The Becker City Council met Tuesday to discuss utility carts, heating at WWTF, current legislation support, land purchase and a public hearing on the tax abatement request from Google (see separate story on this item elsewhere in the Citizen-Tribune).

 

 

City Administrator Greg Pruszinske said the city has been collaborating with Sen. Andrew Mathews and Rep. Shane Mekeland to pursue state funding for infrastructure for the Becker Business Park. The bills — Senate File 1495 and House File 1452 — were recently introduced at the Capital. 

 

He asked council to approve four resolutions to show support of the bills.

 

In partnership with the Coalition of Utility Cities, the following bills were introduced:  

 

• HF 1919/SF1888: Utilizes the renewable development account to assist in the funding of activities that promote community sustainability during energy transition through a grant process; 

 

• HF 424/SF1708: Bill would require the state to pay for overvaluing of state assessed property;  

 

• HF 1856/SF 1901: The bill would require the Commissioner of Revenue to set preliminary and corrected values of state assessed property sooner and to provide an explanation of value changes if there is a  valuation settlement. 

 

Pruszinske said with the city transitioning away from a coal-based economy and tax  base, the city's strategy is to attract new jobs and capital investment  to develop an expanded business park. Pruszinske estimates the necessary infrastructure to support the expanded business park will cost over $20,000,000.

 

 

Pruszinske  said the City of Becker has been conducting a water exploration report in pursuits of additional well and water capacity over the last several years. He says city staff has identified two parcels (05-128-4100 and 05-127-3105) that have potential for  multiple municipal wells. 

 

The location of the property is identified as being at the intersection of Co. Rd. 11 and Co. Rd. 24.

 

Pruszinske said staff is recommending executing a purchase agreement, so the city can further investigate the potential of locating a well on the site and ultimately purchase the property if the site is suitable for a municipal well.

 

 

Public Works Manager Chris Lisson asked council to approve the purchase of two Mahindra 750 utility carts. The purchase would include the trading-in of a Fastcat utility vehicle.

 

Lisson says these utility carts will be used by public works summer help and fulltime employees for work done out in the field. 

 

The work would encompass weed whipping, weed spraying, picking debris up on road right of ways and parks, picking up brush, cleaning up catch basins and any other miscellaneous duties. 

 

Lisson says these utility carts will be deemed more cost effective than utilizing trucks. He says $25,000 was set aside in the 2019 Public Works CIP for the replacement of the Fastcat utility vehicle. 

 

M & M Express Sales in Big Lake provided the most prudent bid and Lisson says these Mahindra utility carts are present on the state bid at $12,349 per cart. With accessories — such as windshields, strobe lights, and a few small accessories — the total would be approximately $24,017. This price includes the $3,500 in trade-in value for the Fastcat utility vehicle. 

 

 

Lisson said the MAU units that were installed on the domestic and industrial headworks buildings when they were built have a design heat rise capability of 82 degrees F. In operation, the units have proven to be able to create a heat rise of 52 degrees F. That means when it is 20 degrees below zero, these units can only  heat the buildings to 32 degree F. 

 

Lisson says due to this, staff struggle to keep pipes and machines from being  damaged by freezing temperature inside the buildings. 

 

In addition, he says, these units heat continuously during severe cold which leads to greater frequency of failure and increased repair/maintenance costs. In the 2018-2019 heating season, staff have spent $9321.70 on the two MAU units that currently heat the domestic and industrial headworks buildings. 

 

Lisson says staff have researched heating options to help solve this problem and the best solution was determined to be infrared (radiant) heating installed and used as the main source of heat and the existing MAU units then acting as a back-up heat source during severe cold.

 

Lisson received quotes for the equipment installation and electrical work and suggests the city go with Egan Companies out of Brooklyn Park and Hubbard Electric of Becker. The project is quoted for $81,557.70 — and not to exceed the budgeted amount of $106,000. Lisson says the 2019 Domestic WWTF CIP has $70,000 and the 2019 Industrial WWTF CIP has $46,000 budgeted for this s heating project. 

 

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is April2 at 6 p.m.