November 6th Council Update

The Council vote 5-0 to move forward with the preparations for the Water Treatment Plant. There is really no other option for the health and safety of our residents. The cancer causing radium issue, the iron/manganese issue and the competitive edge of competing with our neighboring cities that have or will have a water treatment facility makes a difficult decision a bit easier. Our water rates, which are lower than Cambridge and St Francis currently would have to increase to their levels to pay for the facility. I wish we did not have the radium issue especially but since we can not move our city we have to deal with the problem head on.

The moratorium on new residential development passed on a 3-2 vote. CM Johnson and Larson voted against. I was not surprised by the vote but was hopefully they would see the benefit to the city and to developers. The moratorium would only affect new residential development. The roughly 400 unbuilt plotted lots would still be able to be developed, keeping builders busy for 5 to 10 years.

The moratorium on residential development gives the city time to bring all ordinances up to date when the new comp plan is adopted. This is important so that a development does not start under the old ordinances then is rejected because the new ordinances would not allow it. This saves time and money for the developer. If as suggested we simply allow the old ordinances to stay in effect then the City never should have paid the hundred thousand plus for the new comp plan. The moratorium can last as long as one year but could end sooner if the r1, r2, r3, r4 and pud subdivision ordinances are completed before that time.

We are moving forward with placing a like at Riverside Park. Hopefully we will have a light up and working ASAP. . .