Posted: 8/11/04
By Barbara Brown
The Rush City Council cleared several items from the table during the regular monthly meeting Monday night.
The council heard from Administrator Daniel Hoffman that the city is expecting $364,559 in local government aid.
However, Hoffman told the council, Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently said the state may not be able to pay out the full amounts and the city could receive only $328,000.
Hoffman said the city received half of the $364,559 payment and that he hoped to see the remainder in the December payment. But, Hoffman said, the state could change the payout between now and then and the city could only receive enough to equal $328,000.
The $364,559 is the same amount the city received in 2003 when it was supposed to receive $435,000.
He said the payment issue would have to be planned for in the coming yearís budget process.
The city should have a levy proposed by September 15 and that the council would have to consider a possible cut in local government aid.
The council will receive a proposed budget from Hoffman at the regular Sept. 13 meeting.
A special meeting could be held Sept. 15 to approve the budget.
Also at the meeting, the council approved closing Dana Avenue from 3rd Street to 4th Street during the time of the Rush City Music Festival.
A new liquor store custodian, Julie Johnson, was hired on a part-time basis.
The council also approved purchasing two street paint striping machines and a trailer for $5,000. The machines are being bought from a man who previously worked in the business and is leaving it, Hoffman told the council. The city had been renting a striping machine at $400 per time.
He said one of the machines is only one year old. A new machine could cost between $4,700 and $5,000 without a trailer.
The council agreed to make the purchase and to put one of the machines up for sale. The city could expect to receive $1,500 to $1,800 for the sold machine.
The city will post 10 mph speed limits on three city alleyways. Mayor Mike Skalsky said he had received complaints from several residents who live on an alley that drivers were going too fast down the roads.
The council agreed that alleys need to have lower speed limits and will post the signs soon.
Continental Golf Corp. will hold the liquor license for Brookside Lounge under the name CGC -Brookside until new ownership of the lounge was official.
Also at the meeting, the council approved election judges for the Sept.14 primary.
They are: Bernie Lou Winter, Georgia Gaustad, Lorraine Olson, John OíBrien and Angeline Booth.
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