Council agrees to sponsor Beacon application

Fund-raising

effort of $12,985 accepted to open Lincoln Park pool

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- When councilors got into an extended debate over a variance for a garage addition, there was no doubt it was going to be a long night for the City Council Tuesday.

As the council hit one snag after another, Council President Dan Beranek wondered whether it was a plus or minus "having three attorneys on the council."

But the two-hour council meeting had its "Kodak moments," as well.

Like accepting the $12,985 raised by a group of moms to help re-open the Lincoln Park outdoor wading pool this summer. The council accepted the donation with its thanks to the six women who carried it off in less than two weeks of fund-raising. It authorized the Park and Recreation Department to open the pool when, as Beranek said, "(Director) Dave Bechtold has found a match for their match."

While the money raised exceeded the minimum goal by almost $3,000, lead organizer Marka Stocker said later, the women fell short in their goal to have free admission to the pool, rather than the $1 a person the department plans to charge.

"He (Bechtold) originally was going to charge adults and children, but now he won't charge adults. That's as far as we got," Stocker reported.

Bechtold told the council "the ladies raised more than I expected them to.". He said later the Lincoln pool start should only be delayed a few days beyond the June 9 wading pool start because of needed repair parts.

"When we decided not to open the Lincoln pool, we didn't think we needed to order the needed repair parts."

In considering its "consent" agenda -- items that do not appear to need discussion -- the council approved the Park and Rec's Adopt-A-Park program. The program, according to Park and Recreation Commission Vice Chairman Dan Schneider, "allows for active citizen involvement," and is another bright spot in community involvement as a result of the state budget crisis.

After a public hearing, the council agreed to sponsor Beacon Promotions, Inc., in its application to the Minnesota Department of Trade & Economic Development for a $330,000 forgivable loan from the department's investment fund. The company also will try to obtain a $500,000 loan from the Minnesota Community Capital Fund for improvements in its new location.

Beacon is setting up an imprint business in the former MTS Systems building at 2121 S. Bridge St.,

The request of William Koeckeritz of Sunset Properties to have nearly 14 acres of land north of U.S. Highway 14 and west of the Kmart store annexed into the city was approved by the council. The city attorney was directed to draft an ordinance of annexation, as well as a development agreement.

However, concerns were raised by the developer, Welcome to Our Home, LLC, Buffalo Lake, who plans to build a catered living community for Orchard Hill.

The developer questioned whether the city would extend utilities to the property even though it might take three to five months to get state approval for the annexation.

"If you're willing to pay for the utilities even though we might have to shut off service to your project if the state says no, I think we could have that included in the development agreement," Beranek said.

Koeckeritz said that would be agreeable to the developer.

The council also approved a city personnel policy change that would prevent city employees from having a firearm on them while working but would allow off-duty employees to carry a concealed firearm onto city property.

At the request of Councilor Clark Tuttle, the council asked City Attorney Hugh Nierengarten to draft an ordinance banning firearms on city property based on Minnesota Statute, Chapter 624.72, which prohibits interference with use of public property.

Another "bright" spot during the meeting was a report by Honeywell on its energy audit of city facilities in 2002.

Honeywell's energy analyst, Sue Wolf, reported savings of $11,261 at Vogel Arena and $11,752 with its well pumps. Operational savings amounted to $55,667, for a savings of $78,680 for 2002.

City Manager Brian Gramentz said Honeywell's figures were borne out by the city's calculations.