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CROSSLAKE — Crosslake will be back to full staff after the city council hired a public works director.
During a special meeting May 31, the council agreed to hire Patrick Wehner for the position at a starting annual wage of $75,000.
Mayor Dave Nevin was opposed because he wanted to conduct a second round of interviews before making a decision.
Wehner, of Blooming Prairie, will start with the city July 5, the council learned at its regular meeting Monday, June 13. He succeeds Ted Strand, who resigned in April to take a job in Henning after working in Crosslake for 21 years.
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Assessment policy
City Administrator Mike Lyonais asked the council to determine its assessment policy before the city issues bonds for projects.
The Crosslake Public Works Commission on June 6 - on a 4-1 vote - expressed concern to the council regarding the recent action of three council members to ignore the adopted assessment policy and not assess benefiting properties on the current County Road 66 sanitary sewer extension project.
The commission was concerned the council’s action would set a precedent for future proposed assessments.
After discussion, the council agreed to continue its policy to assess road projects at $4,000 per property. Council member Dave Schrupp abstained from the vote because he lives on a road that is part of an improvement project.
Public safety
Police reported 275 incidents in May in Crosslake. Activity included 83 traffic warnings, 13 traffic citations, two traffic arrests, four property damage accidents, two burglaries and one damage to property.
In Mission Township, police reported 71 incidents in May, including 43 traffic stops, 14 traffic citations and two traffic arrests.
The fire department reported 45 incidents in May, including 31 rescue and emergency medical services calls, one grassfire and a windstorm/severe weather event.
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In other business May 13, the council:
- Accepted donations of $5,000 from Mike and Kelly Haglund for the police department and $2,664 from the Parks and Library Foundation for benches and $79.98 from the PAL Foundation for the community garden.
- Accepted the resignation of Randy Dymoke from the planning commission and appointed alternate Kristin Graham to the position.
- Agreed to eliminate the city personnel committee, which hasn’t been used in a year and a half.
- Approved an Antlers Business Park final plat for Butterfield Enterprises to subdivide 3.03 acres into 18 parcels for storage rental and dwelling (short term rental).
- Approved a variance for Pat Devaney to place a bench at a gravesite in Pinewood Cemetery, and to look into rules for the cemetery.
- Agreed to direct the city engineer to give his best estimate of sewer connection charges for Moonlite Bay Family Restaurant, Moonlite Square and Moonlite Carwash after the County Road 66 sewer extension project is complete. The businesses will pay that estimate at the time of hookup and the city will revisit the connection fee amount after the businesses have been hooked up for a year and will reconcile the difference up or down depending on the highest month’s flow.
Find recordings of Crosslake City Council meetings on the city's YouTube channel.
Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or
nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com
. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.
