Council Minutes, May 3, 2021

Posted: May 3, 2021

City of LeRoy MN – Council Meeting Minutes, May 3, 2021

A regular meeting of the LeRoy City Council was called to order by Mayor Ed Koppen on Monday, May 3, 2021, at 6:30 PM at the LeRoy Community Center with the following members present:  Mayor Ed Koppen, Council Members Ashley Huntley, Harold Shipman, Daisie Fox, Gerald Payne, Maintenance Employee John Jones, and City Clerk Patty White.
Also attending: Axel Gumbel, Brian Thiel, Cassidy Milks, and Deputy Sawyer Weiss.  All stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consent Agenda:

  • The council reviewed the items included in the consent agenda. Motion by Shipman, second by Payne to approve the consent agenda.  Motion carried 5-0.

Police Report:

  • Deputy Weiss handed out the written police report. He reviewed the wide range of calls throughout the month.
  • Dog bites were discussed. Deputy Weiss noted that Mower County handles the paperwork for dog bites, since the city contracts with Mower County for police protection.
  • Council thanked Deputy Weiss for his report and service.

Public Input Time:

  • Axel Gumbel questioned when the Lowell Street project will begin. Jones reported he had been told Heartland Asphalt should be here by the middle of May to do this project.  Jones noted he did fill in some of the potholes on this street with crushed rock to help minimize the holes before the project begins.

Standing Committee Reports:

  • Payne reported the EDA had suggested either June 7 or June 14 for the joint city council/EDA meeting. Payne reported Wildwood Grove has a budget prepared.  He will stress the need for a WWG budget for 2022 by November or December of 2021 to the WWG administrator.  Koppen questioned if the profit/loss for WWG is being done on a cash or accrual basis.  Payne noted the profit/loss is done on a cash basis.  White noted she thought this is done on an accrual basis.  Payne noted the profit/loss is showing a profit of $30,000 through April.  Payne noted WWG is looking really good in the financial picture of the facility.
  • Axel Gumbel reported that commuter service for LeRoy City Lines has terminated; the charter side will terminate as of 06/30/21. The council commended Gumbel for his thank you that was published in the Mower County Independent pertaining to LeRoy City Lines.
  • Koppen noted housing, or a lack thereof, could become an issue. He noted there are currently no houses for sale here in LeRoy.
  • Koppen reported he had a conversation with Megan Houdek of Smith Schafer; she reviewed the 2019 audit with him. Koppen questioned about the handling of funds at WWG.  He also questioned about the city bond and who the bond covers.  Koppen also questioned if the financial matters of WWG should be kept at WWG or if they should be moved to city hall.  Payne noted the EDA board receives the bills payable for WWG for review along with the account balances for review.  Koppen noted the joint meeting is not being called for a crisis situation; he felt the need to portray to the city residents how things are going at WWG.  Motion by Huntley to set the joint city council/EDA meeting for June 21, 2021, at 5:30 PM.

State Highway 56 Project:

  • Council was updated on the need to call for a public hearing for this project. Motion by Payne to set this public hearing for June 21, 2021, at 6:30 PM.  Second by Huntley.  Motion carried 5-0.

Summer Fest 2021:

  • Koppen reported Summer Fest will be held and is scheduled for July 16, 17, and 18, 2021. An ad-hoc committee has met and has begun planning for the festivities.

Land Use Permits:

  • Council reviewed one land use permit.
  1. E ½ Lot 8 & 40’ x 82.5’ RR Rtwy on S & W 30’ Lot 7 & 40’ x 30’ Rtwy on S, Lewis Addition, 433 W Main, Sue Speer-pour concrete patio
  • Motion by Shipman, second by Payne to approve said permit. Motion carried 5-0.

Communications File:

  • There was nothing in the communications file for council review.

LSS Firehouse Sanitary Sewer Service Line:

  • Jones noted this sewer service line has been videotaped by a plumber. Lutheran Social Services plans on fixing this service line during the Highway 56 project.

Update on Community Center Floor:

  • White reported she had contacted a representative from Swedebro Epoxy Flooring. This representative recommended having moisture testing done prior to doing anything with the floor.  White then contacted a representative from Braun Intertec for information on moisture testing.  She is waiting for information from Braun Intertec for guidance and direction.
  • White read an email from Pickar-Oulman Plumbing & Heating about the ductwork in the lower meeting room. Pickar was at the community center to fix some ductwork that has already been paid for as part of the iWave installation.  Pickar noted the ductwork that had been installed is undersized.  That is causing the duct work to sweat.  They could replace all the ductwork with larger ductwork, or they could insulate the ductwork.  This would cost roughly $1,300 to do the insulation.  Council consensus to have Pickar-Oulman insulate the ductwork for their quote of $1,300.

Service Award Recognition:

  • Fox read an anonymous nomination for Dianne Ahrens which stated, in part, “Dianne is everywhere you need her to be in the City of LeRoy and continuously shares her time, talent, and treasure with many organizations.” Fox read another anonymous nomination for the staff at Wildwood Grove for all the hard work this past year doing an excellent job keeping COVID out of Wildwood.  Fox read another anonymous nomination that recognized Axel Gumbel for maintaining the City’s Facebook page.  Fox read another anonymous nomination that recognized the staff at Lutheran Social Services for organizing the Easter Egg Drop which included stuffing and distributing approximately 7,000 plastic eggs to kids on Easter weekend.  The council commended all these folks for all they do for LeRoy and the surrounding area.

Nuisance Properties:

  • Council was reminded the City-Wide Cleanup will be held this Saturday, May 8, from 8:00 AM until 10:00 AM.

Fox noted she would like to have the North Speed Limit Sign and Chromebooks added to the ongoing items on each council agenda.

Being no further business to come before the council, the meeting was adjourned on a motion by Payne, second by Shipman at 7:37 PM.

– Ed Koppen, Mayor

– Patty A. White, City Clerk-Treasurer

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