Shafer City Council briefs...

Shafer City council met October 6 for a regular meeting.  Mayor Paula Hanson was absent.

Council began the meeting with city attorney James Monge discussing property along Redfield formerly a holding lot for PLC Towing.  The owners are trying to sell the lot due to relocating in another part of Shafer.  Monge told the council the Redfield lot had a conditional use permit created in 2016, but paperwork was never completed, thus the lot has no CUP recorded currently.  Monge was able to locate the 2016 CUP verbiage and since has reworked it to be current.  Monge told the council the permit does not require the council to vote on it because it was passed in 2016.  Council thanked Monge for cleaning up the issue.

Local property owner Richard Berget addressed the council about his lot located along  Redwing Avenue.  Berget was asking the council to allow him to put an eight foot privacy fence around his property like the aforementioned PLC lot on Redfield.  

Monge told Berget his lot was in a different zoning district and his CUP states he may not store unlicensed vehicles for more than 90 days.  Berget pointed out PLC stores unlicensed vehicles for longer and Monge again reminded him it is in a different zoning district.  Monge told Berget that if he truly seeks to have his CUP changed he must first start by applying for an ordinance change with the city. Ultimately the decision would fall on the planning commission and the city council. Berget stated he just wants to be treated the same as PLC.  

Acting mayor Nick Brehm said if Berget was allowed to change his CUP then there would be a chance Shafer Contracting would potentially be required to put the same kind of fencing in.

Berget agreed to begin the paperwork with the city.

Council next agreed to move the November 10 meeting to November 9 at 6pm. November 10 is when the election canvassing will be taking place at City Hall. 

Council then accepted a donation from the Shafer/Franconia Fire Relief gambling for $927.78.  They also accepted a Shafer Days donation from Campbell Knutson for $100.

City engineer Jake Guzik then discussed the topic of a new well or a new water treatment plant for Shafer. Guzik said the city has heard from the Minnesota Department of Health and the city does fall in the standards required to be eligible for grant funding to help cities with manganese issues.  Shafer could qualify for up to 50 percent of total costs.

In prior meetings the council had discussed potentially building a new well on the north end of town.  Guzik gave rough estimates to the council with a new well costing the city over a million.  A water treatment plant which would also include a new well would cost around 2.3 million.  

Guzik told the council they will require a decision by the next council meeting in order to get the paperwork filed and proceed.  

Council member Marilyn Anderson asked if the operating of a water treatment plant would cost the city more and both Guzik and Maintenance Supervisor Brad Swenson said there would be no added operational costs to the city.  Guzik also pointed out the 2.3 million also includes a generator at the water treatment plant. Guzik told the council if they were to proceed, the completion date for the project would likely be 2028. No action was taken on the project or applying for a grant.

Council adjourned at 6:40pm.