Monday night’s Lennox Council meeting had just a few agenda changes noted before business got underway. Under new business, Council took A and D off the agenda to be addressed at the next meeting, and the engineer’s report was moved up to be the first report of the night.
With no visitors to be heard, council went right into the reports. City Engineer Mitch Mergen with Stockwell Engineering noted contracts were delivered to Slowey construction for execution. They were awarded the bid for the City of Lennox’s Central Basin Project Phase 3 project. This is a continuation of previous phases. The project consists of street and utility upgrades throughout the project limits (Juniper Street between 1st and 3rd, Cedar Street between 1st and 3rd and 2nd Ave. between Main and Elm). Mergen said that a public meeting will be scheduled in the coming months to present the project to adjacent residents. Construction is planned to begin June 1st. Mergen noted until spring there would not be a lot happening.
City Administrator Nathan Vander Plaats presented his report to the council. He shared the department heads list of their top five accomplishments for the year.
Vander Plaats said, “We have a lot to celebrate from 2019, but still a lot of progress to make in 2020.”
More information on accomplishments and challenges that face the City of Lennox according to Vander Plaats can be found in his monthly column on page 3 of this week’s newspaper.
Finance Officer Denise Hanson shared the highlights of 2019.
“Our final revenue and expense for 2019 wrapped up with our general fund coming in with all but 3% of the budget and expense coming in under budget by 8%,” she said.
Hanson also included a new report called Budget Control Summary, giving a summarized picture of revenue and expense by department.
She said, “Cash balances show the general fund checking at a negative, but investments are healthy. This mainly due to transfer to ambulance at the end of calendar year. Sewer fund is in the negative as well, and this mainly due to the Central Basin project and the check that is being held until loan and grant dollars come in.”
All of the documents are available to the public online at the city website: www.cityoflennoxsd.com.
Vander Plaats noted that the city did come in over budget on 2nd Penny for the second year in a row.
Jeremy Gulbranson, Public Works Director, presented his report to the council.
Under the Street Department accountability portion Gulbranson stated, “Snow and ice control procedures have been reviewed with staff as well as snow plowing techniques. We can better utilize our time removing snow by how we choose to plow our routes, limiting turning around and limiting travel on already plowed surfaces. Staff was informed that we need to do a better job plowing curb to curb for drainage during slow melt and to avoid narrowing of streets that will make it difficult for resident and emergency vehicle traffic.”
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Click on the Image for the Snow Removal Policies & Procedures.