By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Henning City Council gave the green light to move forward with a better-than $4.8 million water treatment facility rehabilitation project. 

During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the Henning City Council heard from representatives of Apex Engineering, about a water treatment facility rehabilitation project that could begin as soon as next year. 

The estimated cost for the project will be $4.8 million, of which up to 80 percent of the project, or $3.89 million, would be eligible for a grant. The remaining $972,500 would be eligible for a low interest loan. Construction on the water treatment facility project would begin next spring and summer and would take two years to complete. 

The project consists of expanding and renovating the existing water treatment plant including providing separate chemical feed rooms, new chemical feed equipment, rehabilitating filter, replacing filter media, replacing under drains, rehabilitating pressure softeners, replacing the air compressor, replacing the brine delivery system, replacing valves and piping and other miscellaneous work.

Preliminary Tax Levy

The Henning City Council approved a 20 percent increase in the preliminary tax levy for 2025. 

Henning Mayor Robert Johnson said the financial committee attempted to have a meeting two weeks ago to discuss the 2025 levy, but were unable to hold a meeting. After speaking with city clerk/treasurer Jenna Kovarik and utility manager Ted Strand, Johnson proposed setting a 20 percent preliminary tax levy increase with the goal of eventually lowering that amount. 

“We can go in high and come back later and drop it,” said Johnson. “If we go in at 20 percent we can drop that down after we have a financial meeting.”

Henning City Councilman Jesse Hermanson said he would like to see the city council lower the final tax levy before the end of the year, especially after raising the tax levy dramatically last year as well. 

“I mean 20 percent is going to be a tough sell in the community a second year in a row,” said Hermanson. 

Last year the Henning City Council approved an identical 20 percent tax levy increase following years of low to no increase in city’s tax levy. That increase generated about $40,000 in additional revenue into the city’s general fund. 

Johnson said the financial committee can meet and attempt to lower the preliminary tax levy in the near future, but could not increase the tax levy above what it sets as a preliminary tax levy. 

Strand said the 20 percent proposed levy increase would raise the city’s levy from approximately $296,000 to about $355,000. While it could vary from one property owner to the next, Strand said the increase would amount to about a couple of cups of coffee per month. 

“We figured it was about, just a simple analogy, if you look at it as two cups of coffee a month is what it would raise your taxes,” he said. 

In other news

• Discussed several properties in the city limits that are in need of being cleaned up due to being determined as a hazardous property or nuisance abatement. 

• Accepted the resignation of Johnson on the fire committee due to a conflict of interest of also being a member of the fire department. The city council appointed Scott Hart to join the committee that also includes Travis Nelson.

• Discussed the volleyball court at Amundson Park and the Henning Festival Grounds. Previously the volleyball court in Amundson Park was sand, but the city council heard positive remarks about transitioning to a grass volleyball court after the Henning Festival. The city has discussed moving the volleyball court to the festival grounds and adjacent to the new skate park. 

• Discussed the potential to construct a new grandstand at the baseball field, which could also be used as a storm shelter in the event of inclement weather. Diane Thorson said the idea came about after inclement weather forced people who were attending the Henning Festival to seek shelter from a fast-moving storm. Thorson said a similar project was completed in Paynesville and the city could be eligible for up to 75 percent of the total cost of constructing a grand stand and shelter with the city paying for the remaining 25 percent. The city council granted Thorson the approval to seek a grant for the project and FEMA. 

• Discussed a state statue regarding the employment of minors under the age of 18. Johnson asked the city council to review the state statue and discuss the matter at a later date.

• Discussed a proper chain of command for the fire department, rescue squad and ambulance department. Hart put together the chain of command protocol and asked the advisors for each group to review the chain of command and bring back suggestions to the next meeting. Kovarik suggested the city council have a chain of command as well. The city will also reach out to Patrick Waletzko of Otter Tail County to assist with coming up with a detailed chain of command for the city. 

• Discussed getting proposals for professional mediation that could be utilized for city department training. Hermanson said he would like to see the city look into mediation training after the discussion last month between the ongoing issues between the fire department and ambulance service. 

• Approved a new computer use and social media policy for city staff and employees. All city employees and council members must sign the new policy by the October city council meeting.

• Heard the Henning Fire Department received a FEMA grant for $156,200 to purchase air packs. The fire department’s portion of the grant was just five percent, or just over $7,500.