The Wadena City Council made plans at the end of their March 13 session to hold a closed meeting on the question of purchasing a parking lot in downtown Wadena.
The decision to set up a 5 p.m. closed meeting April 3 in the council chambers came after several downtown businesses asked for help in protecting the parking lot north of the former Super One building for use by their customers.
The city presently owns the parking lot on the west side of the former Super One building. The parking lot runs along Aldrich Ave between Jefferson Street and First Street SW.
Councilman Bruce Uselman and Wadena City Administrator Brad Swenson both pointed out several considerations for the benefit of the council. Swenson urged the council to "look at the big picture" in making their decision.
"Number one, you have nothing budgeted for this expense," Swenson said. "Number two, at some point you are going to have to redo the asphalt, striping and there has always been a person on the WDA board that has said 'Well, the lighting needs to be improved, that's terrible,' so you have those expenses coming up in the future. Snow removal is a big issue."
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Mayor George Deiss told the council that if there was enough interest on their part he wanted to get something on everyone's calendar and schedule a meeting. Several members expressed that interest.
Uselman asked Deiss if he had some dollar amounts in mind.
"We have some ideas," Deiss said.
In other action the board:
• Held public hearings on a Highway 10 facility plan and environmental review.
• Passed a resolution to adopt assessments on the Hemlock Avenue project and approved a low bid of $72,438.10 for the street work by Anderson Brothers Construction.
• Set a public hearing April 9 for property owners affected by the County State Aid Highway project on County Road 4.
• Approved a resolution to reimburse the city with electric building bond proceeds for their expenses prior to the bond sale.
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• Approved a resolution of support for a Corridors of Commerce Highway 10 funding application made Wadena County Engineer Ryan Odden, who told the council a resolution would help the four-lane project qualify for the next round of rankings.
• Gave City Administrator Brad Swenson authority to sign a document returning a $150,000 airport loan to the City of Staples from 2018 entitlement fund proceeds.
• Approved a request for proposal to sell the former Lorentz property - a house and 15 acres - currently owned by the city.
• Amended a contract with Bolton and Menk for a quiet zone study.
• Approved ceiling and walls change orders for the Utilities building totaling $45,175.47.
• Hired Doug's Plumbing and Ever Green Lawn to install an underground irrigation system and Mark Stone Construction to repair the walls of 11 showers at the Maslowski Wellness and Research Center. The bid from Doug's Plumbing was $2,100, the Ever Green Lawn bid was $18,359 and Mark Stone's estimate was $1,200 per shower stall.
• Approved the hiring of Andrew Snyder as a part-time maintenance worker at the Maslowski Center.
• Accepted a recommendation to hire Susan Pauly as a part-time clerk at the Municipal Liquor Store.
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• Appointed Councilman Jessie Gibbs and Mayor George Deiss to serve on a six-person committee to interview architects for the city library project. Councilman Bruce Uselman volunteered as a backup.
• Increased City Administrator Assistant/Billing Clerk Sharon Domeier from Step 2 to Step 3 retroactive to Feb. 2.
• Approved a transfer of $161,563.21 from the General Fund for Community Center Drive improvements and the transfer of $1,262.47 to the General Fund for the K-Line Spur Project.
• Granted a temporary liquor license at The Depot April 5 for a retirement party.
