During their meeting Monday night, the Clear Lake City Council discussed zoning issues for CMP Attachments, a company looking to start a manufacturing business in an old warehouse on State Street. 

 

CMP Attachments owner Derek Kent explained the building is larger than they currently need, and the only way the company will be able to afford the taxes is to keep the property zoned agricultural and be granted a conditional use permit (CUP) until they have grown. Hartkopf Farms will use the part of the building they don’t need for farm storage.

 

“I want to pay my fair share of taxes. We just need some help in the beginning,” said Kent. “I can just about guarantee we’ll be one of the biggest companies in Clear Lake in the near future.”

 

Council Member Dale Powers said the city’s agricultural ordinance currently states no interim use, however they could reword it so there would be flexibility not only for CMP Attachments but also for future usage. 

 

Kent explained they would be closing on the property mid-July. They’ve grown rapidly in the past two years, and hope to grow into the entire building within the next three years.

 

The council discussed creating an ordinance amending the agricultural section of their zoning ordinance in order to work with Kent, and set a public hearing for 6 p.m. on June 27 to review.

 

Jennifer Dierkes from McDonald’s Meats informed the council that after more research on their new expansion they discovered there would be no cost savings to having the sewer line under their building, so they’re back to their original suggestion, which is to reroute.

 

After a brief discussion the council approved the new plan, and Dierkes informed them she would have a better timeline of construction soon.

 

Keith Yapp from Stantec informed the council that although the latest test well was producing extremely well, it tested very high for iron. 

 

A discussion was held on whether to try a third test well near Clearview or look into treating the iron. Another test well would cost around $10,000, however if the well currently at the school hasn’t been sealed it could be used instead and costs would go down. Grant money was used for the first two test wells; the city would need to pay for a third one.

 

“We can get lots of water. It’s whether we can get water we don’t have to treat,” said Yapp. “You have to look at risk-reward. It’s the cost of a third well versus the cost of treatment.”

 

A decision was made to try one more test well. If the one at Clearview is sealed one will be drilled next to it.

 

Rep. Jim Newberger attended the meeting to update the council on the latest state session, saying it was very productive.

 

He said the tax package was passed with massive tax relief, which is the biggest in two decades. It helps working families, farmers and veterans, and includes a property tax exemption on the first $100,000 of property value for businesses. 

 

He informed the council the transportation bill was the biggest package in over a decade, and was created without raising taxes. It includes two billion over the next two years and another five billion over the next five years. 

 

Newberger explained three big things were done in healthcare, including premium relief, a deal to take steps to open up the system to free market, and reinsurance to help insurance companies from risk, as many healthy people have been opting to pay a fee for no insurance rather than pay expensive monthly premiums, leaving insurance companies without funds.

 

“I know a lot of people were struggling with health care,” he said. “MNsure was a big disappointment at best.”

 

Newberger also spoke about the new gas power plant coming to Becker in 2023, the retainment of railway emergency response teams and the sewer project that was finally approved for Clearwater and Clear Lake.

 

The council approved $23,648 for the fire department to purchase extrication equipment.

 

Resolution 17-08, MN Department of Transportation contract was approved.

 

The council approved the liquor license for the Brickyard Bar & Grill; Mayor Tim Goenner abstained from the vote.

 

A motion passed approving $2,400 to pave the city’s salt shed. 

 

The sheriff reported 25 traffic, two medical and two accidents for the month of May.

 

The next Clear Lake City Council meeting will be June 27 at 7 p.m.