Water rate hike approved for City of Mondovi, sewer rate increase on the way

Pigeon and goose problem sees further discussion by Council

 

by Beth Kraft

 

In an effort to keep the city’s water and sewer utilities out of the red, rate increases are coming for utility customers in the City of Mondovi.

The Mondovi City Council at its first regular meeting of the month on Tuesday, Aug. 11, approved a three percent simplified rate increase for the water utility. Additionally, city administrator Dan Lauersdorf will conduct a study to determine an appropriate rate increase for the sewer utility, to be approved by the Council at a later date.

The city’s ongoing pigeon and goose problem also received attention from the Council that night. City leaders agreed to give the Schmidtknecht farm permission to use shotguns under direction from the Mondovi Police Department to attempt to thin out the farm’s pigeon population. 

City leaders have said it will be difficult to address the growing pigeon numbers in the downtown area without reducing the populations that reside on the large farms nearby.

In other business that night, the Council discussed a traffic enforcement grant that was recently obtained by the Mondovi Police Department.

MPD sergeant Tim Hollister says the grant is part of a nationwide effort known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” that runs from Aug. 21 - Sept. 7. The grant covers overtime pay to allow law enforcement personnel to hit the streets for drunk driving enforcement. 

The grant could also yield funds for new equipment for the MPD if the agency is drawn from a pool that contains all other qualifying police departments.

The MPD is also in the process of applying for a Task Force Grant, Hollister said, for which the department would join forces with the Durand and Osseo police departments as well as the sheriff’s departments in both Buffalo and Pepin counties.

The grant would be good from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2016, if it is received. The departments would then choose two dates per month for additional patrolling for traffic stops and drunk driving enforcement, Hollister explained.

“Our goal is not to write tickets, but to have compliance,” he said.

The bi-monthly dates when patrolling will be stepped up will be posted on the Mondovi Police Department’s Facebook page in an effort to encourage compliance, Hollister said.

Also that night, Jack Doerr of the Mondovi-Gilmanton Sno-Blazers Snowmobile Club appeared before the Council to discuss snowmobile routes in the city.

Last year the Council approved allowing several streets—Mill Street, Parker Avenue, North Washington St. and Industrial Drive—to be designated as snowmobile routes to give city residents access to local trails from their homes. Designated hours of operation were also approved.

Last year was to be a trial period for the new snowmobile routes, but due to an overall lack of snow area snowmobile trails never opened so the privilege was never tested.

Doerr asked to expand the days and hours of operation on city snowmobile routes, a request that was approved by the Council.

Operating hours on city streets when snowmobile trails are open will be as follows: Monday - Thursday, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.

City trail passes must be obtained from the Mondovi-Gilmanton Sno-Blazers in order to use city snowmobile routes. The passes are free of charge and must be carried at all times while operating a snowmobile.

A city ordinance was also tweaked that night at the request of the Mondovi Police Department. The ordinance will be adjusted to remove the need for approval by the City Council in order to hire reserve officers. The ordinance will be sent to the city attorney for changes and will be up for final approval by the Council at a future meeting.

Moving to city-wide odd/even parking  was also brought up for discussion. However, city leaders felt more public input was needed before the Council can make a decision on the subject, tabling the item to a future meeting.

In other business that night, the Council approved the following:

• adopt GASB-34 accounting standards, plan to adopt all subsequent updates as recommended by auditors

• appointment of Kadie Schultz for new patrol officer

• Class “A” beer & liquor license for Hansen’s IGA, Inc.; trailer park license for Tyler Loewenhagen for mobile home park on East Main St.; operator licenses for Terry L. Crandall (Gumby’s), Mitchell D. Stout (White Pig)

Sub-Section: 

GMD Media

See Contact Button at top left for each office Phone Number,
200 Industrial Court Suite 100
, Wabasha, MN 55981

coloring pictures
télécharger reddit video
propletenie.ru

Sign Up For Breaking News

Stay informed on our latest news!

Manage my subscriptions

Subscribe to GMDMedia Newsletter feed
Customize This