City looking at land options..... Ag-based business looking at Enderlin area
Mayor Deon Maasjo informed the Enderlin City Council that an ag-based business company is looking at building in the immediate area of Enderlin and would require 33 acres of property.
Maasjo told the Council that when the process is complete, the company would provide 15 to 25 new jobs. Maasjo also shared with them that the owners said that 90% of the employees would live in Enderlin.
During the discussion period, council members asked questions of Maasjo such as would they require a large amount of water? Maasjo said that their water needs would be minimal. When would they be constructing this business? The plans are for construction to begin in August. The question as to what this business would require from the City was asked? To this question, Maasjo said that the company would be presenting their business plan to the Enderlin Economic Develop-ment Committee soon.
Maasjo said that he is excited about this project and said that the governor’s office is already interested and on board.
Maasjo asked permission from the council to obtain the first option on a specific site of property adjacent to the City of Enderlin, to which the council voted to allow.
Maasjo, in the absence of the Community Affairs Ad-vocate, Sara Dixson, presented an application for Sales Tax funds from Maple River Development LLC, aka the Enderlin Inn, which had been approved and recommendation given for city approval. The application asked for a loan in the amount of $25,000 at 4 percent interest for five to seven years. In the application it was stated that the money would be used for property repairs and maintenance.
In the narrative, written by Nick Storhaug, it was related that since the Enderlin Inn opened they have paid an average of $67,000 per year in salaries, patronized local vendors, and collected nearly $24,000 in sales tax, of which $2,400 has come back to the community.
Following discussion, it was voted to approve the application, contingent on the city attorney’s research as to whether the city had loan money. Torbenson abstained himself as he is an Inn stockholder.
Dixson’s report also asked the council to consider the closure of Third Avenue to Center Street during the SunFest in September.
Gene Johnson attended the meeting to discuss the sale of the Soo Line Engine #2425 by the city council. He made a request for a copy of the asbestos removal bids received by Maasjo. Maasjo said that the costs he had quoted were from phone conversations. Johnson asked for names of the people that Maasjo had spoken to concerning the asbestos re-moval, to which Maasjo said he did not write down the names.
Council member Maynard Torbenson told Johnson that the engine was not sold because of the asbestos issue, but to be sure that the engine would once more be operational. Elva Engstrom said that the engine had been on the council’s agenda for a long time and no input or objections were received from the public. “It is a done deal, nothing more can be done. Where was the concern all those months.?”
Johnson said he thought the law read that public property of a certain value ($18,000 for scrap iron) cannot be sold without going through the bidding process. City attorney, Fallon Kelly, said that the council determines the value of an item. Johnson then stated that if the city were to buy a pickup and then sell it to a friend, that also would be okay.
Johnson also asked Kelly if he drew up the purchase agreement with Erik Thomp-son of Ironhorse Enterprises, to which Kelly said yes. When Kelly was shown the agreement, he stated that he had drawn up the initial agreement, but did not draft the modifications to the agreement. (The agreement had many lines blocked out with black marker).
Johnson asked the council if they knew what verbiage on the agreement had been crossed off? Maasjo said he did not.
Councilman Tim Michael-son asked Johnson, “What do you want, refurbished or the money?” Johnson answered he wanted the money for the taxpayers.
Torbenson said that he has visited with retired rails and they told him to get rid of it (the engine). Council member Robert Ludtke told Johnson that half of the people didn’t even know what was under the building in Baxter Park.
Johnson said that it “was a sad day in Enderlin’s history”.
Maasjo shared that he had received a communication with the EPA in Bismarck, relating that an Enderlin citizen had said that asbestos was leaching into the ground water, hurting our children. Frank Egan asked how you test for leaching into the city water? Rick Gillund, Public Works Superintendent, said that the city’s water reports have never come back with asbestos noted. Maasjo asked Gillund to take more tests, requesting the water be checked for asbestos.
Maasjo asked Johnson if the Enderlin Historical Society would approve the city putting sidewalk from the City Auditorium up to the steps of the museum? The curb in this area will be equalized with the new curb in front of the auditorium. Johnson said he personally approved, but he was only one member of the committee.
Egan asked Johnson about the Historical Society meeting that they held at the library. Johnson said that the group had voted to first make arrangements to own the building. They are tem-porarily putting covers over the windows and they did some cleaning inside the building.
The museum building will be put on the July agenda.
Andy Peterson asked what the council had planned for the museum building? The answer was nothing, as the building did not belong to the city. Peterson said his daughter, Gwen, was a curator and she said if the artifacts in the building are not taken care of, soon they will be ‘only junk’.
Kevin Bunn said that the council’s only concern was for the safety of the interior artifacts and that is why they considered moving them to the basement of the city auditorium.
Johnson related that he had spoken to a lady who had planned to give some money to the Historical Society, but since the city got rid of its’ biggest artifact, she no longer was interested in supporting the museum.
Tracy Eslinger, Moore Engineering, shared with the council that the State Water Commission will be hiring a well driller to test for additional wells for the city, hopefully in July. Eslinger also said that upon investigation of the water and sewer accounts, it would not be necessary to raise the rates. He also invited the council to Moore Engineer’s open house of their new building on June 26th.
Egan, Enderlin Housing Authority chairman, once more requested that the city approve a $636.19 loan for operations and management expenses for the month of May. Egan also requested that the city help the Authority with the mowing around the properties. Maasjo said that the city mowers could do the back portion of the property, but the equipment was too big to manicure the front lawns.
John (JP) Peterson attended the meeting in regard to the Anthony Ernst property. He said Ernst was working in the western part of the state and was not able to attend the meeting.
The city had voted to go ahead with the abatement process on the property. Kelly said that Bruce Fadness had not yet been able to do the property appraisal. Peterson was told that there has not been any noticeable progress on the property, to which Peterson said that all the work has been internal. He said that all new plumbing has been installed and new wiring was in progress and a new roof would be installed next week. Peterson also said that no one from the Ernst project has been using the facilities at Maple River Manor as related at the council’s last meeting.
The council instructed Peterson that the pile of dirt on the property would need to be cleaned up and also produce pictures of the work done so far.
Dave Lutgen reported for the Renaissance Zone. He said that the Bunn project is completed and the Adair project was expected to be complete in June.
Gillund’s report included that he is waiting for a cost estimate on painting the old water tower; they are larvaciding for mosquitoes and spraying for dandelions; the city pool is filled and getting heated, but will not open until next week due to the cool and wet weather; he also discussed the need for deck cement work needing to be done. Gillund also spoke about making the sign on Railway Street presentable. The council suggested that all of the rocks be hauled out. Gillund said he is working with Sharon Bartels and Duane Skramstad on putting shrubs and flowers, and possibly painting the pillars. He said that installing sprinklers and lighting would really set off the sign better.
The council approved a vacation of an alley petition. A hearing on the vacation will be held at the council’s July meeting on the first.
It was reported that every picnic table at the volleyball court was wrecked by skateboarders. Kelly said that he is pursuing prosecution because this is vandalism. Signs are being placed at the location, denying any skateboards use of the area.
The council discussed adding the volleyball court, tennis court and Baxter Park to the ordinance concerning skateboarders.
Engstrom asked what the city’s ordinance reads for the use of golf carts in the city limits. She said with the rising cost of gas, people are looking for cheaper ways to move around the community. The council also discussed the necessity of the city looking for more economical vehicles.
Torbenson asked if the Dan Billings can use the city’s white tables for a wedding reception that will be held in the city auditorium, to which the answer was yes. It was discussed that there is no water in the building, other than the basement which makes it quite inconvenient for people using the auditorium. Maasjo said he would ask Gillund to look into installing a sink and drain in the area where the old bathrooms were located on the main floor.
In other action, the council approved two raffles, one for the Eagle Booster Club for a 4-wheeler and the other for the Enderlin Sheldon Wildlife Club on September 20th.
Liquor license renewals were granted for the Trio Bar, Queen Pin Inc., (Sparetime Lounge), VFW, Friendly Tavern and Bottle Stop Liquors.