Shafer City Council agrees to lessen late charge, agrees to eight new picnic tables

Shafer City Council met August 21 for a regular meeting. All council members were present with two people in attendance. With no additions to the agenda, the council opened the floor for public hearings. Resident Mike Steffan addressed the council. Steffan was there to dispute late charges on his water bills. Steffan has two meters that supply his home and agriculture business. Steffan contends his wife dropped the payment off on July 31 in the drop box at city hall. City Clerk Lynn Jawish told the council she empties the box daily and had not seen the check until a week later. Steffan disagreed saying he knows for a fact his wife dropped it that day. Councilmember Corey Sellman suggested to the council that possibly the council could drop one of the two late fees. Mayor Kyle Johnson said that he did not want to start a precedence and would advise against doing so. Jawish pointed out that Steffan’s check was not received by the bank until August 9. Councilmember Matt Dunham told Steffan that this is the first time anyone has accused Jawish of losing or misplacing anything. “She is a rock, she just does not make mistakes period” Dunham stated. Sellman then re-iterated he would like to see it reduced to one late fee. Dunham agreed and asked if this meant a policy change that would have to be enacted right now. Jawish said it would have to be motioned and acted upon.

Johnson then made a motion to dismiss one of the late fees if Steffan agreed to pay the remainder of his bill the next day. The motion passed 5-0. The council then closed the open hearing to the public and proceeded to consent agenda on a motion by counilmember Sellman. The motion carried 5-0. Council member Matt Dunham then made a motion to pay the bills which also passed 5-0. Mayor Johnson then made a motion to accept a resolution for funding for Shafer Days. The resolution included donations from Pam Richards ($20), Kimberly Ricci ($20), Dettmer Volunteer Committee ($25), Croix Valley Pick-Up ($25), Security State Bank ($25), Stein Insurance ($50), Grandstrand Funeral ($100), and MSA Professional Services ($250). The council thanked the donors and approved the resolution 5-0. In new business City Engineer Jon Herdegen said that construction was on track and traffic was to be switched to the other side of the road beginning that day.

In order to switch traffic, the city would need to enact a new detour that would use Redfield Avenue. Herdegen was seeking permission from the council for Jawish to sign the agreement. The motion was proposed by Keeney was seconded by Dunham, passed 5-0. City Finance Specialist Richard Hill then told the council he was looking into getting some bonding re-financed that would give the city a savings of close to $100,000. Hill told the council the money could be added to the city’s CIP plans which can be changed. It would allow the city to refinance on the building if it chose to. The council agreed to let Hill seek out refunding some city bonds. Keeney then told the council that most of the picnic tables the city owned have become almost unusable.

The council agreed. Keeney told the council he has a resident that has offered to build new tables for free if the city supplies the wood and materials. Mayor Johnson thought it was a great idea but only if tables are constructed out of 2x6 boards. Johnson then made a motion for Keeney to purchase eight tables at a cost of no more than $1,200. The motion passed 5-0. The council then had a brief discussion about Maintenance Supervisor Alan Anderson’s request for a raise. The council agreed to let HR handle specifics and present them to the council. *The city of Shafer got two new signs recently.  The signs are on both ends of Shafer.