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A couple of action items did come out of the Taylors Falls city council session this week, in addition to prolonged discussion about a cannabis related issue. (See story starting on page 1.)

Among the actions were an increase in sewer. water and stormwater fees.  Effective immediately the rates for Taylors Falls water customers go up 30 percent.  The average residential user consumes 53 gallons daily. Water is billed monthly.  

If your water bill has been around $19 monthly for about 3,500 gallons, it will be $24 in your next billing and by 2026 the rate will be closer to $30.

On the sewer side of the uitlities, which are billed b-monthly in Taylors Falls, the base rate for residential  properties goes from $17.36 to $21.70 effective immediately.  In 2026 this will be $21.73 and by 2029 the council action taken this week will put it at $50 per month.         

Stormwater fees are now billed bi-monthly and are generally $1.50 for small residential parcels and this goes to $3.  Larger fees go from $2.25 now to $6.75.  There are multiple rates in the matrix so any questions can be directed to city halll billing.

For commercial properties the usual monthly user of 10,000 gallons will go to $43.39 immediately. The 20,000 gallon commercial customer rate will go to $83.19.

The measure was based on a rate study done by Erickson Northstar LLC.  The analysis looks at expenditures and revenues and estimates upcoming major capital needs, while calculating the rate needed for providing for healthy balances to be maintained for emergencies.

~ The council was informed the Springs Inn site is “technically in default.”  When council voted to. deem the parcel “a hazardous site” this started a 20 day clock for the owner to respond, which Zoning Administrator Elizabeth Haas said did not happen.

Before the city progresses on a legal process to handle the cleanup and bill back costs, Haas said she’d like to keep working with a contractor who has said he expects to her on his quote for cleanup from the owner sometime this week (May 19 to 23.)

Haas said the best thing is to give the issue time to work itself out and keep the city out of cleanup.  In a difficult situation, “the city is doing the best we can,” she added.

The Springs Inn burned to the ground in February and debris and personal items remain.  The Chisago County Environmental Services staff and MNPCA have been involved.

~ Council authorized purchase of two rooftop air handling units, in a quote from Aerotek, for a maximum of $26,000.  These are part of an overall new roof project that hasn’t been bid out yet but Council member Tim Grote said supply chain issues make for long lead times for products.  If roof work is still pending the company will store the units.  Council is scheduled to award the roof bid in July.

~ The city has a no-mow allowance in effect for all of May, so nuisance ordinances won’t be enforced yet.  The No Mow May movement  has developed for giving pollinators time to benefit from spring bloom and easy access to plants they thrive on.

~ The city was informed the Hursh Ironworks project is back on track.  Hursh informed the city that due to backlog in his work schedule and costs of materials impacted by tariffs etc. his goal of moving into the Taylors Falls Business Park was on hold for months.  Just recently though, Joel Hursh said drawings for the new location on the west side of Taylors Falls  have started to come together.  

City Zoning Administrator Haas said there is alot to do yet on what the ironworks company wants to do in the business park, and the city does not even have site plan review underway— but she hopes by late June to see some progress.

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