The Winnebago City Council voted to make some much-needed upgrades to the city’s Water Treatment Plant control system at a regular meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

City administrator Judi Hynes noted in a memo to the council, “The Water Treatment Plant control system is over 20 years old and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.” 

Automatic Systems Co estimated the upgrades will cost the city $157,631; a quote which Hynes recommended the city approve.

That being said, Hynes added Winnebago can draw upon several sources of funding to mitigate the financial impact of the upgrades.

“This amount can be lowered by $15,000 if the city does the concrete work and hires their own electrician for electrical installation services,” Hynes said.

She added the city also has access to $146,438 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which were distributed following the pandemic as COVID relief funds.

“They will cover a vast majority of this,” Hynes said, explaining she had purposely earmarked the ARPA funds for this project.

“This is something that really needs to be done, and probably should have been addressed years ago,” council member Paul Eisenmenger agreed, before making a motion to approve the bid from Automatic Systems Co.

Eisenmenger’s motion was passed unanimously by the council.

The City Council also reviewed two housing study proposals from Bolton & Menk and Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. (HKGi), of Minneapolis.

Bolton & Menk’s proposed housing study would cost $22,531, while HKGi’s would cost $23,000.

“I think they both offer essentially the same services,” Hynes observed.

Council member Jean Anderson added, “I’m also of the opinion that Bolton & Menk knows our community,” before motioning to approve Bolton & Menk’s services for the housing study.

The council passed Anderson’s motion unanimously.

In other business, the Winnebago City Council: 

• Approved rolling over a past-due water bill for Winnebago’s Jalapeños restaurant from its current tenant to owner Marco Carlos Antonio Company. The council also agreed to waive the fees attached to shutting off and reconnecting the building’s water service.

“If we’re in a similar situation in the future - if a landlord doesn’t pay a bill owed to the city and a new tenant comes in - from here on out we are willing to set that bill aside and let the new tenant start fresh,” council member Calvin Howard summarized.

• Approved a yearly contract with Bevcomm for I.T. support services.

Hynes noted the monthly Managed Services Plan will remain at a $600 per month cost, although there are small increases to the hourly rates for overtime services.

• Approved a $100 donation on behalf of the city of Winnebago to the Blue Earth Area School District’s Maroon and Gold Gala, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 19.

• Reviewed the preliminary draft of the city’s proposed budget for 2023. The city has currently budgeted for a $949,550.83 property tax levy, which represents a 19.85 percent increase over 2022’s property tax levy.

Noting that this is only a preliminary draft, Hynes said, “I’m almost positive we can get (the levy increase) under 10 percent.”

• Scheduled a special Winnebago City Council meeting to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., to set the city’s preliminary budget for 2023.