03. January 13, 2025, Meeting Minutes
January 13, 2025
The meeting was conducted in person at the Scandia Community Center on the above date.
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 by City Administrator Kyle Morell. Committee
members Dan Cartier, Jeff Dahlberg, Jim Gribble, Peter Nora, Councilmember Jerry Cusick
and Mayor Steve Kronmiller were in attendance. Perry Rynders was absent. City
Administrator Kyle Morell, Public Works Director Charles Fischer and City Treasurer
Colleen Firkus were also present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Carier, seconded by Gribble, made a motion to approve the agenda. The motion passed 3 – 0.
APPROVE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 18, 2024
Nora, seconded by Cartier, motioned to approve the minutes from the November 18, 2024,
meeting. The motion passed 3 – 0.
DRAFT PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET – REVIEW OF PUBLIC PRESENTATION
MEETING
Gribble and Dahlberg took a few calls from attendees of the meeting as people did not seem
to understand on the Bliss system works and suggested educational mailers.
Administrator Morell showed the committee a spreadsheet showing the budgets going back
to 2016. Fischer presented a list of infrastructure upgrades going back to 2014 to 2022 for
Bliss, and 2015 to 2024 for Anderson-Erickson. A capital expenditures spreadsheet prepared
by the city engineer from 2022 shows significant needs and the question is how to pay for
these expenditures. The list will be updated this spring. Gribble questioned if the city is
charging a reasonable fee for new structures to use the system. Current connection fee is
$10,000 since 2023. Morell suggested that until the city gets a handle on how and when
future infrastructure will be paid for, that we don’t make any changes to the user fees by
adding services fees. Another public meeting will be held next month to update the users
about the 2025 fee structure and provide additional information. To meet expenses in 2025,
the Bliss user fee is estimated to increase 10.7% to $1,708, and the A-E user increase 7% to
$1,297. Gribble moved to table the seasonal rate discussion until the 2026 budget. The
motion failed due to lack of a second. Cartier, seconded by Dahlberg, recommended the
city stay with a reduced seasonal rate of $750 and move the 2025 budget forward
without service fees. Motion carried 3 – 0.
FUTURE ITEMS
Another informational meeting of sewer users will be scheduled for February.
Carter, seconded by Dahlberg, moved to adjourn. The meeting adjourned 7:35 at p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Colleen Firkus, City Treasurer