By Robert Willams

Editor

The Frazee City Council held a public hearing before approving assessments Monday, Oct. 17, for improvement of infrastructure, including the replacement of watermain and sanitary sewer items, on Trunk Highway 87 from Maple Avenue West to Second Street SW.

The total amount of the proposed assessment is $370,284.30.

Such assessment is proposed to be payable in equal annual installments extending over a period of 15 years, the first of the installments to be payable on or before the first Monday in January 2023, and will bear interest at the rate of 3.117 percent per annum from the date of the adoption of the assessment resolution. 

To the first installment shall be added interest on the entire assessment from the date of the assessment resolution until December 31, 2022. To each subsequent installment when due shall be added interest for one year on all unpaid installments.

There are 27 properties in the assessed area with a total payment of $13,800.62 for all but one location. The other is assessed at $11,468.18

Fire department donation

The council approved accepting a generous donation of $1,000 to the Frazee Fire Department from Willma Hanson of Frazee. Hanson requested the department use the funds as it sees fit. 

According to the passed resolution, the funds are slated to be used to purchase equipment and the council thanked Hanson for her civic efforts and contribution.

New utility truck purchase

The council unanimously approved the purchase of a new truck on a bid submitted by Public Works superintendent Larry Stephenson.

The cost for an outright purchase of the 2023 Ford F-250 is $42,580. The street department will be covering the purchase out of either $97,000 it has in restricted savings or capital outlay from 2019-2021 that has not been spent.

“That capital outlay was built for saving up for a new pickup truck and replacing some old equipment like that,” said city administrator Jordin Roberts.

Roberts noted truck purchases for public works are uncommon, typically vehicles have been replaced in intervals of 15-20 years.

The department had been working with two trucks for three employees.

Violation hearing postponed

A violation notice hearing regarding the Frazee VFW Post 7702 was bumped to the next council meeting after communications with the county attorney were delayed. 

The VFW was fined $500 at the September council meeting after being in violation of having patrons after hours on two consecutive weekend evenings, according to Chief of Police Tyler Trieglaff.