget and which tools do what kind of work. Van Beek and Cox, whose business uses locators regularly, got into the weeds about which tool would be best. Both tools will find pipes and shutoffs only if the pipes are metal or have a tracer. A paint striper for parking lines and crosswalks was also part of the purchase request and lengthy discussion. Council finally agree to the purchase of the paint striper and the metal detector and paint.
Ferguson will send an employee to complete the replacement of the 40 remaining water meters throughout the city.
Staff will get a new inventory of trees needing to be removed and get pricing for that tree removal. There will also be verification of remaining tree removal already paid.