Keeping the community safe and secure and assisting local law enforcement officers is the mission of developing Pine River Police Reserve.
The Pine River City Council approved a Reserve policy handbook, Monday night, to help guide the training and conduct of volunteer police reservists.
Pine River Police Chief Josh Ebert said he's received a handful of applications from people interested in volunteering on the police reserve.
Ebert told the council that his goal for the program is that it be professional, helpful and lasting.
"I really want it to be an A-plus deal," Ebert said. "It's important; I'm excited about it and I want it to do well."
Nearby Pequot Lakes has a successful Police Reserve Unit that helps cover Pequot Lakes, the city of Jenkins and Jenkins Township.
Captain of the Pequot Lakes Police Reserve Unit Carl Borleis said that their reserve has been positive. His motto is "serving those who protect and serve," he said.
Borleis and the other reservists perform weekend patrols, conduct business and residential security checks, and help at community events as needed.
Duties of the Pine River Police Reservists will be similar - including providing administrative and clerical assistance to the Pine River Police Department if needed, and assisting with mutual aid, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
Applications for the Pine River Police Reserve are available city hall.
The Pine River City Council also passed a resolution, Monday night, to amend their administrative fine ordinance to reflect new laws approved by the legislature last session.
There will be a uniform administrative citation issued throughout Minnesota for certain traffic offenses. Cities that have administrative fines must give one-third of the fines generated for certain traffic offenses to the state's general fund. The cities may keep the remaining two-thirds, and must use half of the funds for law enforcement purposes.
Monday night the City Council also approved receipt of a donated computer to the police department by Ken Braswell, of Hackensack. The donated computer will be used by the police liaison at Pine River-Backus Schools.
The city council also approved the 2009-10 police liaison contract with PR-B Schools. The contract is approximately $4,000 less than the 2008-09 contract. The school will pay for a police officer to be at the school seven hours a day during the school week: a reduction of one hour per day compared to last year's contract.
The police liaison will also be paid per hour instead of on a contract basis.
Also in police department business:
The council approved a resolution entering into an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for the Safe & Sober Communities grant, from Oct. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010.
The grant provides funds to pay for extra law enforcement patrol to help deter impaired driving.
The Pine River Police Department responded to 109 calls for service during June including: 10 disorderly conducts; six thefts; two motor-vehicle accidents; one assault; one domestic assault; three property-damage complaints; 1 trespass; three harassments; eight animal complaints; and three Driving While Intoxicated complaints.
Noah Melberg will be interning with the department again this summer.
In other council matters:
The council heard the fire report of six total calls for the month of June: five emergency-medical service calls and one fire.
The council also heard the building inspector report. New roofs are underway at the Pine River Public Library, United Methodist Church, and Associates in Eye Care. A permit has been approved for the First Lutheran Church in Pine River's narthex expansion.
Alice Taylor, director of Pine River Housing and Redevelopment Authority, reported that the HRA will use stimulus funds to replace windows at the Norway Brook Apartments.
Scattered window replacement has been completed already on other HRA properties.
The council passed a resolution in support of Charter Communications' pre-arranged financial restructuring/Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The city receives some funds from Charter Communications in exchange for its use of the city's right-of-way to run cable, Internet and broadband lines.
The council approved certifying delinquent water and mowing fees to property taxes. A total of $2,876 in water fees will be assessed and a total of $450 in mowing fees will be assessed.
The council also approved City Attorney Ted Lundrigan to send a letter to a property owner in Pine River directing them to clean up their nuisance property.
The council approved a task order with HNTB Corporation to prepare documents for the 2009 Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Grant.
The council approved Janice Gard as a temporary city bus driver effective Aug. 18.
