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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| | Email this article • Print this article | Citizens question North Branch sewer, water bills; council directs them to Water & Light offices for clarification
BY DENISE MARTIN
The North Branch City Council meeting started Monday night with a half-hour or so discussion on sewer rates. A couple of city residents took the public podium to ask about the latest billing. Dan Moravec said he expects to pay a certain amount what with having three kids and various water consumption activities, but he didn't understand the sewer billing. The charges are about three-times what comparable cities charge, he felt. A second resident echoed these remarks and asked if water and sewer billings include payments for new facilities, which he felt should be levied for on property taxes, not paid for by users.
He was told that the entire city doesn't benefit from city sewer and water because many property owners have individual septic systems and wells. Julie Dresel, city engineer, added "...generally users do pay for (facility) operations." Special access and area charges help fund actual capital expenditures on facilities.
Dresel offered to meet with North Branch Water & Light Utility officials and the residents to review their billing. Dresel reminded the residents that city hall doesn't do utility billing in North Branch. She added that Water & Light is restructuring its billing system so the most-recent bills contain two months of sewer estimate.
In other business, with Council member Larry Erickson absent, the council adopted new operating rules for the fire department including a 20-minute response time max and no alcohol in the fire hall except for "cooking."
Lake State Credit Union was approved 3-1 with Mayor Amy Ohelers opposed for a variance on a new drive-through lane. The business needs to remove a pole and replace illumination with a new fixture as part of the permit.
The ESSBY rezoning passed 4-0 changing a portion of the zoning from residential to industrial.
Ellingson Drainage Inc. won the bid to do directional boring for the Branch Ave. forcemain project.
Seal Coating was awarded at a savings from budgeted ($47,000 versus $60,000) and the difference was approved to be directed towards parking lot improvements at city hall. As part of the new layout for the new post office parts of the existing city hall lot won't match up with new post office lot, so funding was put towards finishing off the two lots identically.
Finance Manager Richard Hill told council the year-end budget picture is looking to be in the black. "We've been monitoring since the cuts you made earlier," Hill said and we will be $18,000 (minimum) to the good we believe."
Council also approved going out for Requests For Proposals for insurance agents.
A request to award a borrowing package for a road grader and extrication equipment was delayed. Council wanted to review this in work session (this week) before issuing the Equipment Certificate. The vote to delay was 3-1 with Kathy Blomquist opposed, she said council has already "talked this to death."
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