By Anna Jauhola
For the 2023 budget, the Hallock City Council budgeted $75,000 for street repairs. During its regular meeting on Monday, June 5, the council reviewed two estimates for repairs in a few of the worst areas in town, but held off on approving anything.
“I know we’re talking about doing bigger street projects, but this would be just the smaller projects. In time, these will be finished and we can focus on bigger projects,” said Dan Larson, utilities superintendent.
Both estimates included sections of Fourth Street by Hallock Plumbing and Heating and a mill and overlay of Sixth Street from Fourth Street and Elm. The estimate for both of these was between $25,000 and $28,000.
“This is one I picked out because the street’s ok elsewise, going in either direction,” Larson told the council.
Other options included a mill and overlay of a stretch of North Douglas Avenue around the Kittson Central baseball outfield; a small section of Columbus Avenue on the west side of town; and mill and overlay around five different manholes that have settled.
Larson said he pushed for the Douglas Avenue stretch because it’s an easy overlay and would really improve that street.
Councilor Kevin Waller asked for the top three worst stretches of road. Larson and City Clerk/Administrator Aimee Sugden agreed Fourth Street and Douglas Avenue are the worst, and a stretch of alleyway by Kittson Healthcare’s Emergency Room. That alleyway is on one bid, but not the other.
“I would recommend we take these, get final numbers for each of the pieces, including the hospital street,” Sugden said. “We’ll probably be having a meeting on June 15 or 20 anyway, so we can get final numbers and you can make a decision then.”
Elementary Hill Addition
Two council members agreed to be on a committee regarding the Elementary Hill Addition, which is being developed by Bakken Construction. The council reviewed a sketch of where Bakken Construction proposes water, sewer and gas lines could be laid to serve future residents.
“So basically today we’re making a committee for this because we’re going to have to refer to legal and refer to some engineers,” Sugden said. “(Rodney Bakken) has some things in the works that are somewhat timely.”
Mayor Dave Treumer and Councilor Naomi Larson said they would be on the committee, as most meetings will take place during the day on weekdays.
In other business, the council:
• Approved paying $100 for an annual road closure fee to Kittson County Highway Department for when businesses want to close county roads in town – CSAH 1 (Second Street) and Birch Avenue (County Road 38). That is a one-time fee for the year. But, to barricade the roads, the city will also have to rent appropriate barricades from the county at $4 each per day. The council also approved covering the cost of barricades for the Celebrate Hallock event on Friday, June 9 and Saturday, June 10. That cost is determined by how many barricades they needed, which was not available during the meeting.
• Heard from Sugden the gazebo in Centennial Park and the shelter at Horseshoe Park were both stained and/or painted the week prior to Celebrate Hallock.
• Approved hiring Jameson Turner as Maintenance I summer crew at $11 per hour. He was the only applicant.
• Approved an annual welding contract with Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association for $1,760.
• Approved a temporary liquor license for the Kittson County Agricultural Society for the beer gardens during the Kittson County Fair.
• Approved a gaming permit for the Ag Society for raffle tickets during the fair.
• Approved a gaming permit for the Kittson Memorial Foundation during their Score Fore Golf Tournament.
• Approved a building permit for Joel Muir, with a variance to account for a larger size than allowed by city ordinance, to build a garage on his lot.
• Approved a building permit for Tim Denney for a wood fence in his backyard.
The next regular meeting is set for Monday, July 10 and will be held at The Station Senior Center.
