Ongoing flooding concerns shared

Plans and specifications for the 2025 street project as well as an order for advertisements for bids for said project were approved via Resolution 25-07 by the New Richland City Council during its meeting on Monday, March 10. One local resident served as a spokesperson for a group of residents who had presented a petition regarding the work.

The main concerns cited in the petition were ongoing concerns about water flow in Boot Creek throughout New Richland. Cory Bienfang, an engineer with Bolton & Menk then addressed the council to explain detailed plans and specifications for the project, which are on file at city hall.

Work to be done on Ash Avenue includes widening the roadway from 37 to 40 feet with two 12-foot drive lanes and two eight-foot shoulder parking lanes; additional four-foot widening on parent dropoff and pickup zone south of where the school buses park; sidewalk consistent with existing condition; new water main and sanitary sewer system; full storm sewer replacement; nine-ton pavement design.

Plans for Broadway include matching the street’s current width, with curbs staying in “relatively the same location”; drive and parking lane plans were described as similar to Ash Avenue, with sidewalks to match the existing conditions; utility improvements as well as a new water main, sewer system replacement, and nine-ton pavement design.

Plans for Fourth Street include no change to roadway width or curb placement, a sidewalk on the south side, nine-ton pavement design, and a new sanitary sewer system that will “hopefully improve drainage.”

Third Street will be narrowed from 40 to 36 feet and a cul-de-sac to match the existing roadway is planned, along with new sewer and water, and a storm sewer system that is expected to improve drainage.

The next step in the 2025 street project is to advertise for bids, with bid results to be presented at the April 14 meeting of the city council. An assessment hearing will follow, after which time the council will consider the adoption of an assessment rule prepared and presented based on the lowest bid.

An additional open house will be held prior to the project’s construction start date, slated for June 3. The goal is to have “drivable roads by the start of school” and “substantial completion” before winter.

It was also noted that transparency and feedback from the community will continue to be a priority throughout the remaining steps of the project. Information about details from a recent open house held to provide local residents more information on the project can be found in a recent Star Eagle article, and the council meeting can be viewed on the City of New Richland’s YouTube page for those wishing to hear Bienfang’s presentation to the council and answers to questions from local citizens in attendance in their entirety. Further information can also be found on the city website, with various maps and a schedule of the project’s milestones available in the March 10 council meeting packet under the drop-menu on the “government” tab on the site.

After no objections were raised during a brief public hearing held during the meeting, the council approved rezoning a piece of property at 110 North Ash Avenue to allow its use as an event center.

Tanyce Bruegger, police chief, presented the police report, stating that the NRPD responded to 102 calls for service in February. A request to begin the background check process for a part-time applicant who was interviewed earlier this month was approved by the council, followed by a discussion regarding diagonal parking by bus drivers at the school, which is a violation of state statute and has resulted in difficulties for parents picking up students and complaints to the department.

“It’s an ongoing thing we’ve been dealing with,” Bruegger said. “We’ve been getting several complaints over concern for people having to do u-turns and unnecessary traffic driving through the parking lot to get to the preschool dropoff.”

Bruegger reported she has been in contact with the school’s principal and superintendent as well as the city attorney, who approved an email to bus drivers notifying them that, if traffic continues to be impeded, they risk being cited for violating state statute. It is expected that the matter will be handled internally among school administration and staff.

Police department purchase requests were approved for $935 for uniforms and two evidence equipment bags; $3,750 to the South Central Drug Investigation Unit; $3,379 to Lexipol for policy/procedure software.

Eric Hendrickson presented the maintenance and utilities report, stating that 11 blue cards were issued in February resulting in zero shutoffs. Maintenance purchase requests were approved for $64,682 for control and alarm upgrades at the water plant; up to $2,500 for crow’s nest improvements; up to three truckloads of gravel at a cost of $468 each; $1,035 for a one-year ESRI extension.

The ambulance, fire department, and care center reports were all submitted in writing, with the ambulance report approved as presented. The fire department report, which stated that five total calls - two fire and three medical - were responded to in February, was also approved.

The care center report noted a financial loss for January due to low census and high level of agency staff, and openings remain for CNA and RN or LPN positions. The report was approved.

Shell Johnson presented the PeopleService report, which included a reminder to local residents and businesses to be mindful of what goes into the sewer - specifically wipes, blue shop towels, socks, cigarette butts, fats, oils, grease, fish tank water with rocks, plastic baggies, food leftovers, and more, which Johnson has had to remove by hand in some circumstances. Other repairs that will be necessary in the coming months were discussed, and the report was approved.

A consolidated waste contract with Thompson Sanitation was approved. New business included the approval of February’s check register and financials as well as a discussion regarding a municipal cannabis dispensary due to a recent deadline for license application that would be required if the city and its residents desire in the future. City administrator Tony Martens noted that he reached out to Byron’s city manager, who has experience in the matter, and explained that the League of Minnesota Cities will not insure cannabis dispensaries at this time, the State Bank of New Richland - along with all but a handful of banks in the state - is not willing to handle funds from a cannabis dispensary.

“I caution the council about the actual benefit versus cost,” Martens said.

The council approved placing the city-owned 2016 Chevy Impala up for bid, and discussed a joint flood committee meeting with the county board. Following review of the administrator’s report, the meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.