Not all things were in bid for new municipal building
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What Glenwood City Mayor John Larson called a “misunderstanding” has a number of things that are needed in the new Municipal building, and were not included in the bidding process.
Larson noted that the cost for the phone system and computers were not included in the bidding and neither were security cameras. “We need to get proactive and budget for things that will be needed to furnish the new building,” Larson told council members at their regular monthly meeting of August 17th.
The council later in the meeting approved spending almost $25,000 for cameras in the police interview room in the new building. The council will hold a special meeting next Monday evening to discuss borrowing funds to pay for the new structure. The bid for the new facility was around $2.3 million with the city receiving a one million dollar grant.
The council heard from Brock Geyen, CPA from Clifton Larson Allen, the City’s accounting firm, about the picture of the City’s finances. In his report, Geyen informed the city leaders that they overspent their 2020 budget by $266,279, while pointing out some of the expenses that the city took on that were not in the budget.
The city fund balances to the general fund expenditures fell to 14.6 percent and Geyen said that the “city’s reserve is pretty thin here,” saying that “a rule of thumb is that the percentage should be 25 to 33 percent.” That percentage would give the city three to four months of reserve to cover expenses.
Geyen also informed the council about the finances of the City’s water and sewer departments. His report indicated that the Water Utility loss was $91,242 last year and in 2019 the loss was $85,601. “A lot of that loss can be contributed to depreciation,” he said. As for the sewer financial, his report showed it had a net income of $10,247.
His statement indicated that the city has an equalized valuation of just over $73 million and that the city can borrow up to $3,661,760. At present the city is at 4.2 percent of its debt limit. But, that will change as the city borrows to finance the new municipal building and the demolition of the old school.
In his report, David Caress, Glenwood City’s public works director noted that some 180 feet of water main on First Street has been replaced and they will do another 60 feet. He said that on that stretch that was replaced, they found nine patches and five more leaks. Even the two-inch water service to the apartments was leaking because the metal band holding it to the cast iron pipe had rusted off.
Police Chief Robert Darwin introduced Sam McGrane, the new police officer to members of the council.
In her report, the Library Director Rochel Karlson noted that the local library had 356 walk-ins during July with the computer use being up. The library will host the St. Croix County K-9 Demo on September 9th and on September 16th they will start a four part series on Alzheimer’s.
In other action the council:
• Approved allowing Leaker’s Place to hold their grand opening in several parking spots in front of their establishment on Oak Street.
• Set the fee for chicken licenses at $25.00.
• Approved a temporary class B license to the Glen Hills Lions Club for September 10-12; Glenwood City FFA Alumni for September 11-12.
• Approved Operator’s License for Janine E. Jeske, Nancy J. Newman, Joseph M. Schwartz, and Jacklyn C. Sheffield. The council, on recommendation from the police chief, denied an application for an operator’s license to Tania A. Nelson. The chief told the council that she had not filled out the application acurately and completely.
