Public hearing about Howard Lake liquor store draws crowd

HOWARD LAKE, MN – The Howard Lake City Council closed its regular council meeting Tuesday for some time while it opened up discussion about the municipal liquor store losses.
The state mandates that if a municipal liquor store experiences losses two years out of three, a public hearing must take place to obtain public input on the matter.
Last year, the liquor store recorded a total loss of $79,283, and this year, as of September 30, the liquor store has lost $38,516.
More than a dozen citizens were present for the hearing, and many of them voiced their opinions, as well as asked questions.
Some of the discussion centered around sales and losses of the on-sale versus the off-sale sides of the store.
City resident Shelly Reddeman told the council that he thinks the liquor store shouldn’t have stopped accepting personal checks, especially from local people.
Reddeman said that he has heard from many people around town that they are unhappy about this change, and that they no longer patronize the store because of it.
DeMarais disagreed, and said that he hasn’t noticed any drop in sales since the change took place.
Howard Lake resident Jim Ittel mentioned that parking may still be a factor, and that when businesses across the street from the liquor store had parking out front, that some foot traffic would cross the street and patronize the liquor store.
Regarding any future changes at the liquor store to address losses in profit, the council said that the liquor store committee is still trying to come up with a plan, which may include cutting some hours of the on-sale side of the business.
Those changes, once approved, will not take place until after the first of the year.

More details of the discussion will be in Monday’s Herald Journal.

Howard Lake is very close to getting grocery store

HOWARD LAKE, MN – During a special meeting last night, the Howard Lake City Council decided it would lease the old grocery store building from owner Mark Custer with the intention of making improvements to the building, and leasing it to a new grocer.
Many council members, including the mayor, stated that they had “a feeling” that a deal would “go through” at an upcoming meeting with the grocer.
The lease will be a six-month arrangement where the city will pay $1 per month, along with the last half of the taxes for 2009, which is $5,276, and pay the utility bill each month.
In order to make the building more attractive for potential grocers, the city council is proposing to improve the building by installing a new roof, a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC), electrical updates, and construct a new concrete front on the store.
No decision has been made as to whether all these improvements will officially be done, or what the time frame will be for any of the possible improvements.
Council Member Tom Kutz said, “The city has to play some part in this equation. Improving the building is one part of the puzzle.”
Mayor Richard Lammers replied, “I think it shows our commitment, and an act of good faith. It shows the citizens that we’re working hard to get a store, and it says that a lot of people in the community want a grocery store here.”
“Regardless,” Lammers said, “ I think we should take up the lease now, get in there, and make the improvements so it’s ready to move in.”
Council Member Jan Gilmer agreed that the city should lease the building from Custer, but he would rather wait to do any improvements until a grocer has made a commitment.

Howard Lake’s wastewater to be online by mid-October

HOWARD LAKE, MN – With a large percentage of work competed on the Annandale/Maple Lake/Howard Lake Wastewater Treatment Facility, Thursday’s commission meeting was short and direct.

“Construction of the Howard Lake forcemain has been completed with the exception of a couple of connections,” DeWolf reported, “which LaTour Construction is currently completing between the open cut and directionally-drilled portions of the project.”
Howard Lake will be online by mid-October, chairman Roger Millner announced. Maple Lake will likely follow in the spring of next year, due in part, to grant opportunities the city is pursuing for infrastructure needs.The project engineer’s report reviewed progress made within the past month including the installation of disinfection equipment, site landscaping, and testing of equipment at the facility.
Piping has recently been installed at the Howard Lake lift station, and activated sludge will be delivered from Howard Lake to the facility during the next few weeks, which will allow the plant to develop the required biomass for the treatment process, according to Project Manager Bradley DeWolf.

HLWW homecoming king and queen crowned

HOWARD LAKE, WAVERLY, WINSTED, MN – Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School named its homecoming king and queen last night. Homecoming king is Jace Whitcomb and queen is Taylor Williams. Homecoming prince is Matt Arlien and princess is Kelsey Clark. The emcees for the event were Ellie Wessling and Dylan Scherping.

Howard Lake schedules fall cleanup day

HOWARD LAKE, MN – Howard Lake’s fall cleanup day is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to noon.
More details, including a fee schedule will be published in the Herald Journal in the coming weeks.

New sign on Hwy. 12 west of Howard Lake posts financing source

HOWARD LAKE, MN – As a requirement of participation in the Public Facilities Authority loan program, the Annandale/Maple Lake/Howard Lake Wastewater Treatment Commission was required to erect a sign recognizing the financing source.
The sign is located on Highway 12, just west of Howard Lake, near Lions Park.
The sign cost the commission $2,640, and states, “This project is financed by the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (PFA) including funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”
As reported previously, the stimulus financing package consists of a $3,998,476 Clean Water Revolving Fund loan for 20 years at 1.076 percent interest, as well as principal forgiveness in the amount of $5,999,619, which does not have to be repaid.
Essentially, 60 percent of the cost of Howard Lake’s forcemain project will be eliminated because of this package from PFA.
“Compared to market rate financing for the project,” PFA Chair Dan McElroy informed the City of Howard Lake, “we conservatively estimate this financing package will save local taxpayers approximately $10,163,546 over the term of the loan.”
Because the cost of construction of the forcemain from Howard Lake to the plant is the obligation of the commission, all three cities will benefit from this 60 percent decrease in anticipated costs.

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