Long Prairie council adopts 2025 budget, raises water and sewer rates and authorizes airport grant

The Long Prairie City Council on Dec. 16, 2024 approved the city's 2025 budget, voted to raise both water and sewer rates effective Jan. 1, 2025, and passed several resolutions authorizing future financing and a state grant for airport improvements.

Mayor David Wright called the meeting to order and the council unanimously approved the consent calendar, which included the agenda addition to consider the Minnesota Department of Transportation grant agreement for airport improvements (Agreement No. 1058689). Council member JoAnn Schroeder moved to adopt the 2025 budget; Council member Lilah Gripne seconded and the budget passed unanimously. City officials said department heads will be expected to manage their own budgets going forward.

On utilities, the council adopted Resolution 24-12-16-34 to increase sanitary sewer rates effective Jan. 1, 2025. The resolution sets a $22.93 monthly customer charge, a $40.09 monthly charge for sewer-only users, a $2.86 volumetric rate per 1,000 gallons and specified penalty charges for BOD, TSS, phosphorus and nitrogen. The council also adopted Resolution 24-12-16-35 to raise the water base rate by 5% (from $19.11 to $20.07 per month) and to increase the volumetric water user rate from $0.0025314 to $0.0025506 per gallon.

Council members discussed a drafted police retention bonus that had been prepared by the city attorney. Mayor David Wright moved to approve changes to the drafted retention-bonus resolution so it would provide $2,500 after one year and an additional $2,500 per year for up to three more years (for a total incentive of up to $10,000) for hires from April 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2024; the amendment to fund initial payments from the 2025 Police Capital Fund was offered by Council member Jim Kreemer. The motion, as amended, was approved unanimously.

The council adopted Resolution 24-12-16-36 declaring the city's official intent to reimburse certain project expenditures from future bond proceeds for a main sanitary lift-station replacement. The resolution states the city may encounter contaminated groundwater during construction and estimates potential additional costs at $500,000 to $1,000,000; the city indicated it may issue bonds with an estimated principal amount up to $1,000,000 to reimburse eligible project costs.

The council also approved an updated incubator lease for Bay 4 with Kidco Farms Processing Inc., and a lease for Bays 1 and 2 with Charles Kloos (Prairie View Diesel Repair) beginning Jan. 1, 2025. The council approved the 2025 legal-services contract with Quinlivan & Hughes, P.A., and a $7,500 partner sponsorship with the Todd County Development Corporation. Multiple cigarette, beer 3.2, general corporation, intoxicating liquor and Sunday liquor licenses were approved (some contingent on final paperwork or proof of insurance), and the council authorized placing delinquent garbage, water/sewer, mowing and other assessed amounts on the 2025 tax roll.

On airport business, the council adopted Resolution 24-12-16-37 accepting State Agreement No. 1058689 (State Project No. A7701-37) for airport improvement excluding land acquisition and authorized City Administrator/Clerk Candace Bruder and Mayor David Wright to execute the agreement and any amendments on behalf of the city.

Council members reviewed 11 color and design options for the water tower and suggested adding LED lighting and using the new city logo; they tabled a final decision on the water tower redesign for a later meeting. With no further business the council adjourned at 8:48 p.m.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 24-12-16-34 (sewer rates) ' approved unanimously; Resolution 24-12-16-35 (water rates) ' approved unanimously; Resolution 24-12-16-36 (reimbursement intent for lift station) ' approved unanimously; Resolution 24-12-16-37 (MDOT airport grant agreement No. 1058689) ' approved unanimously. Other contract, lease and license approvals passed by unanimous vote.