WELCOME — The Welcome City Council met on Tuesday evening and heard from the Park Board, which met on March 25 and discussed the refurbishing of the shelter house, which was brought to the council. The public works employee, Dave Bach, will make support beams and the lights will be installed. The windows on the west side should be replaced or taken out. The motion to take them out failed and a new motion to replace them was approved. They asked that the public works employee put in a simple window for light. They approved smoke gray paint for the blocks and discussed security cameras for the shelter house and the basketball and pickle ball courts. They also discussed lights for the courts and approved the Park Board to get some information from FREA about poles and connection to the shelter house for lights. The Park Board and the council agreed that this remodeling should be done ASAP so that the shelter house would be ready for the festival this summer.

The Park Board asked about redoing the sign by the horse waterer by the park and the council approved. They also mentioned the community gardens being used again this year.

Public Works report included the storm drains were 65 percent done. The council asked if the sewer could be done before fall and winter.

The council asked for more information from the Snyder Tree Co. about the ash tree removal from City property. The grant for the ash tree removal and replacement was given by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Minnesota. The trees tagged for removal need to be inspected again since some are maple not ash and some are on private property not City property and county right of way.

The council approved the acceptance of a grant for $1,200 to get an intern to locate and inspect water lead possibilities in Welcome. This would be reported on the clerk’s computer. This is to be in compliance with the EPA mandate and may or may not be done in Welcome sometime before fall. All water meters are in and reading. Some meters have not had readings consistently and the reason was explained by the public works employee, Max Longley, as the updates are done and the meter is not updated so it needs to be redone. The council asked Longley to read the meters and make sure they are all reading before the update, to check each month.

The city clerk explained that the legal description of the park by city hall and First Street were incorrectly filed and she asked permission to get that surveyed and cleared up since the Ash Tree grant is asking questions. The council approved her suggestion to clear up any discrepancies.

Moving to other matters, it was said that the burn site is in need of an attendant to make sure the rules are adhered to at the site. The burn site is open from 8 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, and from June to October it is also open from 6 to 8 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. The burn site is for branches no larger than 6 inches in diameter and only branches and leaves, no garbage, metal items or large stumps. The council will ask for someone to be employed there and report back at the next meeting.

In other business:

— The council accepted the resignation/retirement of the clerk, Deb Hansen. Her last day will be Sept. 3, 2024.

— The council approved permission for Martin County West School District to put up a permanent fence at the ball field at their expense.

— There is an Information Hub and Gift Shop opening in Fairmont at 103 W. 1st St. and towns in Martin County may have a box or hub to promote their events or sell gift souvenirs and display any brochures to promote their town. Each town has a hub paid for by the Martin County EDA. Discussion was held about what to put In the Welcome hub. The Welcome Festival and the Historical Society Museum were mentioned.

— The council approved a 5K walk/run that will happen on an early morning the weekend of the Summer Festival and will be sponsored by Valero as one of their charitable events.

The council approved the quote from Yards and More Landscaping to seed Keck Park and provide matting on the seed for $5,800. Public works will water the grass seed.

The council was presented with an original style Minnesota flag to emphasize their wish for the new Minnesota flag to be turned down.

— There will be a police commission meeting at 5 p.m. on April 16.

The next Welcome City Council meeting will be 6 p.m. on April 16 at Welcome City Hall.