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South Range council approves preliminary budget, new garbage rates and a package of administrative measures
Summary
At its Feb. 1 meeting the Village of South Range Common Council approved the 2024–25 preliminary budget and several administrative actions, including new garbage rates, an employee handbook per attorney recommendations, a memorial resolution renaming part of M‑26, and contracts for tax billing and a CD renewal.
The Village of South Range Common Council on Feb. 1 approved the village’s 2024–25 Preliminary Budget and a series of administrative measures affecting operations and finances.
The council approved the 2024–25 Preliminary Budget following a motion by Trustee Justin Marier and a second from Trustee Tim Korby. The vote carried unanimously. The council had separately approved 2023–24 budget amendments earlier in the same meeting.
Trustees also voted to adopt proposed changes to garbage rates. Trustee Greg Harkonen moved adoption with Trustee Justin Marier seconding; the motion carried with four yeas and one dissenting vote from Trustee Paul Saaranen.
The council approved an updated employee handbook “per Village Attorney recommendations” after Trustee Justin Marier moved the measure and Trustee Greg Harkonen seconded. The motion carried with the same 4–1 split on which Trustee Paul Saaranen registered the lone negative vote.
On personnel and compensation items, Trustee Greg Harkonen moved to proceed with an ordinance to set elected officials’ pay; Trustee Tim Korby seconded. The motion carried, though the transcript does not record the roll‑call totals for that item. The council later entered a closed session from 8:04 p.m. to 8:37 p.m. to discuss wages; the meeting record does not disclose any decisions reached in closed session.
The council accepted pricing from KCI for tax‑billing services on a motion from Trustee Greg Harkonen, seconded by Trustee Tim Korby; the motion carried unanimously, and one trustee characterized the purchase as an emergency acquisition. The council also authorized renewal of a maturing certificate of deposit at Miner’s State Bank if the institution matched Superior National Bank’s quoted rate (3.94% with a 4.00% APY on a roughly 35‑month term); that motion passed unanimously.
Other routine actions approved by roll call included sending a letter to Mr. Lantz regarding construction plans for the Whealkate lot, adopting the 2024 Let Run Policy, and authorizing payment of bills totaling $22,418.10 (composed of $16,243.23 in outstanding bills and $6,174.87 in new bills). The memorial resolution to rename a portion of M‑26 in honor of Veteran Wesley Karna was approved unanimously after being presented by Glenn Anderson and moved by Trustee Paul Saaranen.
The council placed a proposed agenda addition to discuss hiring a part‑time police officer on the table; training and payment for council training were discussed but no formal action on training payment is recorded in the minutes.
The meeting adjourned at 8:39 p.m.
