By Bill Morgan, Staff Writer

 

Tuesday’s Becker City Council had very few  agenda items and the meeting concluded in 27 minutes. Most of the discussion centered around two visitors during open forum.

 

 

Roger Bigalke kicked off the segment of open forum by updating council on the progress of the veteran’s memorial project slated to be constructed on city hall property.

 

Bigalke said an attorney from Princeton was retained to work on creating a 501C non-profit organization. Bigalke said the attorney was doing the work pro bono and the designation as a non-profit was necessary in order to open a bank account and start fielding donations to help pay for the memorial.

 

Bigalke said his team has been working with contractors to secure dirt work, cement and labor for the project and he is still looking for a four foot by six foot granite slab for the monument. He plans to talk to a few people also about procuring three flag poles.

 

“We are trying to keep the project as inexpensive as possible,” Bigalke said.

 

Bigalke and his team also plans to hold a fundraiser once the 501c process is complete.

 

City resident Dennis Rzeszotarski again chastised council and the CA  (like he did at the last meeting)  in regards to the reorganization and general operation of the city and read aloud some statements he received from friends of his who overheard some bad talk from one of the council members.

 

Rzeszotarski singled out Todd Hanrahan by saying Dennis had a friend who was at the golf course and overheard Hanrahan griping about the last meeting and the people involved. Rzeszotarski used the film quote by Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in regards to the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, saying “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant.” Rzeszotarski said that by council’s actions, they too have awoken a sleeping giant in their citizens.

 

“With elections coming up this fall, two of your seats will be gone and replaced by new people,” he said. “Social media will be your downfall.”

 

Due to policy in regards to open forum, council did not act or respond to any comments during or after the session.

 

 

Mayor Tracy Bertram gave a report on personnel and public works and the recent meetings that were held. Hanrahan gave a report on the fire board and Lori Keller on parks & rec.

 

Rick Hendrickson talked extensively about the CUC (Coalition of Utility Cities) annual meeting he attended recently.

 

The CUC met June 8 and they discussed the importance of the upcoming elections as the new administration would set the appointments for the state, including any new members on the Public Utilities Commission.  

 

Hendrickson said they heard the treasurers report; that there were excess funds which would be rolled into the new budget.  He said the officers were elected and would remain the same from the previous year.

 

Hendrickson said the CUC members discussed the policy positions for 2018-2019.  The coalition would be participating in the Xcel IRP, which would be presented to the PUC in 2019.  He also said there would be several stakeholder meetings leading up to the presentation of the IRP.  The first one would take place next month with one per month through October.   The level of participation in the IRP was yet to be determined.

 

 

CA Greg Pruszinske presented the consent agenda which included the hiring and termination reports for Pebble Creek and the streets department,  2018 liquor license renewals for eight area entities that serve alcohol, an update to the city’s personnel/DOT drug policy, the demolition of property along Hancock Street, a resolution for the minor subdivision by Metes & Bounds in the industrial park, a joint powers agreement with Sherburne County on the Hwy. 24 trail improvement project and the approval of the operations coordinator job description.

 

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is July 3 at 6 p.m.