Jean Johnson, the chair of the Farm Friends Project, which has a goal of teaching kids about agriculture, gave a presentation to the Becker City Council last Tuesday as a guest speaker.

Johnson said 2020 was a productive year, as they worked on restoring an old barn just outside the city. Johnson and her team of volunteers used reclaimed pieces from other barns in the area to do the project, and she hopes that this summer the group will be able to start offering classes. 

Johnson was also happy to report that all the work had been done through donations, and that the group is committed to not taking out any loans. Currently, the group is raising funds to restore the milk house.

There is a possibility to hold events in the barn next fall and winter, such as a Santa visit, a Halloween event, and possibly a square dance.

“There have been some people out there maybe using this as a photo opportunity,” Johnson said with an accusatory glance at board member Becky Olmscheid. “Which is perfectly fine, Becky, but I have not seen the photos yet!” 

The board members laughed and confessed they were all excited to see the project coming together.

Sherburne County Attorney’s Report

Kathleen Heaney, Sherburne County Attorney, gave her annual presentation to the board members.  She went over the numbers for misdemeanors, felonies, and other crimes handled by the Sherburne County Attorney’s Office, totaling 456 cases coming from Becker in 2020. In the last year, the number of cases filed went up by 14%.

Currently, Heaney’s office is working through backlog after COVID-19 related shutdowns. Currently, business is being handled via Zoom, but the process is much slower than it normally would be, when handled in-person. 

Heaney finished her presentation by stating how much she enjoyed working with the City of Becker and the Becker Police, and that she is glad Chief Brent Baolun decided to stay in Becker.

Committee Reports

The board members went on to give their committee reports for the month.

Rick Hendrickson said the budget committee went over the audit for the golf course, finding no discrepancies. The Becker Community Center was hit fairly hard last year, but they continue to do their best to shore up numbers now that restrictions are lifting.

Robin Dingmann reported that the Parks and Rec Committee reviewed the 2020 projects, including the Carl E. Johnson playground, the dog park, and new signage. The committee proceeded then to look ahead to 2021 projects, including a new basketball court, pickleball court, and splash pad. The Senior Center project is progressing, though slowly for now. Finally, Dingmann noted that the warming house at Kolbinger Park was open and skate rentals were available.

Becky Olmscheid, on the Fire Board, stated that the BFD received 509 calls in total for 2020, and there would be a new fire truck arriving in just a few weeks.

Hendrickson reported that the planning commission had been discussing zoning amendments regarding building heights. They also were discussing where the city should allow a “race track” to be placed, so that language could be set in the code in case of that eventuality. 

Mike Doering said the Golf Committee reported that the Pebble Creek restaurant had been closed for 135 days in 2020 due to COVID-19, causing a loss of nearly $250,000. Currently, the Golf Committee is working on pond restoration, deck expansion, and expanding the clubhouse for the new golf simulators.

Consent Agenda

With no more regular business, the board went on to approve the consent agenda, including accepting a donation from the Lions Club for the Snuffy’s Landing project, approving the hiring and termination report, and entering into an agreement with Shoes for Crews, which provides footwear to city workers.