Council

approves

'03 budget

Concerns about cuts in local aid remain

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The City Council adopted a $12.6 million budget for 2003 Tuesday night while deferring action on two consulting contracts totaling $19,950 because of concerns about possible cuts in local government aid.

The record budget, $12,675,175, will be funded in part by a net property tax levy totaling $3,667,261.

The consulting engineering contracts would have hired Bolton and Menk, Inc., Sleepy Eye, to "investigate, recommend repair options and prepare plans and specifications" for repairing the hard-surface hockey rink in Harman Park at a cost of $10,650 and prepare plans and specifications for proposed expansion of the trap range costing $9,300.

"In light of the budget situation, I'd like to hold off on this," Council President Dan Beranek told the council. The council unanimously voted to defer both contracts.

"That doesn't mean we won't be doing it," Beranek told City Engineer Steve Koehler. "We just want to wait until we have a better picture of what will happen."

Hermann restoration

The council did, however, approve a contract with sculptor David Hyduke of St. Peter and metalsmith Arnie Lillo of Good Thunder to inspect the Hermann statue and recommend refurbishing steps.

Included were contracts with Schaefer Crane Service of New Ulm and Heymann Construction to lift the statue off its pedestal and lower it the ground where it will stand on a temporary base built by Heymann Construction.

Hyduke and Lillo are to be paid $75 an hour for their work, which is estimated to take three weeks and cost $18,000. Schaefer had the low bid of $12,000 for removing the statue; Heymann bid $3,040 to build the base, and the New Ulm Utilities Department's electrical division will dig the foundation holes at a cost of $800.

The money will come from the Hermann statue restoration fund which has a balance of about $140,000 in it, City Clerk-Treasurer Gary Gleisner told councilors.

Third Ward councilor

During a late afternoon meeting, the council interviewed the three candidates to fill out the remaining portion of Councilor Joel Albrecht's term from the Third Ward. Albrecht will become mayor at the beginning of 2003.

Interviewed were Renee Retzlaff, Larry Wall and Sharon Weinkauf. The council will meet again Friday to select the new councilor.

St. Mary's

The ordinance repealing the historic designation of St. Mary's Catholic Church school and convent was given its first reading. The ordinance will be up for final approval in January.

TIF districts

The council approved the "de-certification" of two Tax Increment Financing districts. Having fulfilled all obligations, District ED-5, Holm Industries, Inc., and District ED-6, New Ulm Steel & Recycling, will end Dec. 31, 2002. ED-6 is ending one year sooner than expected, Gleisner said.

In other business, the council approved change order No. 5 to the sales tax referendum projects for a net add of $19,744, and it approved the purchase of 3.47 acres from Sunset Properties for extending North Highland Avenue from U.S. Highway 14 to County State Aid Highway 29.