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The Chisago City Council on Sept. 23 approved a new city logo that’s been months in the making. 

Council Members Nikki Battles and Mark Anderson worked with Parks Superintendent Doris Zacho and a graphic designer to create a new logo requested several months ago by the Parks Commission (see graphic bottom right). 

City Administrator John Pechman told the council that the new logo will likely appear first on city letterhead as old letterhead is phased out followed by embroidered shirts for city staff, signage and eventually on city vehicles.

In other business, the council:

- recognized a need to fill several vacancies in the city ranks. Discussion began when the council learned of another imminent retirement from the Volunteer Fire Department. The city is actively seeking people interested serving as a fire department volunteer. Volunteer firefighters receive both training and equipment. They are rewarded monetarily upon retirement, based on years of service. 

Individuals interested in the fire department must be at least 18 years old, live in the Chisago Fire District, and fill out an application on the fire department website, or at Chisago City Hall. For more information, contact Fire Chief Zach Reed, [email protected] . 

Later in meeting, the council accepted the resignation of Dan Charpentier from the City Park Commission. Charpentier submitted a letter of resignation stating he had been unable to attend three of the last four meetings. The Park Commission meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

Administrator Pechman pointed out that a vacancy also exists for a Chisago City representative on the Chisago Lakes Joint Cable TV Commission. Any Chisago City residents interested in serving on either the Park Commission or the Cable TV Commission is invited to inquire at city hall in person or by email.

-  voted to vacate a portion of drainage and utility easements and the street right of way access easement on the plat of the Gateway Chisago Subdivision. The original purpose of the street easement was to extend a road from Gateway Avenue to Sportsmen’s Dr.; however,  apartment buildings have been constructed on the adjacent property eliminating the possibility of the road extension. The action to vacate was requested by property owners TMC holdings LLC and D&C Fisk Properties LLC. Administrator Pechman said the applicants propose a new drainage and utility easement to replace the vacated utility easements.  The resolution passed with Councilmember Marie Rivers abstaining. No comments were received at the required public hearing.

- heard Councilmember Nikki Battles report that the Chisago Lakes Library Commission voted to increase library support from $3.40 to $4.20 per resident, and from Mayor Dresel that the Joint Chisago City-Lindstrom Police Commission has resumed discussions about constructing a new building for the Lakes Area Police Department.

-  acknowledged a save-the-date communication from the Chisago Lakes Lake Improvement District (CLLID) inviting local leaders to a workgroup meeting at 6:30 p.m.Oct. 20 at the county government center. The topic of the meeting will be the North Center/North Lindstrom channel project. Center City, Lindstrom, Chisago City, Chisago County and Chisago Lake Township were each asked to send two or three government representatives.

- approved Dresel Contracting’s request for Payment No. 2  for the Old Towne Road Trail Extension project. The payment of $18,613 includes work required to pull erosion control measures and reduces the total amount still retained from 5 percent to one percent of the $294,000 project.

- in a somewhat unusual midyear action, passed a resolution designating Moreton Capital Markets, LLC an official depository. Cities usually designate their official depositories at the beginning of each year. Last January, Chisago City chose MidwestOne Bank, 4M Fund and RBC Wealth Management as official depositories.  On Sept. 23, City Finance Director Cassie Gemuenden recommended the council add Moreton Capital Markets as a depository saying it would “help condense the work for the city and Abdo (Chisago City’s accounting firm).” She said the plan is to move some funds from RBC to Moreton. 

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