Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The city of Buhl on Facebook! Join today.

I have created a Facebook page dedicated to the city of Buhl. The purpose is to help Buhl residents past and present connect and communicate easily on the Internet. The site can be used for everything from discussing city business to planning a reunion or just to advertise what special event, business or personal, you want. It's also a great way to find some of your friends who may have moved away. We've already got about 40 members after a week online.

Click the following link to join: City of Buhl on Facebook

You'll have to become a Facebook member to join the group but it's well worth it as Facebook is an excellent website for finding friends old and new.

Join up today!

Jan. 6, 2009 City Council Meeting

The Buhl City Council held its first meeting of 2009 on Tuesday and we welcomed newly elected Colin Gram.

The meeting only lasted about 30 minutes because most of the agenda items were routine start of the year business.

During reports from Department Heads, Gene Plombon reported that the city crews have been hard at work trying to keep up with all the snow we've gotten so far this year. He reminded the public that Calender Parking is in effect so be sure to move your vehicles to the proper side of the street to ensure plowing is easier. Gene also said that the city crew would be pushing snow onto some sidewalks in town to try and make the corners safer.

I think the city crew has done a great job, as they do every year. All you have to do is take a trip to Virginia or Chisholm after a snowstorm and you'll see how lucky we are to have the crew we've got. They get out right away and start clearing streets.

Mike Lopac from the Fire Department discussed some bills that were due and presented the council with a check for $10,000 from charitable gambling.

Jill from the Recreation Board asked the council for approval to purchase a new snow blower for the skating and hockey rinks. She said the one they have has had some mechanical problems and it isn't big enough to handle all the snow we've gotten. The Rec Dept. had budgeted for this purchase and the council approved it. They will purchase a 33 inch cut, Craftsman Professional for $1799.00. Gram was the only no vote.

Just a reminder: The rinks are open nearly every night of the week and weekend so get up there and have some fun on the ice.

On the regular agenda there were 11 resolutions that passed (unanimously unless otherwise noted).

The council voted to: Name Gram Mayor Pro-Tem; make the Mesabi Daily News the official newspaper (I abstained for obvious reasons); designated depositories of funds; authorized the mayor and clerk-treasurer to sign certificates of indebtedness; named Mayor Craig Pulford and Plombon weed inspectors; appointed Plombon to the Elm Tree Utilization Board; named Al Jacobsen city attorney (Gram voted no on this item); named Mike Kearney prosecuting attorney; approved Pulford to RAMS; authorized the signature for disbursement of funds; named Pulford and John Markas to the board of the Central Iron Range Sanitary Sewer District.

We also appointed some people to various boards and commissions including: Councilor Shari Swanson and Markas to Planning and Zoning; Judy Houg and Frank Fabish to the Rec Board; Paula Fannell and Frank Fabish to the Library Board; Councilors Jesse White and Chris Primeau, and citizen Tom Hewett to the Buhl Economic and Development Authority.

We also discussed a haul road easement; approved a ambulance mileage reimbursement rate increase and approved paying dues for membership in the Range Association of Municipalities ($700) and Schools and the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association ($716).

Our next council meeting is Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.