|
New police officer is appointed
|
|
|
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Chad Heuser, of La Crescent, was appointed as Caledonia’s newest police officer. The city’s police committee, which included councilmembers Randi Vick and Gary Klug, made a recommendation to hire Heuser at the July 14 council meeting.
Heuser, who has been working for the Caledonia Police Department on a temporary basis, will be required to serve out a probationary period of six months and will begin at the Step 2 pay schedule.
One of the stipulations of being a full-time police officer in Caledonia is that the officer must live within a 15-minute response time area. La Crescent is outside that area.
According to Vick, Heuser owns a home in La Crescent and said once his probationary period is completed, he will try to sell his home in La Crescent and move within the 15-minute response time area. Heuser was given a year to comply with the response time stipulation.
In other council action:
Foltz survey reviewed
The council reviewed a survey that was completed to determine where property lines were located on the Dean Foltz property between Grant and Main streets in the eastern portion of Caledonia.
The Foltz property is divided by the former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad right of way, which is now owned by the city. Foltz would like to develop the property along Grant Street and would like access for the property on the south side of the abandoned right of way.
He requested an eight-foot easement.
“As long as we establish this is nothing more than a cart path, just an ingress and egress to the south portion of his property, I’m in favor of it,” Mayor Mike Morey said.
A motion to approve the survey and Foltz’ request was approved by a 4-1 vote. Morey, Councilmembers Gary Klug, Peggy Perry and Bob Standish voted in favor, while Councilwoman Randi Vick opposed the motion.
System inadequate
The council reviewed a letter from Davy Engineering that indicated the current water run-off and ponding system built more than a dozen years ago, on a 22.5 acre of land on the west edge of town, was not adequate to handle storm water run-off. Houston County has been looking at the property for the past year to possibly re-locate the county highway department there.
The county first signed an option with Ma Cal Developers to purchase the land in August of 2007. The agreement was contingent on the site being suitable to locate a large office building, maintenance building, and salt storage shed, the city approving any zoning variances required, and if the city’s infrastructure was adequate.
During the next 10 months, the county worked to develop plans for the facility, brought those plans to the Caledonia City Council, and had all variances approved.
In May the county asked the city to assume all responsibility, including the costs of upgrading the storm water run-off system in the event the drainage ditch and holding pond, located on the east and south sides of the property was undersized. The city took over ownership of the drainage ditch and pond several years ago in order to maintain it. But without having the results of the study to review, the city refused the county’s request.
A storm water run-off study had been conducted 12 years ago by a consulting firm that was bought out by QED Engineering of Rochester. Although the city had made a number of requests for a copy of the study, neither the developer or QED has been able to come up with the study.
So the city commissioned Davy Engineering to conduct a new study. In a letter to the city, Davy Engineering stated ”Based on the information collected, the calculations show that the Main street pond will handle the runoff from a two-year 24-hour storm (2.9 inches in 24 hours) for both existing and developed conditions. However, it will overtop during a five-year 24-hour event (3.7 inches in 24 hours) for existing conditions. Therefore, any new development within the watershed will need to provide its own stormwater management facilities to comply with MPCA requirements.”
You can contact Charlie Warner at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
