Clearwater updates, internet crimes

With all council members except Gary Conrath in attendance, the Waseca City Council discussed updates to the Clearwater Preserve project, internet crimes against children, and the amended outdoor tornado siren at their regular meeting July 1. 

 

Stantec civil engineer Pat Sveum presented the council with an update to the Clearwater Preserve project. He said big changes have occurred and they are planning on handling the mass grading for the interim condition of the project. Sveum said they are looking at several options and are working with city staff to figure out the most efficient way to discuss the mass grading for phases one through three. 

 

He added it was decided that it would be more cost effective to hold off on mass grading for the phase three portion of the project to help balance the earth work for phase one and two and delay the need to bring in a significant amount of fill for phase three. 

 

City Manager Carl Sonnenberg said there are some grading challenges with the land.

 

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves by categorically saying that the best option is to still mass balance all three phases now,” Sonnenberg said to the council. “We’re trying to sequence those dominos properly.” 

 

Council member Jeremy Conrath asked if there would be a cost difference to flip phase one and two. He stated the homes in phase two would be more desirable and sell more quickly because they will be on higher ground and at less risk of being intruded upon by high water.

 

Sonnenberg responded that flipping the phases has never been a consideration, but that there is no reason to have flooding concerns. Based on engineering and DNR research, he said there is no credible reason for concern nor any evidence to suggest there would be flooding. 

 

According to Sonnenberg, planners are doing things very systematically. The 30-day public comment period recently ended. The next step is for city engineer Nate Willey to work with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to determine a timeline for the permit. 

 

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was also discussed at the meeting. A “really important issue for the entire town,” according to Sonnenberg, this agreement included the City of Waseca entering into a joint powers agreement with the State of Minnesota, Department of Public Safety and Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to utilize state and federal laws to investigate and prosecute crimes committed against children and the criminal exploitation of children through the use of computers. Under the collaboration, the Waseca Police Department receives referrals for cases from the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC) when the alleged offender resides in Waseca. ICAC is the central hub in Minnesota to receive and pass along tips to law enforcement about the creation or dissemination of explicit material involving minors. The resolution for the agreement was moved and unanimously approved. 

 

A public hearing for an Urban and Rural Service Districts ordinance was presented by Willey. It involved the potential annexation of various properties near the Hwy 14 West interchange and allows the annexed properties to be taxed at the township rate instead of the city rate until they are developed. Willey said this provides incentive for the properties to be annexed. 

 

If approved, the future annexed properties that are currently agricultural would be designated as rural service districts and not pay taxes at the city rate until developed. The ordinance was moved and carried unanimously. 

 

Sonnenberg discussed the Waseca County Outdoor Siren Policy in the City Manager’s Report. He summarized that all city sirens in the county will become active at any sighting of a tornado within the entire county. 

 

In announcements, Mayor Randy Zimmerman asked the public to extend some grace to the crews working to fix and adjust the flooding issues in town. He said he knows some basements have been flooded recently, but said they are “fixing problems that have been decades in the making.”