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Two Harbors council adopts broad consent agenda, appoints Crystal Emerson and hears liquor-store and treatment-plant updates
Summary
At its Jan. 23 meeting the Two Harbors City Council adopted a multi-item consent agenda that included payments and hires, appointed Crystal Emerson to the Planning Commission, heard consultants’ presentations on a proposed liquor store and the Water Treatment Plant improvement project and authorized bids for the plant.
The Two Harbors City Council on Jan. 23 adopted a wide-ranging consent agenda, appointed Crystal Emerson to the Planning Commission and heard presentations on a proposed downtown liquor store and a water-treatment plant improvement project.
President Ben Redden called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. and City Clerk Patricia D. Nordean asked to add three items to the agenda: an appearance and appointment for the Planning Commission, a special meeting on Feb. 4 to interview candidates for city administrator, and consideration of a special event permit for a Lovin Lake County event pending DNR and CN approvals.
In a combined consent motion carried by unanimous roll call, the council approved minutes and payroll, allowed claims totaling $1,337,781.19, and authorized a series of professional-services payments and purchases including multiple invoices to engineering firm Bolton & Menk (items included amounts of $1,312.50; $1,250; $14,121.50; $39,941; $8,455; and $7,761) and state-bid vehicle purchases for the Sewer Collection and Gas Distribution departments ($48,937.16 and $37,556, respectively). The consent agenda also included personnel actions, conditional offers of employment, certification of delinquent utility assessments, and a special meeting call for Feb. 4 for city administrator interviews.
Crystal Emerson interviewed for a seat on the city’s Planning Commission and the council adopted RESOLUTION NO. 1-2623 appointing her to an unexpired term ending in March 2024.
Consultants from DSGW, Eric Wedge and Carlie Kemp, presented plans for a proposed downtown liquor store site and building design. They identified site challenges such as wetlands and a potential Highway 61 corridor rebuild, and described design elements they plan to include: a defined entrance and cashier area, a dedicated high-end spirits section, coolers wrapped into the sales area, staff amenities, and use of locally sourced wood and natural light.
Engineer Brian Guldan of Bolton & Menk briefed the council on the Water Treatment Plant Improvement Project and told members the project is ready for bidding though the council may choose to delay. Later the council adopted RESOLUTION NO. 1-50-23 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisement for bids for the treatment plant improvement project.
The council also approved RESOLUTION NO. 1-51-23 to permit a Lovin Lake County special event on the lake side of the depot for July 31–Aug. 7 and Aug. 11–15, 2023, contingent on appropriate insurance and required approvals from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and CN (as noted in the permit item).
Several individual council-compensation resolutions passed with recorded abstentions. For example, RESOLUTIONS NOS. 1-42-23 through 1-47-23, which authorized compensation for councilors to attend various boards and committees, passed largely with five yeas and one abstention on each item. On the resolution authorizing compensation for Councilor Redden (RES. 1-47-23), the vote was 4 yeas, 1 nay (Councilor Passe) and 1 abstention (Redden). Councilor Passe objected to the payment for Redden, saying it presented a conflict of interest because, as council president, Redden appoints himself to committees.
The council voted to close the meeting to discuss pending litigation strategy under the transcript text "MS 13.05, Subd 3, Subpart B"; the meeting later reconvened and adjourned.
The meeting record notes that the city received three proposals for airport engineering services, with staff to review and return a recommendation, and that the airport inspection was scheduled for Jan. 31. Committee reports included updates on utility billing formatting and a resignation at the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant, Public Works hiring plans, trees and trails planning, and campground and cable-television issues.
What’s next: the council scheduled a special meeting for Feb. 4 to continue administrator interviews and will move forward with bid advertisement for the treatment plant project per the adopted resolution.
(Reporting based on the council transcript of the Jan. 23, 2023 meeting.)
