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Grants in place for park land BAXTER CITY COUNCIL Staff Writer BAXTER - Grant agreements are in place for the city of Baxter on Dec. 4 to close on the purchase of 63 acres of land along the Mississippi River to be used as a park.
The Baxter City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved grant agreements totaling $960,000 from the DNR, Trust for Public Land, the Nature Conservancy and The Department of Defense's Army Compatible Use Buffer program.
The cost of the land is $1.2 million. The remaining $240,000 will be paid by the city of Baxter with park dedication fees.
The 63 acres, dubbed the Mississippi River Overlook, consists of a mix of thick woods, swamps and meadows along the river in south Baxter, near Highway 371.
When all is said and done, the Mississippi River Overlook will be set up for outdoor recreation activities such as nature observation, walking, hiking, bird watching, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, photography and similar low-impact activities,
Baxter Community Development Director Bill Deblon read a letter from Becca Nash of the Trust for Public Land, who thanked the council and the grant partners for making the project a reality.
Council member Randy Hukriede, who lobbied for the city in Washington D.C. to secure funding for the project, also thanked those involved.
"It really was a a true partnership at a lot of different levels," Hukriede said. "Hopefully this bodes well for such projects in the future."
Todd Holman of the Nature Conservancy also attended Tuesday's council meeting and said the city was "brave" in sticking with the project since early 2005.
"My hat's off to all of you," Holman said.
In other action, the council:
¥ Set residential water rates at $6.90 per month, with an additional $2.49 per month per 1,000 gallons used; commercial water rates at $18.20 per month with an additional $2.49 per month per 1,000 gallons used.
The increase equates to about $4 per month for residential uses averaging 7,500 gallons per month and a $5.5 increase for commercial users, City Finance Director Jeremy Vacinek said. The council also set residential sewer rates at $10.50 per month, with an additional $3.22 per 1,000 gallons used; and commercial rates at $21.50 per month, with an additional $3.22 per 1,000 gallons used.
The increases will go toward funding the city's water and wastewater treatment facilities, a future water tower and other utility projects.
¥ Adjourned to the Baxter City Council retreat at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 2 at The Lodge in Baxter.
¥ Approved a conditional use permit and variance for Slumberland furniture for a 6,000-square-foot addition.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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