City Council examines budget, projects

by Bridget Cooke
Editor

In their Monday evening meeting, the Osseo City Council discussed a few items, including an initial review of the budget as well as the annexing of certain areas.

The annexation of pieces of the city limits for law enforcement to retain priority responsibility for was at the request of the city attorney, who spoke with Police Chief Timothy Wilson about turning over the area to state patrol while still assisting with accidents. It was also noted that the exclusion of certain areas would "help clean up" the city limits. The coverage areas are along I-94 as well as a small piece of highway 10.

Public Works Director Jim Deich said in his capacity, he would go along with law enforcement action due to a lack of being affected by the change.

The board approved a motion for the annexation of the areas.

Wilson shared his police report for October in which calls were the lowest they had yet been in 2014. Calls included eight theft cases, 23 traffic stops, eight K-9 calls and one count each of sexual abuse of a child and sexual assault of a child.

There were also three arrests made for outstanding warrants and three open doors; the Osseo-Fairchild school, Osseo Plastics and Popple Inc.

Only one request was put in for an operator's license and was emphatically denied with the note of a possibility of appeal.

With an expenditure restraint of 2.4, the city reviewed the updates needed for the 2015 budgets to operate as necessary. The city must meet the tax levy limit, which had increased slightly by 1.285 percent. In a positive note, the council recognized the city's mill rate had only increased by a penny from the prior year, though with other factors in play, they are set above the spending by just over $4,800.

Deich also shared his plans outlining the hiring of a new street department employee following a recent resignation, which weighed in as a factor of conversation. The council took a roll call vote to speak further on the matter, citing the topic personnel pay as a piece of the budget to be settled in order to remain within spending limits.

In his Public Works report, Deich went over work done to improve 2nd Street, noting the need for paving, which may no longer be an option this year given the weather. He also briefly explained changes made to water and sewer main crossings which included removal and addition of certain pieces to improve function.

Other items addressed:

  • Approval of three invoices paid to Cedar Corporation for industrial park design & surveying totaling $3,524.38

  • Approval to pay Ayres Associates invoice for city map service $841.23

  • Gains reported of nearly $30,000 for logging pines in east Industrial Park along I-94

  • Approval to pay Schaumberg Law Firm statement totaling $918.75

 

In September 2013, Cooke was hired as the editor of both the Augusta Area Times and the Tri-County News. She can be reached via ateditor@media-md.net or (715) 597-3313. Follow us on Twitter or check out our Facebook page for more updates!

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