Centerville Tidbits
Expenditure Authorized To Aid Businesses
At the Centerville City Council meeting on Nov. 28, council members authorized the use of $4,000 to help promote Centerville's small businesses in the face of falling customer levels during the CSAH 14 road construction.
The money will be spent by the newly-formed Economic Development Authority (EDA) on advertisements in the local press to highlight to residents of Centerville, Lino Lakes and Hugo that stores in Centerville are open despite the detour bypassing the downtown area.
The decision was made following a meeting of about 20 representatives from the city's businesses with City Administrator Dallas Larson on Nov. 27. EDA President Michelle Lakso told council members, "We had a wonderful meeting with the business owners and talked about how we could start a campaign to get some positive advertisement for the businesses and the city."
She added, "We look forward to seeing our name in lights and the businesses really appreciate that."
The $4,000 remained in the economic development account from the city's 2007 budget.
City council members have stated that they are committed to continue helping area businesses weather the difficult period into the new year.
Council Member Tom Lee said, "If we have some money for next year, we need to spend it fairly early on because if we leave it until the middle of the year, some of the businesses may have failed by then."
In other action, the council:
. Authorized the loan to the Anoka County Historical Society of Centerville's horse-drawn fire tanker and the former jail bars, to be part of a public safety display.
. Acknowledged the gift of two 8mm films from Vera LaMotte, the widow of Frank LaMotte, which captured the tearing down of Centerville Elementary School and various fall and winter scenes in the city. The films bore the date 1962, and the council will now investigate the cost of transferring them to DVD for possible future inclusion on the city's Web site.
. Ordered the scheduling of a meeting with the Beard Group to discuss the progress of the downtown redevelopment project.
. Granted tobacco licenses for 2008 to Corner Express, CenterMart, Sager's Bar and Grill and Trio Inn.
. Awarded on-sale and Sunday liquor licenses for 2008 to Sager's Bar and Grill, Trio Inn and Wiseguys Pizza.
. Granted off-sale liquor licenses to Trio Inn and Centerville Liquor Barrel.
. Refused a request to plant screening to shield properties at the Eagle Pass development after trees were removed as part of the project to relocate the power line from Main Street around the downtown area.
. Passed a resolution to adopt the Fairview Street assessments.
. Formally approved the assessments on the Westview Street water main project.
. Discussed the hazards caused by items such as boulders and rocks placed by homeowners in the right-of-way and encountered by public works staff when snowplowing. It was decided to leave to public works staff the decision to write to specific homeowners who are in violation of the ordinance, which bans objects from the right-of-way unless prior permission has been sought from the city council.
. Agreed payment not exceeding $43,000 to Bonestroo, the city's consulting engineers, for the work it will perform to complete a preliminary topographic survey and preliminary design for the 2009 street improvement project.
. Adopted the Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW), which has been carried out in regard to the downtown redevelopment project. The EAW found that there would be no significant impact on the environment as a result of the project which could not be sufficiently mitigated by measures which could be put in place.
. Allocated $2,100 in the council's 2008 budget to Alexandra House women's shelter for its work helping victims of domestic violence. Last year, Alexandra House gave assistance to 159 Centerville residents.
. Agreed to leave a balance of $160 left over from this year's budget in the Centerville Lions' Fête des Lacs account to go toward next year's festival.
. Agreed to release an easement to Anoka County and grant a new easement to correct errors in the description of easements at Chauncey Barrett Gardens HRA Homes.
. Approved pay request #4 for $104,751.17 to Precision Excavating and Grading, LLC for the street improvements at Old Mill Road.
. Approved the claims made by the Centennial Fire District for the period Nov. 2 through Nov. 15 for $26,832.98.
. Approved the city's claims through Nov. 28 for a total of $154,517.02.