Centerville Tidbits
Lone Assessment Appeal Dismissed
City Attorney Kurt Glaser told Centerville City Council members at their meeting of March 31 that the lone lawsuit filed in regard to the city’s 2009 Street Improvement Project assessments was dismissed by the court due to an error in filing that was not correctable within the time limitations for assessment challenges.
Donna M. Germain represented herself in her appeal of assessments levied against her property at 1548 Peltier Lake Drive, but inadvertently filed suit against Anoka County using a real estate property tax petition form instead of filing a civil suit against the City of Centerville challenging her special assessment.
The two lots Germain owns are being assessed over $10,000 for road and utility improvements.
For her part, Germain says that she is not ready to throw in the towel. “I want my day in court,” she said, adding that she understands it is “not the practice in Minnesota to throw out a lawsuit because of a technicality, if it’s a viable suit.”
Fête Funding Approved
Council approved a funding request by the Centerville Lions Club in the amount of $15,000 for the 2009 Fête des Lacs celebration, and a $6,000 tandem request for parade funding by Council Member and parade organizer Tom Lee, including use of the city’s logo.
The vote for the $21,000 expenditure was 4-1, Council Member Linda Broussard Vickers voting against. Broussard said, “I feel bad about my decision, and I don’t want anybody to take it personally,” echoing the sentiments of other council members that tough economic times call for reductions in expenditures.
Mayor Mary Capra said that for the 2010 budget, “cuts are even going to be greater.”
In other action, the council:
• Approved an easement encroachment agreement for 7050 Eagle Trail.
• Approved the Lions’ April 11 Easter Egg Hunt in Laurie La- Motte Memorial Park.
• Approved a Fête des Lacs raffle permit request by the Lions Club.
• Approved a Cub Scout rocket launch at Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park on June 6.
• Approved a pay request from Dresel Contracting for $9,943.65 in the matter of the city pond dredging project; the amount includes a $2,700 contract adjustment for additional excavation. Work is suspended until next winter.
• Heard a presentation by Bonestroo client liaison Dale Tranter.
• Authorized Statz to spend up to $1,500 in the initial preparation of identifying the “green elements” within the downtown drainage project, with an eye toward requesting a Public Facilities Authority grant. A public hearing was scheduled for May 13.
• In response to concerns raised by Council Member Ben Fehrenbacher about possible safety hazards posed to children waiting between parked cars for the school bus along Mill Road and Peltier Lake Drive, authorized the Centennial Lakes Police Department to prepare a report for council.
• Authorized the replacement of problematic grinder pumps with three-phase vortex pumps in Lift Station No. 1 as recommended by Public Works Director Paul Palzer, not to exceed $15,000. Within the past 18 months, the city has expended over $7,000 in repair costs, Palzer reported. The vote was 4-1, Fehrenbacher voting against.
• Authorized staff to submit an application for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Transportation Enhancement grant for the city’s trail system project.
• Discussed the screening and interviewing of applicants for the city finance director position.