Sebeka Council Explores Options

BY MATTHEW JOHNSON

      The Sebeka City Council is attempting to review all angles of a proposed project that includes construction of 11th Street NW and the connecting approach onto U.S. Highway 71 adjacent to the Northern Acres Housing Development.
      On Tuesday, April 29, the council met in a reconvened session of their April 8 regular meeting and decided to pay a $5,000 deposit to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to speed up possible approval of the approach, if the deadline for the deposit is prior to Tuesday, May 6. If the deadline is May 6 or later, the Council planned to discuss other financial options with the Sebeka Economic Development Authority (SEDA) at their meeting on Tuesday morning, May 6. This was a special meeting of the council. Mayor Dave Anderson and Councilmem­ber Ann Kluenenberg are also SEDA members. The city´s financial advisor, Traci Ryan, of David Drown Associates, was expected to be at that meeting to help officials wade through the red tape.
      “The window of opportunity is shrinking,” said Coun­cil­member Lowell Stewart during the April 29 meeting.
      In order to proceed with steps necessary to ensure construction of the approach, the council must first get approval from MnDOT.
      City Engineer Jon Pratt of Ulteig Engineers, Inc., told the council on April 8 that a timely commitment was needed to get MnDOT approval for the project as early as May. He told the council it would cost close to $10,000 to obtain a contractor´s cost estimate for the project and MnDOT approval. The council approved a motion not to exceed that amount for the cost estimate and the approval process.
      Pratt later sent correspondence to the city, prior to the April 29 meeting, recommending the council authorize a $5,000 deposit go to MnDOT for the proposed approach project.
      Councilmembers expressed the sentiment that moving forward on this project now may prevent Northern Acres from being a “dead-end” development.
      Mayor Anderson said recently that Northern Acres has the potential to be a good money-maker for the city, and he felt it would be foolish to jeopardize that opportunity. He was concerned that people may not want to live in a dead-end development.
      Pratt said a rough estimate of the cost to complete just the 11th Street work is about $55,000. Adding the cost of the Highway 71 turn lane would make the total somewhere in the neighborhood of $95,000 to $115,000. Pratt did say he could “put pencil to paper” to see if he can figure a way to bring costs down.
      “We´ll try to keep this as feasible as we possibly can,” he said.
      The initial $10,000 includes the cost of Pratt´s preparation of sketches and other paperwork for Mn­DOT, as well as finding out a project cost estimate from Sellin Brothers, Inc., of Hawley. Sellin was the general contractor on last year´s $3.2 million infrastructure project in Sebeka.
      Adding to the expense is the fact that a turn lane onto 11th Street from Highway 71 has to follow federal guidelines. That means beginning at the highway fog line, the pavement must be cut and moved to allow for construction of the required 12-foot turning lane.
      “It´s a federal highway. It has to meet their standards,” Pratt reminded the council during the April 8 meeting.
Lillquist Appointed
      At least two people expressed interest in filling the vacancy on the council following the April 8 resignation of Randy Pickar, but only Michael Lillquist expressed that interest in person at the meeting on April 29.
      Lillquist indicated that he and Kluenenberg had talked about the responsibility that comes with serving on the council, and that he believes he´s ready to “try it.”
      He said he would like to help the city grow, and generally expressed an interest in helping the citizens of Sebeka.
      “Stick to your decisions,” Kluenenberg advised.
      Stewart told him he could expect criticism.
      Lillquist indicated that he thinks he can handle that, as he´s already developed a “thick skin.”
      Stewart motioned to adopt a resolution to fill the vacancy left in the wake of Pickar´s resignation by appointing Lillquist to finish the term. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Quentin Ness, and unanimously approved. The appointment will carry through the end of the current year. The seat will be on the ballot in November.
      Lillquist was sworn into office as a member of the Sebeka City Council toward the end of the meeting, which adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Nine Hired for Pool
      Following an interview process, the council approved offering Sebeka Municipal Pool jobs to nine applicants. Five applicants are returning pool employees, and the other four are new applicants.
      The council agreed to offer the job of pool manager to Ronnie Lee, and the job of assistant pool manager to Lindsey Olson.
      Lee is being offered a wage of $8.90 per hour to start, with a 40-cent increase in July when the minimum wage is expected to rise again. Olson is being offered $7.15 an hour to start, also with a 40-cent increase in July. Returning employees are being offered a starting wage of $6.40 to start, and new employees are being offered a starting wage of $6.15 an hour. All pool employees are scheduled to receive a 40-cent-per-hour raise in July.
      The pool is set to open Memorial Day Weekend.
Custodian Hired
      The council has accepted April Anderson´s resignation as city hall/liquor store custodian, effective April 29, and offered the job to Jeffrey Putikka following an interview process. He was offered a starting wage of $7.32 per hour. After the six-month probationary period, his job performance will be reviewed and he may receive a raise at that time.
      The council has also agreed that if Putikka declines the offer, or doesn´t work out, the interview committee´s second choice will be offered the job.