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There will be two Taylors Falls City Council meetings for January.  The meeting Monday night this week was for organizational items affecting the city in 2024.  A reminder—  council sessions shifted to 6 p.m. now which is an hour sooner than traditional meeting times.

The city welcomed two applicants for vacant seats on the planning commission and Economic Development Commission, Sandra Berg and Diane Nelson.  The Parks group, the Library Board and heritage Preservation Commission appointments were held until January 22, due to processing applicants.

Fees were increased during budgeting talks by 10 percent, and council officially adopted this in the fee schedule, so something like a dog license which was $5 is now $5.50. 

The peony garden proposed at Cherry Hill Park got a nice boost with council approving 5-0 a not-to-exceed sum of $2,600 for plant stock purchases.  Pastor Schumann is spearheading the flower garden project.

Parks Liaison Council member Larry Julik Heine suggested getting input from the citizens on the parks group first, and delaying the approval until after their February meeting.  Pastor Schumann said there’s time sensitive considerations and the “prime varieties” of peonies might not be in stock if the ordering is delayed.  Council agreed, adding the city could have a destination peony display when this project is completed.

Cherry Hill Park reportedly has an account balance at $3,200, and whatever remains after the peony purchases will be rolled into the general parks fund with all the other city park accounting.

Volunteer Faye Caneday was approved to create minutes for multiple city council meetings that were not done when city hall was short-staffed.  She will start with 2023 and council will review the progress and check on availability of tape recordings for 2022 unfinished minutes.  Council voted to offer her $300.

The purchase of a stand-up mower-snowblower apparatus  was given the go-ahead.  The lone quote was for $13,999 from Jeff’s Small Engines. 

Council directed public works to collect a couple more quotes from various vendors, for the same model,  to meet guidelines for expending public funds, but all agreed the price was attractive.

Having seen no estimated costs presented— a request for turnout gear for the fire department was tabled.  

Council member Troy Aanonsen presented the request to transfer whatever was remaining in the fire department account (end of 2023) to shift it into a fund to buy “wildlands” gear, saying the Fire Chief is sure there will be a surplus. Exact numbers were unavailable.  “I don’t think public safety is an area to ...pull back on,” Aanonsen argued.  

Council member Tim Grote suggested the department is certainly “deserving” but the lack of information was a concern, resulting in this item being delayed to January 22.

City staff received an official wage increase for 2024 of three percent in unanimous action.  This is budgeted for.

And, Mayor Wieberg announced his donations from his city office wage— there is $1,000 to Wannigan Days, and the firefighters, lighting festival and daycamp program organized through area churches, each get $400.

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