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Council votes to televise meetings by committees BRAINERD CITY COUNCIL Staff Writer More Brainerd city government will be coming to a television near you soon.
The Brainerd City Council Monday, in a 5-1 vote, approved televising Personnel and Finance Committee and Safety and Public Works Committee meetings starting April 1.
"I think it's a good public service that isn't going to be an expense to us," said council member Kevin Goedker. "It's a benefit they literally will be able to see."
Council President Kelly Bevans voted against televising the meetings because he felt the issue should be addressed first by both committees. Council member Mark O'Day was absent from Monday's meeting.
Both committees are made up of three city council members and meet prior to the regular city council meeting. Recommendations from both committees are then considered by the full council.
While the Safety and Public Works Committee meets in the city council chambers, which is already set up with television cameras, council member Anne Nelson Fisher expressed concern about the time when the Personnel and Finance Committee would be able to meet in the council chambers. Council member Bob Olson, who made the motion to televise the committee meetings, suggested Friday evening or Monday afternoon as a time when the finance committee could meet.
"I'm not opposed to being televised. My concern is scheduling. In my case my schedule varies and I can't always commit to daytimes ... and I'm unwilling to give up Friday evenings," Fisher said.
Council member Mary Koep offered an amendment that the committee meetings wouldn't be televised until the Personnel and Finance Committee could meet to work out logistics. The amendment was approved unanimously.
At its Feb. 21 meeting the council authorized the Planning Commission meetings to be televised. On Monday the council learned that the Parks and Recreation Board needed more information before it consented to having its meetings televised and that the Public Utilities Commission decided against having its meetings televised.
In other action, the council:
Set a public hearing on March 20 for a JOBZ business subsidy program application from Lexington Manufacturing, which plans to buy the former Image Rotomolding building in the Brainerd Industrial Park for the purposes manufacturing fire resistant doors. The council also approved modifying its JOBZ map to transfer four acres from Lexington Manufacturing's current site to the Image Rotomolding site.
Approved a $22,000 commercial rehabilitation loan and grant to Ed Menk to assist with his renovation and code update of 617 Laurel Street, which is located next to E. L. Menk Jeweler. Menk intends to lease the building to the Bead Box. The council approved the loan on the condition that all costs are eligible under state guidelines.
Approved the sale of a lot in the industrial park to Nordecor Inc., a wood interior and exterior millwork company, for a cost of $101,940.
Approved, by a 5-1 vote, a $500 request from the Crow Wing County Historical Society. Koep voted against the request because she felt the society should be funded through the county.
Appointed Koep to seek out a fiscal agent for a fundraising effort to be held over next few months to assist in refurbishment of the Lum Park locomotive. Koep said she has been in contact with Brainerd Community Action to act as a fiscal agent for fundraisers. The city has received two quotes to refurbish the locomotive; a $110,000-$160,000 cost estimate from Iowa-based Miner Rail Service and a $90,685 cost estimate from Mid-West Locomotive and Machine Works, though that quote doesn't include asbestos removal or sand blasting.
Denied, by a 5-1 vote, a motion to pay $12,000 to a lobbying firm to work on the city's behalf to obtain $200,000 in matching funds form the state needed to receive $800,000 in federal funds to conduct a Mississippi River crossing study and right-of-way acquisition north of the city. Voting against the denial was council member Lucy Nesheim. Fisher said the city could be represented at the Legislature by the League of Minnesota Cities and the Coalition of Great Minnesota Cities.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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