Park Rapids City Council approves revolving loan for wine bar – Park Rapids Enterprise

Acker had expressed interest in buying the former Moose Creek furniture store to create a wine bar and retail shop, offering wine-making supplies and classes.

The city’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) recommended approving the loan on March 29, but the council tabled the question on April 13 in order to give City Administrator Angel Weasner time to discuss issues with Acker regarding her state liquor license.

“I did have that meeting with her,” Weasner told the council. “Everything is in accordance with the law, and with the recommendation of the EDA and the revolving loan committee, I feel that this can be approved at this time.”

Council member Erika Randall moved to approve the loan, and the motion passed unanimously.

In consent items and general business, the council:

• Paid Northland Trust Services $39,856 for general obligation bond series 2015A; $24,494 for GO bond series 2012A; $39,866 for GO bond series 2016A; $9,510 for GO bond series 2016B; and $14,925 for GO bond series 2019A.

• Paid Flaherty & Hood, P.A. $1,899 for professional services. The law firm’s invoice breaks down to $891 for real estate work relating to Career Path, $736 for labor and employment consultation for the municipal liquor store, and $271 for labor and employment consultation for the police department.

• Paid TKDA $3,632 for professional services relating to the municipal airport’s terminal area taxilanes project.

• Accepted the low bid and applied for grant funding for the airport taxilanes project. Estimated cost was $1.175 million to extend two taxilanes, build a new one and complete other improvements in the terminal area, with significant portions of the costs eligible for reimbursement through federal and state grants. The bid was awarded to Blombeck Construction of Eagle Bend for $901,601. Other bidders included Gladen Construction of Laporte, Hough of Detroit Lakes, Sellin Brothers of Hawley and J.R. Ferche of Rice, Minn.

• Ordered various water and sewer parts from Ferguson Water Works for $17,842.

• Accepted Flying W Gardens’ bid of $1,065 for an advanced purchase order of trees for the 2022 planting season.

• Approved the pricing and use of the new Mach 10 meters as the T-10 meter inventory is exhausted. A staff memo said the new models should experience fewer failures. Rates for the new Mach 10 meters range from $422 to $3,888 depending on the model, with different models going up, down or staying the same compared to the old rates.

• Approved a public facilities use permit for Calvary Lutheran Church to hold worship services at Deane Park on July 10, 17, 24 and 31.

• Approved a public facilities use permit for Vintage Chevrolet Club of America to block off Main Avenue from State Hwy. 34 to 2nd Street from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on June 21.

• Approved a public facilities use permit for Northern Knights Car Club, Inc. to block off the first three blocks of Main Avenue South from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Aug. 14.

• Heard Rapids Spirits Liquor Store Manager Scott Olson report that April sales were down, possibly due to the cooler weather, but year-to-date sales were up 3.4 percent compared to the same period last year. He added that since new free-standing coolers were installed on April 5, “build your own six pack” sales have gone up 60 percent.

• Hired Charles Barbin as a temporary, seasonal, part-time public works employee. Barbin will be paid $13.25 per hour for 67 work days during the summer, starting May 17.

• Appointed David De La Hunt to the Park Rapids Airport Commission.

• Approved an easement for Career Path over Charles Street, which is city-owned property not dedicated as a public right-of-way. According to a memo in the council’s agenda packet, the city attorney advised the city to grant itself a permanent easement for road and utility work across the property, in case its ownership changes.

• Approved an easement to give owners Fran and Pam Hauber driveway access to the northwest corner of a parcel running along Eastern Avenue from 8th Street South to 12th Street.

• Heard that the Park Rapids Planning Commission has moved its meetings to 5 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

• Discussed moving to paperless agenda packets, which are already posted on the city’s website and will be emailed to council members in the future.

• Approved payables totaling $149,454 and prepaids totaling $319,760.

The city council’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 11 at city hall.