Greetings!
Well, this week just flew by. I hope everyone enjoyed the slightly cooler weather as of late, but it sounds like it’s going heat right back up next week. I have a fun filled weekend of multiple three-year old’s birthday parties, but I hope to get out and mow my lawn if my wife lets me. ?? If you have any questions or comments about this blog, my email is jkruggel@cityoflesueur.com, and my phone number is 507-593-8312.
7/10/2017 City Council Meeting Recap
City Council did some good work on Monday. We received very good bond sale interest rates for the Second Street Reconstruction Project. The rate that we received was 2.46%, which was lower than expected. Le Sueur has an S&P rating of AA-, which means we have a great grasp of the financials here at the City and should continue to see good bond sale interest rates.
City Council also approved a facility usage and Community Education agreement with the Le Sueur-Henderson School District. I had the pleasure of working with Superintendent Gersich on this project, and I look forward to evaluating future partnerships with the school.
A series of financial services agreements were also approved, providing the City with high quality financial and payroll services.
We also had a discussion about the 2018 budget process. The Personnel and Budget Committee will hold their first meeting on July 19th at 10:00 AM.
Streets Division
The Streets Division has been busy keeping up with mowing responsibilities in the right-of-way around town. They are also continuing to patch the road surface in the seal coat area, and they also repaired the curb in the vicinity of the Holiday gas station.
Water/Wastewater Division
The Water/Wastewater Division is performing the locates associated with the Second Street Improvement Project. You may see flags and paint being applied in the area; please leave them alone. This group is continuing to perform annual maintenance as necessary.
Electric Division
The Electric Division finished up their work in the Coventry Road/Park Lane area. A new overhead line pole was set on Jay Street and locates requests have picked up.
Community Development
Sam DiMaggio has been attacking a grant application associated with rural entrepreneurship. This grant was authorized by City Council and is through the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. The grant is only available to cities in southern Minnesota under 5,000 in population. Five communities will be selected for the three-year program. Fingers crossed!!
Parks and Recreation
On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, our Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program continues to be a popular class for our members. This is a warm-water exercise program led by an instructor that is shown to reduce pain and improve overall health. This class is suitable for all fitness levels while providing a supportive environment that encourages social interaction among participants.
Giant 5K Run and Sprout Route - Planning for the Giant 5K Run and Sprout Route on Saturday of Giant Days continues with registrations flowing in. The business challenge has taken off with 110 individuals already registered at Le Sueur Incorporated alone. As part of the challenge, we’ll be developing a traveling trophy to the “winning” business. Being a push for health and community participation, everyone wins.
Facilities
The property line staking at the Airport has been completed, and general equipment repairs have filled up the week. The dehumidifier at the Water Plant and the pump at the outdoor pool needed attention and refrigerant piping, and valve leak evaluation is occurring at the ice arena.
City Clerk/Communications
Night to Unite - Last year was the first time we formally took part in Night to Unite, and it was a great success. Our Police Officers enjoyed stopping at the various block parties in town and visiting with residents. Night to Unite is a nationally celebrated event for neighbors to gather and dedicate time to strengthening our commitment to a safe community. It can be as simple as turning on your front porch lights and getting together with your neighbors to play yard games and catch up.
The Le Sueur Police Department is looking forward to participating in Night to Unite celebrations once again this year on Tuesday, August 1st. If you or someone in your neighborhood is planning a Night to Unite gathering, please contact the Le Sueur PD so that we can stop by for a visit (and share some prizes too). Registration forms are available here.
Warrior Dash – More than ten-thousand people visited Le Sueur for last Saturday’s Warrior Dash. They put on a great event and have made a commitment to holding the event at the Caribou Gun Club for the next several years. We asked Le Sueur residents to share their photos, and they didn’t disappoint! You can view them on our Facebook page.
2018 Budget Process
Staff has started the 2018 budget formation process with City Council. This process takes some time, but that ensures that a thoughtful and comprehensive budget is adopted. The Personnel and Budget Committee will have five planning meetings that are open to the public to attend regarding the budget process. At each meeting Personnel and Budget Committee representatives will answer a series of questions and give input to take City Staff to the next level, ultimately completing the budget process by December.
If anyone has input they would like discussed at these meetings; I would suggest reaching out to me directly or talking to your City Council representation. I have received a few emails from citizens regarding requests for improvements, and we will be discussing these at the planning meetings.
The City will be adopting a Capital Improvement Plan and a Capital Equipment Plan for the 2018 budget. These plans are essential in assisting the City plan for future projects and equipment needs into the future. Developing these plans will also allow for City Council to have a comprehensive equipment list and will also allow staff to evaluate the aging fleet we are seeing. There’s nothing wrong with getting the most use out of a piece of equipment, but we also need to take into account safety and maintenance costs.
If you’re interested in the budget process and how it works, please reach out, and I can describe the process in detail, and better discuss when to provide input based on personal goals.
Closing Thoughts
Is this one shorter? I don’t know…
If you have any suggestions on what you’d like to see in these blogs, please let me know. I like talking about specific issues or programs to make sure the citizens of this great city know what’s all out there.
Have a great weekend!