Capital

improvement

budget gets

council approval

New three-year contract with police union OK'd

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The City Council accepted without change City Engineer Steve Koehler's proposed 2003 Capital Improvement program totaling $2,907,904 Tuesday night.

The council also approved without comment a new three-year pact with Law Enforcement Services, Inc., Local 150, representing New Ulm's police officers, which calls for a 3 percent adjustment for 2003, retroactive to Jan. 1; a 3.25 percent wage increase in 2004 and a 3.5 percent increase in 2005.

Koehler's proposal calls for estimated bonding amounting to $1,969,504, with an additional $938,400 in funding from various sources. In accepting the proposal, the council left the timing of the bond sale up to City Clerk-Treasurer Gary Gleisner so that he could combine it with another bond sale this spring.

Biggest part of the bonding proposal is the 2003 utility, street and alley improvements-group 1 that will cost an estimated $2,057,904. With projected funding subtracted, the bonding need totals $1,646,504.

The other two segments of the 2003 C.I.P is related to funding phase 1 and phase 2a of the New Ulm Recreational Trail project.

Included among the project's anticipated funding sources is a $271,400 contribution from the Public Utilities Commission for water main related expenses and $140,000 from the Street Department's Other Contractual Services account.

The law enforcement package including wages, overtime, clothing allowance, duty allowance, health care and other benefits will cost the city $969,877 the first year, $1,012,813 the second and $1,061,511 the third.

Changes in the deferred compensation employer match program and addition of a new provision covering a police canine officer and setting up shift assignments also are included in the package.

The council acted to have the city attorney prepare an annexation ordinance for a small parcel of land owned by Ron Smith near the airport. The 3.59 acres measuring 625 feet by 250 feet are on U.S. Highway 14 directly opposite the New Ulm Municipal Airport.

A proposed ordinance governing the bulk sale of excess transmission was given its first reading after having been returned to the city attorney for a change in wording. The change prevents individual utility customers in other communities with which the New Ulm Utilities Department has service contracts from seeking service.

In other action, the council:

-- Reinstituted a moratorium prohibiting erection of new advertising signs/billboards within the city limits for another year.

-- Ratified two change orders involving work on the sales tax referendum project. One order for $45,850 involves installing 3/8 inch clear, tempered glass panels along the railings for the Fairgrounds Community Center's north and south arenas; the other is for $7,647 for minor changes at the center.

-- Heard a report from Dr. Laurel Gamm updating the progress being made on the proposed Putting Green Environmental Adventure Park at 20th South and Valley streets.

She reported $150,000 has been raised, and another $450,000 needs to raised to proceed with phase one of construction with a scheduled completion date in 2004.