The Round Lake City Council met in special session on Wednesday, June 1st, 2016 at 6:15pm to discuss options for the equipment storage for the items that are currently located in the West end of the Pit Stop and possible relocation of the City Hall, Fire Department, and the City Works Department. Council Members present were: Dennis Bucholz, Court Baumgard, Walon Habben, Gary Larson and Mayor Doug Knuth. Others present were: Marty Waage, Kurt Lintelman, Becky and Doug Strandberg, Keith Stubbe, Mike Smith, Deputy Mike Schei and Deputy Ryan Muehe.
Meeting called to order by Mayor Knuth at 6:15pm.
This meeting was strictly a work meeting to discuss the needs and options available for the equipment that is currently stored in the West end of the Pit Stop building. There are multiple trucks and large equipment as well as Fire Department and City Works items that need to be moved out once the building is sold.
Mayor Doug Knuth is working with Abraham Algadi to find funding for a new building to house the Fire Trucks and equipment that belongs to the Fire Department/ City Hall. Gary Larson and Dennis Bucholz have both been talking to Keith Tordsen separately on buying or possibly renting his building located on Main Street near the current Fire Hall. He is asking $72,500. Further discussion is needed on this.
Senior Citizens are looking into using the room at the Round Lake Community Center and giving up their current building. They are wondering about options with the City. Some discussion about making a combination City Hall/Senior Citizen Center/equipment storage building on the cement slab located behind the current Fire Hall and Senior Citizen Center. Further discussion is needed on this.
One of the larger pieces of equipment is the road grader. Bruce checked into the price to have someone hired to grade the minimal amount of gravel that we have in town and the price is $60/hour. Other equipment that the Council asked Bruce to check into possibly trading in for more relevant equipment is the tanker truck, the street sweeper, the Kubota and the finishing mower. The space that would be opened up would solve the City Works lack of space and they could use the money from the trade-ins to buy a skid loader and attachments that better suit the City’s needs. They need to find space to put the hot box that is used to fill potholes.
The Council toured the current City Works building and realized that the interior condition has deteriorated more than they realized. The roof needs to be replaced, the shop needs to be insulated and the exterior steel is also needing updating. There are windows already purchased to go in City Hall, Bruce will look into doing that either before or after the siding, whichever is recommended by the contractor. General updates are needed to the current City Hall/City Works building.
The Fire Department has a meeting on Monday, June 6th. They will go through the stuff that is located in the West end of the Pit Stop to determine what needs to be saved and what can be gotten rid of. This will give a better indication of the space needed.
The Council talked to Lyle Heath about space that he has for rent and he currently does not have anything that would fit the needs of the City.
Bar Partnership building located on 2nd Avenue is available for lease at $900-1,000.00 per month. The Council does not feel that is a good option at this point.
Bruce and Derek were instructed to put the larger equipment that is currently in the West end of the Pit Stop on the cement slab and have it outside for the time being. The City will be allowed 30 days to have access to the West end of the building (July 13th, 2016) which will give the City Council time to research their options.
Motion by Habben, second by Larson to adjourn meeting. All ayes: Carried.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:31pm.