Osseo City Council approves 2022 budget, snow parking ordinance

OSSEO - The City Council of Osseo approved the city's 2022 budget at its December meeting back on the 13th. The budget will plan on spending $1.5 million in 2022 which is up slightly from the $1.498 million that was budgeted for 2021 but still lower than the 2020 budget of $1.596 million. The tax levy for the budget was also approved

But one of the longer topics of discussion by council members and the Mayor Pettis was the parking situation on city streets after the first major snowfall of the year. Cars were still parked on city streets even though the winter parking ordinance, which was written back in 1988, was clear that such parking would result in tickets as they affected the ability of snowplows to clear the streets. Council members were angry the law was not being followed and that some citizens complained about being ticketed.

After further discussion, council members unanimously agreed to passing the following temporary amendment to the ordinance in effect for this winter which states: "All vehicles shall be removed from all city streets 24 hours prior to a snow event and remain off the streets until 24 hours after the snow event has ended. This will allow adequate time for our plow drivers to prepare for the snow fall and get all streets cleared promptly. If you should have any questions regarding this amendment or any parking issues, please contact the Osseo Police Department at (715) 597-2481."

In other agenda items, the council approved plans for a Osseo Veteran's Memorial Park to be located within Stoddard Park, voted to deny an operator's license application, approved all invoices and statements with the Schaumburg Law Firm, Trempealeau County, Cedar Corp. public engineering firm out of Menomonie and SEH public engineering firm out of Chippewa Falls an invoice for CTW Corporation for a replacement to booster pump No.1 and an HVAC service agreement for a gas-fired unit heater with Ahern for $3,105.

They also approved a resolution discontinuing a portion of West First St., a certified survey map for DI Holidings on properties located on 7th St and a setback variance request by citizen Jena Teigen to build a new garage and they unanimously approved a resolution to include new pedestrian facilities as part of 12th St. reconstruction improvement project. Council members also had discussions on the old Palladium property, a pedestrian crossing on CTH. O and explored an idea to get help from the Osseo-Fairchild School District to help update the city's website.