The Park Rapids City Council on Tuesday, May 11 authorized current city officials to sign an extension agreement with Lamb Weston/RDO, which the council had adopted on July 9, 2019.
The agreement concerned the maintenance and operation of the wastewater treatment facility needed by the companies’ potato processing plant. The city financed the sewage facility’s construction in 1995 and refinanced it in 2010, while Lamb Weston and R.D. Offutt Farms paid the principal and interest.
According to the 2019 staff report enclosed in the council’s agenda packet, the debt on the sewage facility was retired in 2015, but the original agreement only ran until 2025. In order to secure the plant’s ongoing operation, the companies requested extending the agreement until 2039 with two optional five-year extensions after that.
City Administrator Angel Weasner confirmed that the signing of the agreement fell into a crack during the transition between previous city administrators John McKinney and Ryan Mathisrud.
The item was pulled from the consent agenda due to a conflict of interest for council member Tom Conway. Council member Erika Randall moved to approve the request, and the motion passed 4-0 with Conway abstaining.
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Konshok commended
The council also presented a commendation to David R. Konshok for more than 60 years of community service and accepted his recent resignation from the Park Rapids Airport Commission.
Konshok was not present to receive the commendation, but Weasner noted that he was officially appointed to the airport commission on Jan. 18, 1961 and was inducted into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame in 2013.
In consent items and general business, the council:
Appointed David W. Konshok to fill the vacancy on the airport commission due to his father’s resignation.
Awarded the bid for the Career Path street project to J&J Excavating, Inc. of Staples for $470,873, contingent on obtaining the remaining easements. Other bidders were Central Specialties, Feldt Plumbing and Excavating, Gladen Construction, J.R. Ferche, Kuechle Underground, R.L. Larson Excavating, Stellin Brothers and Utility Systems of America, with bids ranging up to $664,942.
Approved Career Path easements to the city from L&H Lodging (AmericInn Motel), the Hubbard County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (Meadow View Apartments), Galen M. Johnson (ReMax) and the Hubbard County Developmental Achievement Center (Salvage Depot), and ratified the city’s Career Path easement to the city approved at the council’s April 27 meeting.
Paid Al Bellevue $6,000 for the “Ant Venture” sculpture for Deane Park as part of the city’s Sculpture Walk.
Paid the Hubbard County auditor-treasurer $18,195 for first-half property taxes.
Paid Apex Engineering $17,164 for work on various projects, including the water treatment facility and well, tennis courts and Career Path projects.
Paid Hawkins, Inc. $2,486 for water treatment chemicals.
Paid Dakota Fluid Power, Inc. $2,305 to repair the cylinders on the fire department’s ladder truck.
Paid the Hubbard County Auditor $1,702 for the first-half 2021 property taxes on the Armory Arts and Events Center.
Authorizing increasing airport hangar rent by 3 percent.
Approved a public facilities use permit for Amity Gray with Calvary Lutheran Church to have a picnic Wednesday, May 26 at Deane Park.
Authorized a 3.5 percent convenience fee for using credit cards to pay for fees and invoices over $500.
Designated City Clerk Beret Ramstad Skoyles as an authorized signature for the city.
Approved payables totaling $60,230 and prepaids totaling $110,113.
The city council’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 25 at city hall.
