Posted 4/11/01
Aerial photography operations over N. Branch will have to wait
By Jason Sileo
The North Branch City Council took care of a variety of minor issues Monday night, including a decision to delay costly aerial photography operations over the city.
City Planning and Development Director Alan Cottingham reported that the city had not been photographed from the air, or ěflown,î in more than a decade and that this is the prime time of year for such operations.
The aerial photographs are used for economic development purposes as well as for contour map making for use by city engineers and consultants... ěpeople who are designing future projects for us,î Cottingham said.
Aerial photography work was to cost about $3,000, Cottingham reported, but the process of ědigitizingî the photos ran an additional $22,000. Though the work had been discussed by city staffers in the past, Cottingham said, no budget allotment had been made for the project cost.
Cottingham suggested the aerial photos could be taken and printed this spring at a cost of about $3,000, then the council could budget the estimated $22,000 for digitizing into the next budget cycle.
ěThe timing is an important thing,î City Engineer Julie Dresel added. Between the snow melting and the trees budding in spring is the best time for aerial photography work of this nature, she said.
Dresel said the aerial photos also serve a historical purpose for documenting area landscape changes or abuse over time.
The councilors agreed that the project is important and that the city should be flown, but decided in the end that the job could wait until next spring. Funds for the work could then be budgeted into the next fiscal year for the city.
Other business
The council approved unanimously a development agreement for the construction of the 33-lot Casselberry Ponds V subdivision.
The council voted to approve a recommendation to place a stop sign at the intersection of Shady Lane and 366th Street in the city as a number of ěnear misses have been witnessedî there, Dresel said. Motorists on Shady Lane would thus stop before entering traffic on 366th Street.
Also approved was a building addition to Lamperts Lumber by a narrow 3-2 margin with Mayor John Pinsonneaultís consent.
The 28íx72í storage addition to the south side of Lampertís most westerly building was approved following discussion as to whether it must meet the cityís commercial design standards. City standards call for masonry construction, but Lamperts has requested that the addition be built to match the buildings in place.
The council voted 3-2, with Roger Else and Amy Oehlers dissenting, to approve the addition as proposed by Lamperts.
Trail access to Riverwalk Park from Riverside Court also received council attention as it was reported the access at present is very steep and could pose a hazard to pedestrians.
ěThe existing pathway has potentially dangerous slopes,î a planning commission recommendation said.
ěAccess from Riverside Court is kind of hazardous for some of our citizens who may not be quite as mobile as some others,î Councilman John Pace Jr. said.
The council agreed to spend an estimated $5,000 for planning and engineering work for a new trail access.
The city agreed to a renewed contract with the Chisago County Recreation program via county commissioner and recreation director Bob Gustafson.
North Branch City Administrator John Moosey praised the countyís rec program and Gustafsonís work as the director.
The cityís share in the program is $3,200, down from $3,500 last year, Moosey said. These funds provide for staff background checks, league officiating, certified instructors for hearing impaired players, coaching certification, equipment purchases, and the list goes on.
Moosey said, if the city were to pay for all of the services provided by the county in this regard, it would by far exceed the $3,200.
Approved for hire as a new police department clerk/receptionist was Georgia Degel who will take her part time post April 30.
ěWe are looking forward to working with Georgia and will be happy to have her aboard,î North Branch Police Chief Jules Zimmer said.
The council also approved the purchase of a new credit card printer for use at the municipal liquor store, but denied to enter into a contract for an ATM-style cash machine placement on the premises.
The cash machine was deemed to be too big a burden for the limited increase in revenue it might provide.
ěI just donít think the liquor store needs the hassle... itís not much of a money maker,î Councilman Roger Else said of the ATM.
Mayor Pinsonneault agreed that the credit card ěprinter apparatusî would ease payment procedures and speed credit card transactions for customers at the store.
©Post Review