Dog park could be located at South Point

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

A new dog park in the City of New York Mills will be moved to South Point.

During its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday night, the NY Mills City Council approved moving the location of the new dog park from Hidden Trails to a spot on the north east side of South Point. The change came after residents in the Hidden Trails area raised several concerns about the proposed dog park in that area during a recent city council meeting. 

City clerk Julie Roberts said the cost of locating the dog park in the South Point area would be similar to what it would have been had it been located in Hidden Trails. 

City councilman Jerry Nesland said there are several positive things about locating the park in South Park was that the city already owns the property and plenty of parking will be available in the area for people who use the park. 

“It’s not land that would be developed for housing, commercial or industrial so it is a good fit,” he said. 

A committee has been established to help raise money for the addition of a new dog park in the community.

In addition to the dog park, the city council approved a 7 percent increase to its preliminary tax levy for 2023. The preliminary tax levy can be lowered when it is finalized at the end of the year, but not increased. 

Roberts said the increase accounts for a 10 percent increase in health insurance premiums, as well as a 5 percent increase in wages. She said the levy also accounts for an approximate $24,000 in money that needs to be paid back as part of additional taxes paid by the Perham Hospital District. 

In other news

• Heard an update on the pool usage last summer. There was approximately 4,750 swimmers last summer at the pool with 331 people taking swimming lessons. Another 47 people took private lessons over the summer. The pool generated just over $27,700 in revenue during the summer.

• Heard the monthly liquor store report, which showed that the combined gross sales for the month of August was down 2 percent from last year. Net revenues for the month were down 9.15 percent from last year as a percentage of sales.

• Heard the monthly police department report, which showed 102 calls for service in August. The police department issued six citations and made one arrest. 

• Heard the utility department received a request from the Greater Minnesota Gas to provide a gas feed from the city on the west edge of town to service people outside the city limits. The gas line would allow GMG to serve the Jennie-O turkey barns and BNSF track heaters west of town. The council approved moving forward with allowing GMG to move forward with obtaining construction costs and easements for the project. Utility supervisor Kyle Mattson said there would be little work involved for the city staff to extend the line and provide gas to GMG, but would also be a way to generate additional revenue for the city. 

• Accepted the following donations: $15,000 from Brunswick for the Lund Park project, $1,000 from the NY Mills Lions Club for the library and $250 from the NY Mills Lions Club for the NY Mills Fire Department.

• Heard Mills Liquors raised over $2,500 for the NY Mills Fire Department during a recent fundraiser at the bar. 

• Heard an update on the North Boardman project from Michael Weber of Apex Engineer. He said the goal is to try to start paving a portion of the road as early as this week, but Weber cautioned that may be optimistic depending on the weather and scope of the work.