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Center City Council met September 1 for a regular meeting.  All members were present.

Council began the meeting with no hearings and began by discussing Hursh Ironworks.  Council member Sally Swanson told the council she received a call from Taylors Falls stating the building permits for the planned new facility in Taylors Falls were unacceptable.  Swanson said she was told the plans were rejected due to no engineering or architect input were used on the plans.  “We are back to square one” Swanson said.  Council agreed to pivot back to pursuing ordinance violations for Hursh instead of waiting out the move.  Council agreed to contact city attorney Ted Alliegro who was not present at the meeting.

Council then was told the official land swap with Marine Dock & Lift would take place September 3. The city is shifting a small highway area along the business slice of land from the dock company, to add the future bike trailhead parcel.

The council briefly discussed the failed storm water ponds behind Bayview Apartments.   Maintenance Supervisor Jeff Anderson told council the repairs are almost completed and the contractor only needs to add stakes and grass seed.  There are two ponds behind the apartment building. The city is responsible for 88 percent costs of the north pond ($14,608) while Chisago County is responsible for 12 percent ($1,992) of the north pond and 100 percent of the south smaller pond.

Talk shifted to the 2027 proposed Levy.  Council was presented with a handout detailing the proposed levy of $423,100.  The amount translates to a 7.04 percent increase.  Council member Mark Wolcott reminded council the levy can always be reduced but can not be increased after formally accepting.  Council member Swanson said she would be in favor of setting it higher now and reducing if not needed in the future.  council voted 4-1 in favor of the levy with Swanson voting against.

Council next approved an application by Chisago Tobacco which plans on opening in the mall this month.  All paperwork and permits have been submitted by the company.

In the public works report, supervisor Jeff Anderson told council Water Tower Park work has been completed with new edging and wood chips.  Council member Lloyd Vetter told Anderson he thought the shavings need to be leveled a little better.  A family who lives in Center City thanked the city for the park upkeep.

Anderson said his department has fixed two street lights that had been out but added a street light along Main had been struck and knocked over recently.  He reached out to the company the city bought the poles from in Texas.  Anderson told council the shipping cost of one pole is the same as two or more, he wondered if it may be beneficial for the city to purchase two to have one on hand if needed. Council agreed to discuss at a later meeting.

Anderson also noted some tasks completed

-Compost pile has been burned

-Fixed multiple street signs

-Did some brushing along the rights of ways

-Had a false positive for bacteria in water testing, the state came out and tested in five areas and came back negative.

In committee reports, council was told the Fire Department has made the decision to lease radios from the county in the near future instead of purchasing.

Resident and parks member Sara Johnson presented an idea for the Swedish Immigrant Trailhead.  The council and parks had discussed a potential mural at the trail head, Johnson presented an idea of metal panels with etched out designs. She also presented an idea of large boulders with images etched into the rocks.  Mayor Jill Behnke told the council there are grants available through the East Central  Regional Arts Committee up to $20,000. Council agreed to have Behnke pursue the grants.

Council adjourned at 7:48pm.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To clarify what the Center City Council was advised regarding the building permits for the Hursh project planned in the Taylors Falls industrial park.  

The county Environmental Services Office, which is responsible for issuing building permits, sent an email to the Taylors Falls zoning official that applicant Hursh’s permit application was incomplete (email date August 20 or 21.)  The county is “waiting on the applicant” the department director stated last week.  Incompleteness includes no footing plan, no building elevation or floor plans, missing mechanical details for heating and cooling and lacking a signature on steel shop drawings and no signed steel inspection schedule.

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