8.g administrators report
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: July 18, 2017
To: City Council
From: Neil Soltis, Administrator
Re: Administrator’s report
Comprehensive Planning – There have been approximately 400 surveys mailed back to the City.
Staff is in the process of entering the results.
Capital Improvement Committee – Last meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on
July 20. The Committee report will be presented to the Council at August work session in
conjunction with the budget discussion.
Wastewater Advisory Committee – the Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, July 19.
The major topics of discussion will be the 2018 and Capital budgets and funding for equipment
replacement and system upgrades in the future.
Website upgrade – The structure for the website has been transitioning from the previous to a
revised format throughout the month. The actual update to the appearance of the website is
scheduled to be loaded during week of July 17.
Subscription to solar community solar farm – US Solar has approached the City with a proposal
to subscribe to one of their solar farms. This will be on the agenda for discussion at the August
work session.
Community Building lighting – Under a publicly bid US Communities cooperating purchasing
contract, Graybar Electric has submitted a proposal to convert all of the interior and exterior
lighting at the Community Building and parking lot (skating rink and warming house excluded)
to LED lighting. The installed cost after rebates is $28,216 with an estimated annual savings of
$3,240. This project will be presented to the Capital Improvement Committee or can be
discussed for 2017 implementation by the Council. If the Council wished to proceed in 2017, I
would recommend that the funding come from the Capital Improvement Fund which would
then be repaid by the General Fund using the cost savings.
Code Enforcement – Deputy Yetter and I continue to follow-up and track a number of
complaints regarding the development code. Based on an inspection by the MN DNR,
Minnesota BWSR, Washington Conservation District and Watershed District, A restoration
order is forthcoming for fill that was placed in a wetland in the Bliss addition.
Labor negotiations – The first meeting with Local 49 on the labor agreement with the Punblic
Works staff is scheduled for Thursday, June 27. Local 49 is working with the Lions to bring their
training trailer, with equipment simulators, to Taco Daze.
Lake Keewahtin - On June 5, 2017 the MNDNR commissioner approved the name change of
Halfbreed Lake to Lake Keewahtin in Washington County. The county returned the recorded
documents last week.
Washington County County CDA – The Washington County CDA Board approved an 18-month
contract with MCCD to begin operating the Open to Business Program in Washington
County. Beginning in July the CDA will be able to directly assist entrepreneurs and small
businesses with technical assistance and subordinated financing to start up or expand an
existing business here in Washington County. Some basic information follows this report.
Additional information on the program can be found at:
http://www.mccdmn.org/programs/open-to-business/. The CDA staff is also proposing to add
funds to their 2018 budget for funds to provide pre-development assistance on projects.
Broadband & Cable – Frontier is continuing to install new equipment as a part of the upgrade
to the 433 exchange using the funds that they received through a Connect America grant.