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Council pays engineering invoice, approves land parcel description and hears FEMA, childcare and Mesabi Trail updates
Summary
Buhl’s council approved payment of a $5,675 engineering invoice, authorized describing and offering a small city parcel for sale to a resident, and received informational updates on FEMA disaster assistance, a childcare feasibility grant application, and the Mesabi Trail tour.
At its Aug. 20 meeting the Buhl City Council approved several administrative items and received informational updates on disaster recovery and local initiatives.
Invoices and land action: the council approved payment of JPJ Engineering Invoice No. 4 (Project No. 22-059, Damian Addition Phase III) for $5,675 covering construction management/RPR and staking. Councilor Kealy moved the payment; Councilor Towner supported and the motion carried unanimously. The council also approved describing a new parcel by removing roughly 156 lineal feet from Parcel No. 115-0040-00185 so the newly created parcel can be offered for sale to resident Mike Anderson, subject to surveying, replatting, and county recording fees.
FEMA and demolition updates: Administrator Tony Jeffries said FEMA and St. Louis County agreed to locate the Disaster Recovery Center at the St. Louis County Public Works facility in Virginia beginning Aug. 15, relieving the city of hosting the DRC. Jeffries reported demolition of the former laundromat on State Street is cleared to begin Aug. 26 and is expected to take 3–4 days. The water tower structural inspection is complete and a written report is expected by end of August or early September.
Child care feasibility and Mesabi Trail event: CEDA has been assisting the city on siting a childcare facility and applied to Compeer Financial for a $5,000 Rural Feasibility Study Grant; if awarded the feasibility work would proceed on an estimated 18-week master-planning timeline. Council also heard that the Great River Energy Mesabi Trail tour used Burton Park on Aug. 10 as its start/finish; several hundred riders participated across routes of 12–70 miles and organizers reported the site was left "spotless."
Disagreements and outstanding questions: resident James Matthews disputed whether curb and gutter restoration on Klinx Way were part of the recent paving project, saying he understood the work to be a "restoration" and that concrete gutter settling remains; Engineer Jamnick and the Administrator said the planned scope was a mill-and-overlay and curb restoration was not included. Resident Cheryl Kivi asked where a previously referenced $750,000 federal match would come from; the council did not provide a sourced answer at the meeting.
Next steps: the city will remit the engineering invoice, complete the parcel description and offer process if fees are paid, and follow up on MPFA grant documentation and the Compeer grant outcome if awarded.
