Tower City council sets 2018 water rates
The price for Tower water service will increase in 2018. The Tower-Breitung Wastewater Board is increasing its charges for water and the Tower City Council unanimously voted, at its regular November 17 meeting, to pass those charges along to all its customers. The new quarterly charges, for water and sewer accounts, will increase to $201, from the current $187.50. Charges for accounts which have elected to have the water shut off will increase to $77.50, from the current $64.
In making its decision the city council considered several different options and decided that the fairest way to pay for the increase is to spread the increase evenly to all customers, rather than only raise rates on customers who have active water service.
2018 Tower Water Rates:
Quarterly Water & Sewer Rates
Water: $ 45.50
Sewer 78.00
Cap Reserve 16.50
State Fee: 1.75
Operation & Maintenance: 30.65
Filtration Debt: 28.60
Total: $201.00
Quarterly charges without Water Service
Water: $ —0—
Sewer —0—
Cap Reserve 16.50
State Fee: 1.75
Operation & Maintenance: 30.65
Filtration Debt: 28.60
Total: $ 77.50
Following up on a recent request from Orlyn Kringstad, manager of the Marjo Motel, the city council has decided that the easiest and most cost effective way to place additional lighting at the highway entrance is for the business install the lights itself. Kringstad earlier presented the city council with estimates from Minnesota Power. These reflect installation costs of $197 if the city would request the new service and $263 if the business does. While it appears that the most economical means would be for the city to have the installation work completed, City Clerk-Treasurer Linda Keith explained to the city council that the city would need to complete several steps prior to installation. These include contacting the city attorney to draft an easement agreement, verifying the strength of the existing light pole and base, both parties, and contingent upon the city and Marjo Motel accepting the easement. Keith noted that she checked the inventory of city street lighting and determined that none of the existing lights are placed upon private property and to do so now would create a precedent for future requests to light business property.
“The cost estimate is misleading,” Mayor Josh Carlson said. “The type of light the city would be required to install would cost $15,000.” Carlson explained, at a previous city council meeting, that the city would be required to install a streetlight fixture similar to the ones along Main Street and at the Highway 35 and Highway 169 intersection. The vote to reject the request for lighting was unanimous.
Ambulance Service Supervisor Steve Altenberg approached the city council with a request that it consider renting a four-bedroom home in Tower to house on-call ambulance emergency medical technicians during their 12 hour shifts. While the city approved expanding the ambulance service to include paid on-call staff five days each week, Mondays through Fridays, in April, the on-call staff has not been put into because the city does not have adequate space to house the employees during their shift. “This morning we experienced three calls at once and we routinely have back-to-back calls,” Altenberg said. The expanded service is necessary to provide service to the expanding demand.
Clerk Keith reported that she has been in contact with the owner of a four-bedroom home in Tower and that the city can rent the home for $3,750 a year. In addition to the rent the city would be responsible for utility costs.
Mayor Carlson told the council that it was not necessary for it to make a decision immediately, but asked if there was any interest. “Is there any interest?” Carlson asked. Alderman Lance dougherty said that he was not in favor of renting a house and asked if the ambulance service should consider 12 hour on-call shifts, rather than the proposed 24 hour, two-and-one-half days each week. “Twelve hour shifts would require us to hire more employees,” Altenberg explained. “While these are full-time jobs, we do not have enough money to offer benefits,” Altenberg said.
Following a lengthy discussion on the merits of the proposal the council determined that it did have sufficient interest in the idea of renting living space for the anticipated new ambulance service employees and decided that it would table its decision and obtain more information. I is expected that the city will again consider Altenberg’s request at it December 12 regular meeting.
The city council unanimously decided that it would accept a quote of $10,823.90, including delivery, and purchase an enclosed snowmobile trailer to house the ambulance service’s snowmobile rescue sled and equipment. Altenbeger explained that the ambulance service would incur some addition costs in outfitting the trailer with emergency lighting and decals.
In other action, the Tower City Council:
• Approved accepting the insurance liability waiver required by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust
• Approved Resolution Number 2017-021, to accept funds from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board’s (IRRRB) residential redevelopment grant program, completing the first step required to seek IRRRB funding
• Appointed Terry Joki-Martin to serve as Tower’s representative to the Lake Vermilion Bike Trail Board
• Approved the updated Wastewater Board joint powers agreement and bylaws.