Resident Bud Stimmler said he has concerns the city has not made contact with Sherburne County yet in regards to the plowing on 80th Avenue.  Mayor Tim Goenner told Stimmler he has left three messages for County Commissioner Felix Schiemsing and has not heard back from him.  Goenner said he will contact Public Works Supervisor John Mentor  as soon as he can to set up a meeting to further discuss options for 80th Avenue.

 

Mayor Goenner said he heard from residents having issues removing snow from sidewalks.  City resident Tom Boelz was at Monday’s meeting and said he is frustrated with the amount of snow the state pushes onto the sidewalks in front of his residence.  The snow is mixed with ice and hardens so quickly which makes it impossible to remove, he says.  

 

Boelz suggested council  not enforce snow removal on sidewalks for residents in areas not being used.  Clerk Kari Mechtel said the city has had a hard time enforcing this rule because Clear Lake has no equipment to remove snow from sidewalks.  

 

Much discussion took place and a motion was made by Dale Powers to suspend enforcement of snow removal on sidewalks 833-ft. on the north side of the city limits until May 1. All members concurred. Clerk Mechtel was directed to send letters to residents in Parkside Development regarding snow removal on sidewalks.

 

City resident Ron Junemann asked who is responsible for removing the snow in the crossing by the railroad tracks and Clerk Mechtel said she will send BNSF a letter.

 

 

Last month, the city received a proposal from Unison, proposing to purchase the lease between the city and Sprint Wireless.  After much discussion and review of their proposal, council disclosed the city is not interested at this time to accept Unison’s proposal.

 

The city received a $50 donation from EBI to be put towards the EAB tree program.

 

 

Sherburne County Attorney Kathleen Heaney presented to council the county-wide felony case statistics.  Heaney also provided council with information regarding the change the county has been seeing in juvenile mental health issues.  Heaney said the county is seeing an increase in juveniles using prescription drugs and committing suicide.   

 

Heaney also reminded those in attendance that Sherburne County has a prescription drug drop off site at the sheriff’s office that can be used to dispose of medications.

 

 

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott provided council with his 2013 annual report.  

 

Brott said there were 388 contacts made in the City of Clear Lake.  

 

Powers asked Brott if MnDOT placed a “no turn on red” sign at Hwy. 10 and 24 and would the Sherburne County Sherriff’s Dept. enforce traffic violations?

 

Brott said by state statute they would be required to enforce any traffic violations.  Brott advised  council he would have no problem working with the city and the state on any issues with the placement of a “no turn on red” sign.

 

 

Gary and Paul Gray told council  they are hoping to split 15.36 acres they own within city limits into smaller lots.  One lot, the Grays said, would be 10 acres in which they are hoping to sell with four acres remaining to be farmed and one acre donated to the cemetery.   After discussion, council did not see any problems with the Grays splitting up this parcel and they were instructed to work with Clerk Mechtel to move forward with the project.

 

 

Clear Lake Fire Chief Ron Koren suggested the city sends out letters to residents, letting them know that if they have a fire hydrant located on their property, it is their responsibility to clear any snow away from it.   Clerk Mechtel said she just put a reminder on the most recent water and sewer bills about the clearing snow away from hydrants.

 

The next Clear Lake City Council meeting is March 3 at 7 p.m.