Residents interested in the seat submitted applications up until the end of October. Auchman was the only person applying.

 

Auchman, 59, is married (Peter) with no children. She says she has never sat on a council or town board before but is anxious to get her feet wet with her hometown government.

 

"To begin with, I plan to do everything I can to learn all there is to learn," she said. "I care about this city and I wouldn't do this if I wasn't interested in doing it long-term."

Auchman and her husband have been residents of Clear Lake since 2007.

 

 

Council held a truth in taxation public hearing in which Finance Officer Victoria Holthaus outlined the city's general fund projection, the levy increase, the estimated tax capacity and tax rate for 2014.

 

Holthaus said the general fund is in better shape and is getting healthier faster than she expected. Mayor Tim Goenner said by 2014, the city should be back in the black and by 2016, the city hall obligation will be over.

 

Holthaus said the tax levy is set at $321,991 with the tax rate dropping from 91% to 84.52% (down 6% from preliminary estimates) but up 10% from last year and up 62% since 2001 when the tax levy was at just $27,003. 

 

A couple of residents attended the meeting and expressed their concerns over the increased taxes for 2014. They questioned why their taxes keep going up while the value of their home decreases.

 

Member Dale Powers gave several reasons for the tax hike despite the valuations and said mostly it has to do with a "social aspect" of the economy and location. He continued to say because there are so many homes unoccupied and foreclosed upon, the value of other people's property diminishes due to the fact the demand is less but the city's obligations continue to grow. 

 

"Even though the value of the homes dips, the city still has to provide services for water and sewer and roads and those things cost money," he said. "That part of the equation hasn't changed while valuations can change up or down from year to year."

 

Holthaus said she's been working to pay down bonds and eliminate them quicker in order to bring the city to better health sooner and with as less an impact to the residents as possible.

 

 

A deputy from Sherburne County said his department received 28 calls for service in November with 10 being traffic calls, four being complaints, one being a trespass and one being an accident.

 

 

Powers, who sits on the Clear Lake Sewer Authority Board, said the committee was contacted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) about requiring the SA to put together a bio-solids plan for cleaning up the Mississippi River.

 

Powers also said he's working with the sewer authority on the issue of the City of Foley wanting to run a 20-mile pipeline that would carry municipal wastewater to a shared treatment facility. 

 

Foley currently has a pond system for wastewater treatment, which is licensed by the MPCA and the city has a problem with “inflow and infiltration”, with storm water and other sources adding to the flow to the treatment pond through cracks in existing sewer pipes and other sources.

 

 

Goenner said he is continuing to work with Rep. Jim Newberger on implementing a quiet zone for the BNSF train horns. He stated that working with the state and BNSF on this issue can be time-consuming and no timeline has been ordered to initiate the process.

 

 

Mayor Goenner contacted Al Stewart of Structural Buildings who may have some input on a recent proposal to install a mini-storage facility on the south side of town. Goenner said he had contacted the property owner of where the facility would be built, but neither the property owner nor Stewart were able to attend Tuesday's meeting.

Powers suggested that City Clerk Kari Mechtel contact Stewart and set up a meeting to further discuss the proposal despite the fact the city has an ordinance prohibiting such facilities in the city limits. Powers said it would be in the city's best interest to at least talk about the plans and opt to change the ordinance should the city decide to pursue the facility.

 

The next Clear Lake City Council meeting is Jan. 15 (changed from Jan. 6) at 7 p.m.