Council Member Rick Hendrickson presented a brand new scenario for consideration at Tuesday’s golf task force meeting, which was hailed as a great compromise by the committee — yet Mayor Lefty Kleis still voted against it, insisting the city sell the golf course as a preferred course of action.
The new scenario included Hendrickson’s suggestion a “board” be formed under the golf director and that board would be responsible with putting together a five-year business plan that describes how they planned to accomplish that — if not, the golf director would be held accountable for the results or lack thereof.
Chairman Adam Oliver said since the majority of the committee voted in favor of investigating the new scenario further by a 4-1 vote, he recommended the members explore options on how the scenario can best be fit into future plans for Pebble Creek.
Hendrickson’s scenario would include a board of approximately six members plus the golf director. The six members would consist of business and marketing as well as golf professionals.
“It would be my choice to defer the golf and business decisions to people who are experts in these fields,” said Hendrickson.
During public comment, resident Dennis Strander commended Hendrickson for putting together the new scenario and stressed he thought it was a good idea for council to lay the accountability and responsibility part of the golf course on the golf director rather than themselves.
Strander also suggested it would be a good idea to include members from the EDA and planning commissions on this new “board”, since the golf course is all about the economic and planning development of the area.
Citizen Lori Keller also spoke up during public comment and said she was encouraged to see the majority of the task force coming together in a decision that seemed viable. She stressed that each day the task force keeps volleying with scenario after scenario, the City of Becker and Pebble Creek loses credibility.
Oliver said he’d like to see this new scenario be pursued as the primary course of action with the option (down the road) to look at hiring a management company or possibly selling the course as options B and C should the five-year business plan idea fail.
Road Projects
Randy Sabart of SEH Engineering gave council a spreadsheet indicating the costs and identifying the various street projects selected for improvements this summer in Becker.
The projects include the rebuilding of Liberty Lane from Hwy. 10 to Sherburne Avenue So. to a 10 ton road; reclaiming and overlaying Industrial Blvd. from Industry Avenue to Industry Avenue; reclaiming and overlaying Industry Avenue from Industrial Blvd. to Industrial Blvd.; hard surfacing Hancock Street from Hwy. 10 to Industrial Blvd.; seal coating Sherburne Avenue from industrial Blvd. to Liberty Lane and seal coating from Sherburne Avenue from Liberty Lane to Co. Rd. 11.
Total cost for the project was estimated at $1,487,572.51 from Knife River.
Council approved.
Alternate Judge
City Clerk Julie Blesi asked council to approve Sarah Brunn as an alternate election judge for the election season this fall.
Blesi said due to unforeseen circumstances affiliated with the election season, three election judges last year were unable to perform their duties associated with administering elections. Because of that, it was suggested they have an alternate should this occurrence happen again in Becker this year.
Sarah Brunn is Becker’s City Treasurer and she will be required to attend training at Sherburne County.
Other News
• Mayor Kleis read aloud a document proclaiming June 16-22 as Freedom Days in Becker;
• Cafe Pawz was granted a renewal of their liquor license (wine);
• The City of Becker accepted donations from nearly 20 entities in the amount of $8,300 to be used towards this year’s Freedom Days celebration;
• Kelli (Neu) Othoudt announced she has accepted a job with the City of Columbia Heights and her last day on the job at Becker will be July 9;
The next Becker City Council meeting is July 1 at 5 p.m.
