The city of Pequot Lakes will lose $78,870 in Local Government Aid this year because of the state's budget deficit, so each city department was directed to cut 5 percent from its budget.
The council amended its 2009 budget Tuesday, March 3, to include these budget cuts, which include $27,880 from the roads and streets department, $25,110 from the police department, $10,990 from the clerk's office, $6,520 from planning and zoning and $6,970 from the general building fund.
These budget cuts included discontinuing the police department's K9 unit to save $5,300, cutting contracted services for crack filling on streets to save $6,000, cutting $21,000 for road projects, eliminating attendance at educational conferences to save nearly $3,000 and canceling a sidewalk project at city hall to save $4,670.
Police Chief Jerry Braam said the department would like to keep the K9 program. Officer Josh Gartner offered to take no pay to house and care for the dog. Northern Food King donates dog food.
"Our K9 program is one of only three in the county," Gartner said, noting the other programs are in Brainerd and Baxter. To lose the program would be detrimental to the Pequot Lakes Police Department, as well as other northern Crow Wing County police departments that may use Pequot Lakes' dog, he said.
The council accepted Gartner's offer not to be paid to take care of the dog, so the K9 program will continue.
Council members Craig Nagel and Dave Sjoblad were absent from the March 3 meeting. In other business, Mayor Nancy Adams and council members Tom Ryan and Cathy Malecha:
Approved the following donations: $25 and $30 from patrons for the library, and $300 from the Brainerd Jaycees for the police reserves.
Adopted a resolution for Crow Wing County to place signs warning of curves on County Road 107.
Approved a water utility disconnect policy.
Approved a project to improve South Oak Street from about West Lake Street to about Pillsbury Street. The project will include removing pavement, relocating the school's ball fields to the east, constructing a gravel off-street parking lot along the school's southern boundary to replace on-street parking, and constructing a new 22-foot wide paved roadway.
Appointed Pete Clement to the Park Commission for a three-year term that will expire Dec. 31, 2011.
Donated old theater seats to the Pequot Lakes Area Historical Society.
Learned the Board of Appeal meeting will be at 10 a.m. May 7 at city hall.
Tentatively agreed to meet at 6 p.m. April 14 at city hall to review the Highway 371 corridor map and to receive an update on Highway 371 committee meetings and the federal funding process, as well as an update on the municipal consent process. Alternate meeting date would be April 21.
