Council delays action

on skate park site

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The City Council Tuesday decided to delay until the next meeting the preliminary design submitted by the city engineer for the proposed skate board park.

The council added the flood control feasibility study to the agenda and authorized the mayor to write the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requesting the study be made. It also approved a staff survey of other area cities concerning their charitable gambling guidelines and restrictions.

The request to lay over the skate board park design was made by Councilor Clark Tuttle so that Councilor Ron Fleischmann, who was unable to attend Tuesday's meeting, could express his concerns about the site.

The engineering staff completed its site survey at the proposed 1st South and German Street location and had laid out a preliminary design in a rectangular form measuring 80 feet wide by 150 feet long. The engineer's estimate for building the facility is $110,242, $88,520 less than if built at the Vogel Arena site.

The engineering department said the additional cost could be attributed to "extremely poor soil conditions" at the Vogel Arena site.

Council President Dan Beranek opposed the City Engineer's recommended date of Aug. 7 for the bid opening. "I'd be a lot more comfortable in holding off with bid opening on this project until we know what will happen with (the bid lettings on) the sales tax projects.

Councilor Joel Albrecht first objected to Beranek's request, saying it was important to get going on the project. He later agreed to Beranek's plan when he was assured that the project would be the first let next spring.

Beranek requested the survey on charitable gambling because of the number of locations throughout the city.

"I'd like to see what other cities are doing about it," he said. "My concerns include the number of locations, how they restrict it, how much money is going out, and what they're doing to regulate it."

"We know how much money is going out; that's on file at city hall," Albrecht said. However, he deferred to Beranek's wishes and voted for the survey.

In other action, the council:

* Re-established parking restrictions on the parking lot between the Marktplatz Mall and Cinema 3 Theatre at the request of Police Chief Howard Zins.

* Accepted the 2000 Police Department annual report which indicated a total of 321 major offenses, including one rape and no homicides or robberies, of which 102 were cleared for a rate of cleared by arrest of 31 percent. Lesser offenses totaled 1,232 with 56 percent, or 693, cleared by arrest.

* Approved a request by Mr. and Mrs. Dave Gulden and Mr. and Mrs. Brad Retzlaff for an asphalt overlay on the last 400 feet to the city limits on Cottonwood Street, providing the township concurs.

* Appointed Albrecht, City Manager Brian Gramentz and Fire Chief David Wolf to negotiate a new agreement with the New Ulm Rural Fire Association.

* Approved a lawful gambling license for New Ulm Area Catholic Schools to conduct raffles gambling at the Lamplighter Bar and Grill on Sept. 21.

* Passed a resolution naming Brian D. Gramentz City Manager effective June 4, 2001.

* Approved variances on three pieces of property including the National Guard building.

* Declared retired computer equipment assigned to the City Attorney's office surplus property and donated the equipment to Independent School District 88.