Local News

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Meeting Watch Includes: Eagle Bend City Council, Clarissa City Council, Bertha-Hewitt School Board Eagle Bend City Council by Carolynne Bisel All council members were present for the regular meeting held on December 17. The City Administrator, Kevin Hess, was absent due to a loss in the family. Twila Pierce sat in as Assistant Clerk for Hess. Guests present were: Sam Cossentine, Pam Stueve, Jade Beurbe, Steve Maland and Bobby Berndt. The meeting lasted two and a half hours. Actions · The Truth and Taxation Hearing was opened at 7 p.m. There were no objections and the hearing was closed at 7:05 p.m. · Approved to adopt the 2007 Tax levy as presented. · Approved to adopt the 2008 city budget as presented. · The City Council heard a presentation from Jade Beurbe, civil engineer with Ulteig Engineers, Inc. on feasibility report concerning the sanitary sewer line beneath the roadway on Park Avenue Southwest. · Approved the minutes from November 19, regular meeting, December 03, special city council meeting and the bills submitted were approved. · Approved Eagle Lanes application to renew their 3.2 beer license. · Granted the request from Kevin Hess to transfer funds from construction and enterprise funds and place them into the debit service funds. · Accepted the donation of $8000 from the Fire Department Relief Assn.- Charitable Gambling to be earmarked for the purchase of emergency equipment and/or building fund for the fire department. · The City Council heard the monthly reviews and accepted the reports from the liquor store and the police department. · Granted the request to place a mailbox by Pam Stueve's residence. Granted the Vet's Club request to be open on Sunday, February 03, 2008 for the football game. · Granted the Vet's Club request to open early (10 a.m.) on Christmas Eve, December 24, to serve a community dinner at 2 p.m. and to close by 5 p.m. · Approved a 2% salary increase as budgeted for individual city employees. · Approved .25 cents per hour salary increase for part-time bartenders. · The City Council agreed that the longest consecutive member on the council would be the acting mayor. Discussion Without Action · The council agreed to allow Officer Berndt to scout for part-time help; the police commissioners will help with interviews when the time arrives. · Steve Maland, liquor store manager, noted that November profits were good and that the month of December should be good too. Clarissa City Council by Karin L. Nauber Council Member Mike Meiners was not at the public hearing portion of the council meeting. He arrived at 7 p.m. when the regular board meeting began. All other members were present. The meeting, including the public hearing, was 45 minutes long. Actions Adopted the budget and levy for 2008. The levy was set at $141,568. The budget was set at $306,163. Although a motion was made to move some snow that has been piled in the city's industrial park, they decided to wait on moving it for now until the council checks out some other places to put snow. Mayor Nathan McLaughlin said he wanted to go check out the situation. After reviewing three bids that were received for land rent for city property, the board approved renting the industrial park land to Al Patnode for $51.25 an acre and the land near the water tower to Alvin Smith for $51 an acre. Approved a resolution to transfer TIF funds and to decertify the district. Approved a resolution to transfer funds to the different departments as per the budget. Approved the police service contract with the sheriff's department for two years. There were rate increases. For 2008 the hourly rate will be $32.50 and for 2009 the hourly rate will be $35. Discussion Without Action Discussed further options for the placement of the city garage. Heard the liquor report. Health inspectors have told the city they need to replace the tile behind and under the bar and by the prep area for cooking. Council Member Gene Booker will get estimates on industrial grade flooring. McLaughlin said he would talk to the health department to let them know the city was working on it. Bertha-Hewitt School Board by Karin L. Nauber Darrell Hoemberg was absent from the regular meeting of the school board on December 18. The meeting was one hour and 20 minutes long. Actions Approved Bertha-Hewitt to implement the National Honor Society guidelines as presented. Approved the seniority lists for licensed staff and support staff. Approved increasing the substitute wages. They were increased $10 per day for substitute teachers. Approved the 2007 pay 2008 levy at $657,799.43. The school board retreat will be on Tuesday, January 8 at the Church of God in Bertha. Approved accepting the retirement of Rita Louisiana effective January 18, 2008. She has been with the district for approximately 30 years. Approved to increase paid student lunches to $1.40 effective January 2, 2008. Superintendent Bob Sieling gave a report on the food service and said that the prices had not been increased from $1.10 since the early 1990s. With higher food costs, the food service has been losing money and will be running in a deficit.