Posted: 9/5/06
Major electrical improvements to be made in city
By Jane Palen
Managing Editor
The City of Caledonia will spend $800,000 over the next four years to bring its electrical system up to date.
The quote came from Power Plus Engineering, the firm that recently completed a project in Caledonia that was approved after the city experienced eight power outages. The $135,000 project included replacing two of six feeder lines from the substation behind city hall.
The improvements recommended by Power Plus include converting the 4kV feeders to 12.5kV to improve the distribution of power throughout the city; provide service upgrades, replace poles, and replace some cable and transformers installed in the 1970s with 15kV cable and pad-mounted transformers.
ìThe city is a business,î said councilman Paul Fisch. ìWe need to keep this up and current.î
The $800,000 represents an estimate by Power Plus of the amount of money the city should set aside for electrical improvements over the next four years. The firm will be responsible for preparing bids and specifications to have the work performed.
City will bid burner
The city also decided to let bids for rehabilitation or replacement of the methane burner at the wastewater treatment plant.
Tony Klug of the city water and sewer department presented a quote to the city from Winona Controls for $43,800 for replacement of the unit.
After discussion, council members noted that a number of factors could affect the bid price, and that if bids are let they may not necessarily be comparable to the quote furnished by Winona Controls.
Councilman Fisch said he is favor of letting bids this fall for completion of the project by April 15.
The council also approved $28,000 for the purchase of a grinder which is used to grind up materials such as rags which end up in the sewer system.
Sewer rates will be adjusted to cover the costs of the upgrades. The council is considering a 4-year payback period. The increase will be spread out among the cityís 1,250 sewer and water customers.
Most not complying with
mosquito abatement
Only one location out of 14 in the city that were found to be breeding sites for mosquitoes has taken steps to clear up the problem.
Wiebke Tire and Exhaust, located on Highway 76, was found to be a potential breeding site on July 3, but at the time of the inspection mosquitoes were not breeding. A recheck on August 7 found that the situation had been abated.
Ten other sites in which problems were found in July were still potential problems when rechecked in August; all were designated ìwet and breeding.î An additional four spots were located as breeding sites in August.
The type of mosquitoes that carry the La Crosse strain of viral encephalitis and West Nile virus breed in standing water such as tree holes, tires, buckets, and other containers. Ponds are generally not a problem because there is water movement on the surface, which drowns the insects.
Truth in Taxation
hearing scheduled
The city scheduled December 4 for its Truth in Taxation hearing, and the continuation meeting will be December 14. The city will review its budgets and set its levy at those meetings
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com