As per the motion to declare a city emergency made at the last meeting, the Becker city council met virtually over a Zoom call. This was the final meeting for the year of 2020.

City Fee Schedule Public Hearing

The council held a public hearing to determine the fee schedule. Some changes made included the termination of commercial compost cards (in order to avoid the spread of invasive species and to keep the amount of material down); an increase in the water and sewer installation inspection fee; a new home construction fee (which was split before between a building permit and the utilities bill, but will now be charged only to the building permit, to avoid confusion); and utility rates were increased by two percent. 

No one from the public spoke at the hearing.

Revolving Capital Insurance Fund

The budget and finance committee for the city asked the council to approve the dollar amount to be kept in the Revolving Capital Insurance Fund account. This account covers insurance deductibles and covers costs until receipt of an insurance reimbursement. The committee recommended that one million dollars be kept in this account at all times. This is similar to an emergency fund, and will keep the city from going into debt in the event of the unforeseen.

Snuffy’s Landing Trail

The city is continuing to pursue a grant opportunity to create a trail along Co. Rd. 53 leading to Snuffy’s Landing. As part of the grant application process, the council was asked to show support for maintaining the trail. 

The council was uncertain about whether they wanted the trail at all. The trail as it is proposed seems to go nowhere. Phil Knutson from the public services department assured the council that it was in the best interest to continue on with the grant application. If the grant is approved, the council can decide at that time whether or not to go ahead with the project. In other words, there is nothing to lose.

Mayor Tracy Betram mused on possibly having the county or the township become involved with the project.

The reason the city is planning a “trail to nowhere” (in the mayor’s words) is as a part of a larger planned trail system. Knutson said they had to start this proposed trail system somewhere, so while the Snuffy’s Landing trail seems oddly placed, there is a larger end goal in mind, which has been years in the making. 

The trail would likely be implemented in 2024. Council will know by sometime next year whether they have been awarded the grant.

Cedar Creek Agreement

The city is looking to enter into a contract with Cedar Creek Energy Solar Power Agreement. This agreement would have the city use less energy from Xcel. Xcel has no issues with the proposal themselves. The use of the solar power array would save the city about $400,000 over the next 25 years, though this is a conservative estimate. The city may also be able to purchase the panels at the end of the agreement, in which case they would only have to pay a small amount to maintain the panels, and get the energy very cheaply for a possible 10-15 more years.

Suspension of Signage Rules

There will be a continued suspension of rules regarding temporary signage, which was set to expire at the end of the month. This is due to the COVID-19 situation. The council also voted to continue to allow alcohol consumption on patio areas, though it’s not likely many people will take advantage of this from now until March, when the extension ends.