City administrator reports phone-system savings, water projects and a planned Verizon tower lease

City Administrator Wyberg updated the Hoyt Lakes City Council on several operational items, saying the city is making progress on long-standing lead-lot work, is upgrading its phone system and is preparing a land-lease agreement for a Verizon cell tower that will be sited in town.

Wyberg told the council the phone-system upgrade is already under way and "that's going to be about a $9,000 a year savings to the city of Hoy Lakes," adding the change should improve call routing so callers no longer "end up at public work" or the arena by mistake. She said the administration expects the upgrade to be completed and the savings to begin once the system is fully installed.

Wyberg also said the city has had "traction" on the lead-lots work and mentioned joint water projects that the council will continue to discuss. Councelor Jara reported on a May 18 waterboard meeting in which the board will become its own financial entity (opening separate bank accounts and establishing signers); Jara said Aurora had previously acted as fiscal agent. The White Lakes technical committee chose to continue using the existing standpipe for water storage, and Jara noted a tour of the Aurora water-treatment plant planned for councilors.

Councelor Ecman reported separately on library-board programming, including a puzzle competition and a Skybo presentation, and said a councilor will work with the library on a kids' garden this summer.

Wyberg also told the council she is working on a land-lease agreement with Verizon for a cell tower 'coming to town.' The council did not take additional formal action on the water projects or tower lease at this meeting; those items were described as ongoing and administrative in nature.

The meeting proceeded with routine council business and adjourned after formal approval of a hiring recommendation.