Two public hearings, an update on the trails and the canvassing of the election were all a part of Tuesday’s Becker City Council meeting that lasted merely 24 minutes.

 

City Clerk Julie Blesi brought forth a resolution canvassing the returns and declaring the results of last week’s mayoral and council election.

 

Blesi said there were 2,554 pre-registered voters ready to vote at 7 a.m. on election day. Another 285 voters registered that day. 

 

A total of 2,105 people voted on election day with an additional 266 voting by absentee resulting in a turnout of 83.52 percent. 

 

The results of the election were as follows: Mayoral candidates: Jerome G. "Lefty" Kleis - 1,048 votes; Tracy Bertram -1,226 votes and 14 write-ins.

 

City Council candidates: Michael J. Doering -1,258 votes, Dennis J Rzeszotarski - 880 votes and Todd W. Hanrahan -1,064 votes; 10 were write-ins.

 

Bertram, Doering and Hanrahan will take the oath of office at the first city council meeting in January.

 

Assistant Finance Director, Connie Robinson, brought forth two resolutions in regards to unpaid utilities and grass mowing charges.

 

Mayor Lefty Kleis opened the public hearings, but nobody from the audience approached to speak on the subject.

 

Robinson said staff mailed out notices to properties with a delinquent utility balance for a total amount of $18,853.72.

 

Property owners were given until Nov. 15 to bring their accounts current. As of Tuesday, 81 of the 118 accounts remained outstanding.

 

For unpaid weed charges, the city also prepared a list for certification of grass mowing charges (weeds). Upon completion of the mowing these properties were billed and those bills that remained outstanding were sent an assessment notification letter in October. 

 

To date, the city has a proposed assessment roll of two properties totaling $150.

 

After closing the public hearings, council voted to approve the resolutions to assess the property owners for the unpaid charges.

 

Jamie Cassidy told council his staff is making progress on the Hwy. 24 Trail Project. Staff is continuing to work closely with the county to ensure that Becker’s trail project will move forward as scheduled to coincide with county road improvements. 

 

Cassidy said SEH surveyors have been working these past weeks to collect the topographic survey information and they're nearly complete. At some point, Cassidy said, he’d also likely want to solicit a proposal for geotechnical services (soil borings) along the trail corridor.

 

Cassidy presented to council a preliminary design, project memorandum and project management from SEH in the amount of $52,911. The trail will run from Rolling Ridge Rd. past the new bridge on Hwy. 24 all the way to the east to the stop sign at 117th Street.

 

Cassidy reminded council the city has been approved for a grant of $175,000 from MNDOT as part of their Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

 

The project has been budgeted at $1.1 million in 2017.

 

Mayor Kleis announced that Becker Police Officer Chris Lindbloom was named October’s safety award winner.

 

Lindbloom recently undertook a project replacing all the lighting in the police department with more efficient and brighter LED lights. Not only does this provide a cost savings, but brighter environment to work in. 

 

Lindbloom is also an exemplary employee working diligently to assist in the training of officers in all facets of officer safety and tactics, as well as ensuring all AED's are properly functioning. This is all completed without asking to ensure a safe environment for employees working within the police department and while working out on the street.

 

The next city council meeting is Dec. 6 at 6 p.m.