The Becker City Council meeting commenced with Mayor Lefty Kleis asking for an apology from the public for his inexcusable behavior at last month’s meeting.

Council Member Adam Oliver followed up Kleis’ comments with an apology of his own.

 

At last month’s Sept. 16 meeting, Kleis and Oliver exchanged barbs throughout the meeting that centered around the Becker Police Dept., the senior center, the food shelf and codes of conduct. 

 

Tuesday’s meeting promised to be more professional and that’s exactly what happened as the mayor and all members displayed tact and courtesy while handling all agenda items at the meeting.

 

Community Development Coordinator Amanda Othoudt updated council on the progress of the C.K. Blandin Community Broadband Program and asked council to consider approving a resolution showing their support in establishing Becker as a Blandin Community.

 

The resolution passed on a 4-1 vote with Council Member Rick Hendrickson voting “no”.

 

Othoudt said the Blandin Foundation is seeking 10 rural Minnesota communities to participate in the program which would allow the communities to define their technological goals, receive planning and technical assistance and have access to resources to implement projects designed to bring about high-speed broadband internet to the county.

 

Each Blandin Broadband Community will be invited to apply for Blandin matching grants for community-defined projects up to $100,000 per community.

 

Applications to Blandin are due Oct. 17 with selections announced in November.

 

Othoudt said city staff is asking for the support from council so they will be able to collaborate with the City of Big Lake and Sherburne County in applying for the program.

In August, the program sent out surveys to numerous area businesses in Sherburne County and 123 responded to the questions; 29% were from Becker.

 

Othoudt said 52% of the Becker business respondents said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their current service provider and their internet service. Sixty-percent felt their service provider put them at a competitive disadvantage and 71% said they could use broadband today or in the near future if it were made available.

Othoudt said broadband is essential to the Becker area not only to try and bring in new businesses but to retain the ones the city currently has.

 

City Administrator Greg Pruszinske asked council to approve a resolution amending an agreement between the City of Becker and LPI (Liberty Paper).

 

Pruszinske reminded everyone that the city has a contract to treat the effluent from LPI’s mill. He said the current contract (or agreement) is scheduled to expire Jan. 1, 2016.

 

Because the city is working on several equipment issues (industrial clarifier rebuild, RAS pump replacement, industrial oxidation ditch cleaning/rebuild, etc.), both partners have agreed to an extension of the agreement.

 

Pruszinske said the extension language extends the current agreement for an additional 24 months as the city and LPI work on the issues. The agreement language was updated by City Attorney Scott Lepak and LPI has reviewed and agreed to the term and language.

 

Council approved.

 

Jessica Huettl of the Becker Community Center (BCC) appeared before council to submit a grant proposal to the city for the public works department through the Minnesota Dept. of Labor and Industry.

 

Huettl said the grant program awards employers in Minnesota for a dollar-to-dollar match up to $10,000 per department. The projects are designed to reduce the risk of injury and illness to the workers that are based on safety and hazards.

 

Huettl said the safety grant program is reimbursable meaning the recipients will front the cost and be reimbursed as a dollar-for-dollar match.

 

The City of Becker Safety Committee conducted an on-site hazard survey the public works department to identify safety hazards. Based on their observations, they identified a need for safety equipment at the streets facility and remote worksites. The cost associated with these equipment upgrades has been budgeted for $6,989.96.

If the grant funds are awarded to PW, the Dept. of Labor and Industry will reimburse PW 50% of the project totalling $3,494.98.

 

• Morgan Novak resigned her position with the Becker Police Dept. Oct. 6;

 

• The City of Becker accepted donations totalling $650 from several area businesses and people in support of last Saturday’s Harvest Fest event;

 

• Mayor Kleis read aloud a document proclaiming Oct. 20-26 as Minnesota Manufacturing Week;

 

• Leaf pickup in the City of Becker is scheduled for Oct. 14.

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is Oct. 21 at 5 p.m.