Posted: 4/5/05
City considers parking changes
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
Ten days after the area experienced one of the biggest snowstorms in recent history, the question of alternate side parking was raised at the city council meeting.
The discussion at the March 28 meeting of the council was prompted by difficulties experienced by city crews as they attempted to clear the snow from the streets after the storm that dropped 18 inches of snow over a two-day period.
City clerk/administrator Robert Nelson told the council that he discovered that the city had an ordinance in 1967 which called for alternate side parking between October 1 and April 1. On the even numbered days, cars were allowed to park only on the north and west sides of the streets. On odd-numbered days, parking on the street was allowed only on the south and east sides. The ordinance was repealed after several years, probably because of the difficulty in enforcing it, said Nelson.
The council agreed that it would like to have public input on the matter. The clerk will also check with other cities to see what measures they employ during snow emergencies. Allowing no parking on the street during a snow emergency is another option.
The council praised the work of the city crews following the latest storm.
In a related matter, councilman Paul Fisch said he would like to see a limit on the length of time a waste container for demolition material can be on the street.
Council updated on
recycling program
County environmental services director Rick Frank updated council member on the recycling program.
According to Frank, revenues were up slightly in 2004 due to an increase in the value of ferrous metals. Sale of those materials brought in $9,419. Total revenues were $255,286, an increase of $19,249 over 2003.
Expenditures for the program were $245,037, an increase of $14,734 over 2003. Those figures include the cost of operating the supervised drop off sites, $17,051, but no labor costs.
The county paid $1,420 in rent last year to the owner of its Caledonia site. The rest of the drop sites are located on land owned by the county.
Frank also told the board that salvage rights have been renegotiated so that items taken to the sites donít show up again elsewhere.
Coaches, concessionaires needed for summer
With summer quickly approaching, the council spent some time discussing the shortage of coaches for the softball season, and the lack of a person willing to run the concession stand.
As of the meeting date, the city had only three coaches lined up for the summer, and one of those was a parent. At least five more coaches will be needed.
Council members discussed whether the pay for coaches, $6 per hour, was too low. A meeting will be held April 12 at 7:30 p.m. with last yearís summer recreation director, Tina Esch, and Zach Hauser, who will be heading the program this summer. Esch has agreed to help set up the program but will not be available after April. Gary Klug and Randi Vick are the council members who are on the committee.
The city is still seeking someone to run the concession stand. The person who gets the job pays electricity and furnishes the inventory but keeps all the proceeds. Anyone interested can contact the city clerkís office.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com