County Board Notes-Oct. 9, 2012

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

Committee of the Whole-3 PM
Commissioners are trying to grapple with distrust, the turnback approach (project vs lump sum) and MnDOT's lack of incentive to negotiate with Steele County.

The County Board continues to find frustrations with the Highway 14 turnback negotiations with MnDOT. Distrust, phantom documents and deadlines, inconsistencies in the agreement leaves the Board discussing the best approach, and wondering how far to push the issue with limited positive results for the county.

Commissioner Kubicek asked the Board if the county is willing to go to court?  If taken to court, the best result that could happen would be the removal of limited access to turnback funds; the county would still have to negotiate with MnDOT, leaving all commissioners realistically wondering if negotiations would improve at that point (after having been to court) and MnDOT could still choose to cut the county out of the turnback money, which would be a hard hit for Steele County. Also, a consideration is any ill-will or push back from MnDOT on the completion of Highway 14 from Owatonna to Dodge Center.

One option  the commissioners discussed is to accept MnDOT's turnback agreement, with the stipulation of using a mediator with a final completion date. The turnback agreement model the commissioners would like to use/agree to would be a recent 2011 Chisago County project based model (totals are tallied when the work/project is complete), not a lump sum model (with estimates of cost that MnDOT is currently proposing).

The latest word from MnDOT gives the Board until Oct. 17 to respond to their latest proposal.

City Council Notes-Oct. 2, 2012

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

Resolutions approved were in relation to the Fareway/Mayo Clinic site development and progress:

48-12-Sale of property to Fareway Stores, Inc.

49-12-Sale of property to Mayo Health System, Owatonna

50-12-Preliminary and final plat of Fareway Food Stores Addition (which were some OPU and private easements)

Ordinances approved were related to the Fareway Foods site development and new Walzer car dealer:

3.5.1-second reading of zone change for the former Owatonna Hospital/Mayo Clinic administrative offices

3.5.2-zone change for the new Walzer property from ag land to commercial  as well as a larger/taller sign for interstate traffic (requirements will be in place)

3.5.3-Utilities liens: this allows OPU to take past due bills and nonpayments and post on the tax rolls

Contracts approved were:

Local 70, IUOE (public works): slight salary increase over a two year period (1% in 2012, 1% in early 2013 and .5% in mid-2013)

Local 1920 (firefighters): same salary increase as above; some add'l clothing/uniform costs were added

Nonunion wages: the same wage increase above was approved for nonunion wages

County Board Notes-Sept. 25, 2012

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

At the Committee of the Whole meeting:

• Two new county employees were introduced from Public Health Nursing.
• Commissioners discussed a budget hearing/truth in taxation date (potentially Dec. 11 at 6 PM)
• Charity Floen and Melinda Skalicky presented MnDOT's 3C's (cooperation, consolidation and collaboration), which is to improve the overall state of transportation in MN. Two other transit providers are interested in the SCAT bid. County is under contract with the Owatonna Bus Company through the end of 2012. The Owatonna Bus Company intends to bid again, but voiced their concern with not being able to compete with non-profit entities on cost.
• Commissioners reviewed and discussed the Fareway Foods traffic study and permit; they intended to approve at the 7 PM meeting.
• Highway 14 Turn Back: Anita Benson is having trouble getting information back from MnDOT to further review and negotiate the old Hwy. 14.  A similar approach as Waseca has recently taken was discussed-there potentially could be county attorney action in the future. MnDOT is taking core samples tomorrow. The county has rejected the lump sum project; MnDOT's deadline is Oct. 12. More information is intended to arrive shortly from MnDOT.
• Appx. $970,000 is still to be cut from the budget to hit the 2.4% levy increase.

School Board Candidate Forum-Oct. 1, 2012

Candidate forums are heating up this fall as a number events are designed to bring the business community closer to the views of Owatonna citizens seeking office. Below is a photo and link to a short summary video of the October 1st School Board forum.

Forums are held Monday's in October (save the 29th) at the Owatonna Country Club, 1991 Lemond Rd. at Noon (free of charge and the public is welcome).  Forum partners are the Owatonna Chamber of Commerce, Owatonna People's Press and the Noon and Early Edition Rotary Clubs.

Ron Van Nurden gives his views at the School Board Candidate Forum on Oct. 1.
Van Nurden is seeking a four-year term on the school board.

Candidates seeking four-year terms:
David Anderson
Ronald Van Nurden
Keynen Wall
Dale Fairbanks
Eric Schuster

Candidates seeking two-year terms:
Mark Sebring
Bill Wall

City Public Works Budget Study Session Notes: Sept.18, 2012

Public Works Budget Study Session notes.


A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.


They have been working on Cost Avoidance this year.

• Painting curbs and strips at night to avoid traffic.
• Sharing vehicles between departments.
• Leased equipment to tear houses down rather than purchase it.
• Used city labor to make improvements at Waste Water Plant.

Note: Waste Water Treatment Plant has received Excellence Award 19 of the past 22 years.

Storm Water – Cleaned up river with volunteers.

Goals for 2013

• Work on storm water flow problems.
• Increase work on road improvements
• Increase security at Waste Water Plant.

It was very difficult to hear anything that was being said, so I am sure I missed much of the important stuff. I have also attached a couple of pie charts that they passed around.

County Board Notes-Sept. 11, 2012

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

3 PM Committee of the Whole

-Commissioners were to be introduced to new employees; not present/available
-Commissioners heard an update from Charity Floen on the Regional Redesign-Resolution.  Mower and Dodge counties are moving forward with the partnership; Freeborn and Houston counties are out.  Owatonna and Waseca counties are yet to pass a resolution to commit to the partnership. The Bush Foundation is funding up to $80,000 for this partnership effort.
-The commissioners were presented the 2013 preliminary levy budget by Shea and department heads (Victim Services, Jail). Commissioners approved a 2.4% levy increase ($21,349,842.00) at the 7 PM meeting that night.  Shea and departments are to lower the 2.4% before the final adoption.

City Council Notes-Sept. 4, 2012

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2012 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

There were two major points of business to this meeting and they are highlighted below:
Public Hearing: Development plan for Tax Increment Financing (former hospital/Fareway Foods/Sacred Heart Church project)

-Full presentation on the project and all the parts including the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) from the City of Owatonna to make the project work.
-A lengthy presentation explaining how the TIF will work was given by the City’s consultant on this project.
-Several questions were asked by the council.
-Pat Hagen, Fareway Foods gave a short overview of the company and how the process came together between all the parties involved in this site.  He said that everyone had to feel good about the outcome for it to work and to his knowledge all parties are happy with the potential outcome.

Details of the TIF can be found at : http://ci.owatonna.mn.us/sites/default/files/documents/2011/01/Agenda_packet_2012-09-04_Part_A.pdf.
Resolution to approve the increment financing district and use of TIF was approved by the City Council and a hearing date was set on a business subsidy for the $200,000 in TIF being considered for Mayo Health Systems.  That hearing will be on Sept. 18th.

Council approved a resolution setting a proposed levy for 2013.  The council approved the resolution which reflects a 2% levy increase over 2012.  This can be adjusted down from the 2% by the council at the time of their final budget approval but cannot go any higher.

Council also approved a levy for the Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA) of $120,000 which is the same level of funding for the last 12 years.  

In addition, Council approved proposed budget for 2013.  The final budget will be approved in December, no later than Dec. 18th.