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City council looking at improving services to western portion of town
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Growing pains for a small city are much better than watching your community shrink up and die. But growth in a community also requires expenses. The Caledonia City Council discussed the need for better utility services on the west side of Highways 44 and 76 between West Main Street and County Road 12 during the Aug. 11 meeting.
Administrative Coordinator Mike Gerardy reviewed several routes that new water and sanitary sewer lines city staff is considering. The city did complete a cost estimate for a new water main from West Main Street to the Meyers Garden Center. The cost for a 10-inch water main was just over $110,000.
“With the addition of several new businesses, and the possibility of another to the south of Caledonia Lumber, as well as new housing developments in this area, I feel it is important for the city to move forward with plans to improve services to this area.” Gerardy said. He also pointed out that currently that portion of the city does not have fire hydrants.
Gerardy recommended the city commission Davy Engineering to conduct a study estimate to find out how much it would cost the city to install a 10-inch water main, and provide areas south of the Kruckow property with new sanitary sewer lines.
“Who is going to pay for these improvements?” Councilwoman Randi Vick asked.
Gerardy replied there are a number of different ways projects like these can be funded…through special assessments, or bonding programs.
“I think we need to look at who will be benefiting from this and have those property owners pay for the projects,” Councilman Gary Klug said.
“I feel it is important that the city put in a 10-inch water main, to help with the growth of the city,” Councilman Bob Standish said.
A motion made by Klug and seconded by Standish to contract with Davy Engineering to conduct a feasibility study for water and sewer improvements was unanimously passed.
In other council action:
Flat roof for city auditorium
The city decided to change directions when it came to repairing the roof on the 80-year-old city auditorium. The building, constructed in 1938, has a roof with a very slight slope to it. A new rubber membrane was installed in 1994, but according to City Administrator Bob Nelson, the laps were installed backwards, causing the system to leak.
The city entertained constructing a wooden truss and single roof, which would have improved water run-off. But when city staff checked with the city’s insurance carrier, they found out the wooden roof would place the building in a different classification, requiring a sprinkler system. A question if the building could hold the additional weight of a pitched wood truss singled roof also surfaced.
“The truss roof is about the same cost as a new rubber roof,” Gerardy noted. “But we’d have the additional cost of a sprinkler system, and we’re still not sure if the building is engineered to handle all the extra weight.”
Gerardy recommended the city hire Dave Holstrom of Eitzen to serve as an engineering consultant. Holstrom would put bid specifications together for a new rubber roof, review the bids, and oversee the installation of the new roof. Gerardy said Holstrom would be willing to do this consulting work for $5,000. The city saved over $5,000 in the purchase of an air conditioning system, which could be used to pay for Holstrom’s services.
A motion made by Councilwoman Peggy Perry and seconded by Standish was unanimously approved.
The city had budgeted $60,000 for a new roof.
City wants action
By a unanimous vote, the council agreed to issue a nuisance citation to Randy Myhre because the property he owns on West Washington Street has not been cleaned up. A rental home, owned by Myhre, was destroyed in a fire last year. The city has sent the property owner numerous letters asking that the property be cleaned up.
The property is a safety issue, since the basement is open, several appliances are sitting in the yard, and the tarp covering the ground floor deck has standing water, which acts as a mosquito breeding ground.
The city will continue sending citations every 10 days to Myhre until he responds with a clean-up plan and then follows through with it.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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