By Karen Snyder
A recurring topic at Pine Island City Council sessions, the U.S. 52/Goodhue County Road 11/East Frontage Road roundabout project received more attention at the March 19 meeting.
“There’s a lot of concern about roundabouts unt
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"Where Olmsted County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 5:36:49, May 15th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Though I hated to see you reference Glenn Beck by name [Three Times ... [Read More]
- 11:42:07, May 10th 2013 - yenken - I feel very sorry for those who have commented do far, as when you stand fa ... [Read More]
- 12:10:25, Apr 26th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Mr. "Cabtrom's" garbage-out[burst]--in response to Ms. Reisner's w ... [Read More]
- 9:51:50, Apr 24th 2013 - jeff pischke - To Jerry Grehl, the number to the fillmore county sheriffs office is 7 ... [Read More]
- 9:27:24, Apr 22nd 2013 - Cabtrom - Blah blah blah, garbage in garbage out! ... [Read More]
- 7:00:49, Apr 11th 2013 - Donald Pierce - Col. Stan Gudmundson hit most of the important nails squarly on the h ... [Read More]
- 12:44:54, Apr 4th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - My compliments to Ms. Hammer for giving us well-crafted "Rachel Rea ... [Read More]
- 5:09:06, Apr 3rd 2013 - truthiness - I see this is dated April 1. That explains it! ... [Read More]
- 12:04:33, Apr 3rd 2013 - Frank W. Hawthorne - Say WHAT?!? Stan's American-Pie [In SKY] is Falling--Not Again? ... [Read More]
- 12:40:21, Mar 29th 2013 - Jacob - It's a shame that so few people care about making their voices heard. If we ... [Read More]
Pine Island sewer bills to fall
Mon, Apr 22nd, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
Comments
The Pine Island City Council, at its April 16 meeting, voted unanimously to trim municipal sewer bills by $4.49 a month – and brought off the decrease while raising the sewer base rate.
The base amount will go up $4.50 a month, from $14 to $18.50, a price hike more than offset by the elimination of a longtime debt service fee of $8.99 a month.
The debt service fee dates back to a 1992 bond, Finance Director John Eickhoff told board members. After paying off the bond, the city used the debt service money to cover other expenses. Eickhoff recommended dropping the fee but warned that doing so would, in four years, wipe out the $1 million sewer reserve fund.
Upping the sewer base fee $6, he said, would still deplete the reserve money, but it would take 10 years.
Councilman Nick Novak suggested including plans for sewer repairs and upgrades in the city budget instead of holding so much cash in reserve. “I would like to give the taxpayers a break on this,” he said.
“It would be irresponsible not to have that operating fund,” Councilman Randy Bates said.”
When Eickhoff advised raising the base fee between $4.50 and $6, council members agreed on the low figure and a reevaluation in a year or sooner.
Swimming pool plans
Steve Oelkers of the Public Works Department updated the council on the status of swimming pool plans. In early April, USAquatics, the company the city hired to do a pool feasibility study, presented a design proposal to the pool committee.
The committee suggested some changes, and USAquatics will bring the revisions to the next swimming pool committee meeting, 7 p.m. May 1 at Pine Island City Hall.
The company likes the location of the current pool and recommends keeping the current site if a new pool is to be built, Oelkers said.
“We’re a long way from presenting a plan to the council,” he added.
Off-sale liquor license limit
to be raise
Businessman David Kleinschmidt returned for a second time to ask the council to increase the number of off-sale liquor licenses the city allows. This time the answer was yes, with the council directing city staff to amend the code to permit more than one off-sale license.
The town’s only liquor store has that only license, and Kleinschmidt hopes to start up a liquor business, too. Las .....
[Read the Rest]
The base amount will go up $4.50 a month, from $14 to $18.50, a price hike more than offset by the elimination of a longtime debt service fee of $8.99 a month.
The debt service fee dates back to a 1992 bond, Finance Director John Eickhoff told board members. After paying off the bond, the city used the debt service money to cover other expenses. Eickhoff recommended dropping the fee but warned that doing so would, in four years, wipe out the $1 million sewer reserve fund.
Upping the sewer base fee $6, he said, would still deplete the reserve money, but it would take 10 years.
Councilman Nick Novak suggested including plans for sewer repairs and upgrades in the city budget instead of holding so much cash in reserve. “I would like to give the taxpayers a break on this,” he said.
“It would be irresponsible not to have that operating fund,” Councilman Randy Bates said.”
When Eickhoff advised raising the base fee between $4.50 and $6, council members agreed on the low figure and a reevaluation in a year or sooner.
Swimming pool plans
Steve Oelkers of the Public Works Department updated the council on the status of swimming pool plans. In early April, USAquatics, the company the city hired to do a pool feasibility study, presented a design proposal to the pool committee.
The committee suggested some changes, and USAquatics will bring the revisions to the next swimming pool committee meeting, 7 p.m. May 1 at Pine Island City Hall.
The company likes the location of the current pool and recommends keeping the current site if a new pool is to be built, Oelkers said.
“We’re a long way from presenting a plan to the council,” he added.
Off-sale liquor license limit
to be raise
Businessman David Kleinschmidt returned for a second time to ask the council to increase the number of off-sale liquor licenses the city allows. This time the answer was yes, with the council directing city staff to amend the code to permit more than one off-sale license.
The town’s only liquor store has that only license, and Kleinschmidt hopes to start up a liquor business, too. Las .....
[Read the Rest]
PUBLIC INFORMATION NOTICE
Fri, Mar 15th, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA: THE 2013 SEASONAL ROAD RESTRICTIONS FOR OLMSTED COUNTY WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013. COUNTY ROADS WILL BE POSTED AS TO THE EXACT WEIGHT LIMITATION ON EACH
INDIVIDUAL ROAD, THE END OF THE SPRING LOAD RESTRICTION
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Not gun control but education
Mon, Mar 4th, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
A number of proposals have been made at the state Capitol in regards to restricting firearms. Some have argued that the right problem has not yet been addressed.
“Our legislators are misguided in their attempts to establish gun control,” Paul
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Pine Island rejects off-sale liquor license request
Mon, Feb 25th, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
The Pine Island City Council, at its Feb. 19 meeting, squelched the plans of businessman David A. Kleinschmidt to open an off-sale liquor store.
The city code allows only one off-sale license, and it’s already been issued to Pine Island Liquor
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Comparative peace reigns at Pine Island City Council meeting
Mon, Feb 25th, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
Last month’s abrupt jettisoning, by three new Pine Island city councilman, of the position of City Administrator and then of the city administrator himself, made for a contentious council meeting.
Seconds after their swearing-in, the three new
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Pine Island Council ousts City Administrator
Mon, Jan 21st, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
Pine Island’s three new councilmen recited the oath of office at the Jan. 15 council meeting and then hastened to rock the boat. In their upheaval, the rookie trio, Nick Novak, Erik Diskerud and Randy Bates, scuttled the position of city administr
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Surrounding communities to receive funding from Rochester sales tax extension
Mon, Jan 14th, 2013
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
The Rochester City Council decided on a method for distributing $5 million to 17 surrounding communities as required by the Minnesota Legislature, sharing the newly reauthorized city sales tax dollars with these municipalities to be used for economi
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Pine Island Council approves 2013 levy, delays 6-legged roundabout
Mon, Dec 24th, 2012
Posted in Pine Island Government
Posted in Pine Island Government
Asked how far you’d have to travel to find a roundabout like the one being proposed by the Pine Island City Council, City Engineer Neil Britton, said, “You would have to go out to Utah to experience a six-legged roundabout.”
Highlights of th
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