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Lindstrom City Council agreed the city will takeover the bike trail along Olinda, from Hwy. 8 to the high school, after the county rebuilds the trail to city specifications. The trail is about 30 years old and is due for a major repair/rebuild.

Assistant County Engineer Joe Triplett told council the work will be done by the time school starts this fall.

Triplett and County Engineer Bill Malin explained that this really shouldn't be a "county" trail, and there are no other walking/bicycling paths along any county roads the county maintains. The county could not find any documents that would impede turning over the trail and this cooperative agreement is the best for all concerned, Malin and Triplett added.

Council agreed after hearing from the city public works director that plowing and cleaning debris from the surface isn't a major problem as staff is equipped to handle this type of thing.

Reconstruction of parts of Glader Boulevard was another issue entirely. The council first looked to the county to get repairs done on this road, as the general impression was trucks had broken the road surface while hauling loads of fill to the county park.

Jonathan M. Peterson of the trucking/contracting firm, argued that there were numerous spots breaking-up on Glader prior to hauling by his trucks. Peterson said he assumed he would be able to haul on a city street, and noted that the street alongside the high school where the fill was excavated out of, didn't break-up.

Lindstrom Administrator John Olinger agreed there had been some $19,000 in budgeted repairs along Glader before the hauling episode. The city council was then informed of a compromise that Peterson had reached with city staff.

Repairs will be made to identified locations by Peterson Companies at time and material costs only. Peterson said he'll charge no "mark-up." The motion approved unanimously was for Peterson not to exceed $5,000 in charges.

Mayor Keith Carlson wondered why the township wasn't involved in these issues, being that Glader Blvd. is a township road.

City Attorney Joel Jamnik responded that certain parts of Glader are now wholly inside of Lindstrom, due to several recent private annexation petitions bringing individual lots into Lindstrom. Through annexations where the parcel accesses Glader directly, the city takes responsibility for the roadway as well.

Carlson expressed he was unaware that traveled surfaces like Glader come into the city too, and said he'd like to see a map showing where Glader Blvd. is city street and where it remains "township" property. There are spots where it's a "townline" road and 50 percent is township and 50 percent is city.

Jamnik added that this is precisely why "orderly annexation" agreements encompassing large areas are desireable versus bringing individual parcels in piecemeal.

Meanwhile-- the city is awaiting August 1 to award a quote on road resurfacing repairs citywide. The state legislature upped the sealed bid thresh hold to $100,000 from $50,000 and this becomes effective August. A special meeting may be called to award the work August 1 at 8 a.m. to meet the intent and the spirit of the new law. Two quotes were received and Bluhm Construction was the apparent low price at $87,000.

Council member Joe Wishy also requested to be provided details in written form when a finished product exceeds what council originally accepted as a bid amount. Olinger said that would be no problem.

Assessment hearings were scheduled for two city projects.

The 306th Street project assessments will be aired September 2 in a special session of council. The Machmeier Court paving and improvements hearing to set assessments is also Sept. 2.

Council accepted a final plat for the city-owned lot being marketed. The open site is at Newlander and Terryl Streets across from the city shop.

Resident Mark Anderson and the city have reached a unique agreement where citizens may enjoy his huge forested area on the north edge of town by getting a "permit." The Wilderness Park Agreement council authorized unanimously opens the site up for passive enjoyment like bird watching, picnics, exercise, photography, etc. There will be no camping or fires and no motorized uses.

Permitees could begin getting authorization to use the land through city hall as of July 21.

This is a trial run and council will review this in October 2009.

For access to the land permitees will agree to do a couple hours of volunteer labor annually, like removing buckthorn, litter policing, trail clearing.

New rescue gear

And, the fire department is planning to acquire an airboat. Council members gave Fire Chief Scott Sellman and Asst. Chief Mark Nelsen their blessing to move ahead on raising donations.

Chief Sellman explained that the hovercraft unit the department has is in need of about $4,000 in repairs, mostly to the fan blade.

Sellman said an air boat will be more useful and a year-round piece of equipment. The hovercraft "was not functional for water rescues" (it was gotten for incidents primarily on ice) and wasn't big enough to transport a victim.

Sellman said fire department members are researching rigs and testing units. Forest Lake Fire has an air boat that the department uses "quite a bit," Sellman mentioned.

Donations of $40,000 to $50,000 will be raised to support his purchase.

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