Eighth officer on duty soon in NB

Posted 2/28/01

Eighth officer on duty soon in NB

By Jason Sileo

An abbreviated North Branch City Council approved the hiring of new police officer David Janssen and agreed to look into Senior Dining Site parking options Monday night.

The council, less a vacationing Mayor John Pinsonneault, approved without discussion the hiring of Janssen, whose position had been approved by the council at its February 12 meeting.
At that time Police Chief Jules Zimmer indicated the new patrolman would come online with the force sometime in April. Janssen was selected from a list of 13 candidates.

Muriel Kennedy, representing the North Branch Senior Dining Site, approached the council to request action on parking considerations at the site.

Construction crews are apparently parking their vehicles and equipment in the siteís parking area, and Kennedy said seniors are having trouble finding parking spaces which allow them access to the site.

Kennedy said she appreciated the contractorsí work on the addition to the dining site, ěbut the parking is terrible.î

Councilman Rod Lofquist said he had driven past the site earlier in the day and concurred with Kennedyís appraisal.

Lofquist, who controlled the gavel in Mayor Pinsonneaultís office, suggested the issue be turned over promptly to the cityís public works department for review.

The council voted unanimously to deny a home occupation permit request from Andrew Harrington for his home businesses in the Northern Preserve subdivision of North Branch. The council acted on a unanimous recommendation from the city planning commission to deny the request.

Neighbors of Harringtonís had complained of excessive traffic in the area related to the businesses and indicated Harrington was taking advantage of the system by operating his business from home.

The council members welcomed new city Planning and Development Director Alan Cottingham into service. Cottingham, hailing from Brainerd, had about two weeks of feet-wet time in at city hall as of Monday night. Cottingham replaces Patrick Trudgeon who resigned several months ago to seek a position in Ramsey.

The council approved a contract with Chisago County for the purchase of Calcium Chloride agents for application to area gravel roads. The contract allows the entities to purchase a larger bulk quantity of the agent, thus lowering costs. The chemicals are spread on gravel roads during the summer months to reduce windblown dust.
The council approved the sale of lots in the cityís industrial park to local publishers Specialty Press, and to Summit Concrete and Masonry, Inc.
The council approved several ordinance amendments to the cityís Industrial, R-2 and B-3 zones, including outdoor storage in industrial zones, fence heights and free-standing signs in the business district. The various amendments, as recommended by the planning commission, were approved without a great deal of discussion.