Having now entered the month of March and following the largest amount of snowfall since the winter of 1997, discussion at the Clarkfield City Council meeting naturally turned to dealing with what could possible be a difficult spring thaw.
In his monthly report, Public Works Director Jeff Lobdell discussed preparations being made in anticipation of high flows into the city’s sanitary sewer system.
Lobdell stated that the Public Works Department had already begun servicing and testing all of the city’s portable pumps and is ordering additional and replacement discharge hoses to be sure any water that may need to be pumped can be carried a sufficient distance.
Lobdell also said that the Public Works Department would be hand delivering sump pump awareness information to Clarkfield residents on meter read day March 15. The city will also use the lighted sign in front of City Hall to further remind people about sump pump usage.
Other news
The council would reschedule their public hearing concerning wastewater infrastructure, which had previously been scheduled for the March 2 meeting, to April 20 at 6:30 p.m. Present at the meeting will be an engineer from McCombs, Frank, Roos Associates (MFRA). The council recently approved a contract with MFRA to complete a feasibility report on a number of water and wastewater infrastructure projects that the city is looking at including in a refinanced bond this year.
Also scheduled by the council would be the date for the Yellow Medicine County Board of Appeals and Equalization hearing now set for April 6 and to begin at 6:30 p.m. At the hearing, property owners have a chance to dispute the valuation and assesment of their property which is used to calculate real estate taxes.
The council would also give the go ahead for City Administrator Kathy Kittelson to pursue an opportunity to secure a caretaker for the Economic Development Authority (EDA) Apartments through Experience Works.
Experience Works is a national, charitable, community based organization that helps older adults find jobs in their communities. If a caretaker is secured for the EDA apartments, Experience Works will pay the $7.25/hour wage over the average of 18 hours a week for the length of one year. After that span the city can, if they choose, retain the employee.
