CEYLON — The Ceylon City Council on Tuesday held a public hearing concerning the Department of Employment and Economic Development for a Small Cities Development Grant for water treatment facility rehabilitation and improvements application submission for which $600,000 is requested.

A preliminary application was sent in November. If the application is approved, the city will expect news in the late summer or fall. This application is due April 15, 2026. Troy Nemmer from Bolton and Menk Inc. is helping the city apply. He mentioned that this grant fits the Ceylon project well, and the money should pay for most of the project to improve the water treatment facility. The facility has not had a large upgrade or major improvement since 1986.

The council approved applying for the Small Cities Development Program grant, which goes through HUD.

The council approved the Waste Management contract. Jay Niesen from Waste Management Inc. discussed the contract with the council. The price is a four percent increase over the current price. Containers of 32 gallons, 64 gallons and 96 gallons will be available and they will use three trucks. Twenty-five to 30 large containers will be used for Community Day on April 11, as part of the contract. The council approved the contract with Waste Management for a three-year term.

In other business:

— The council approved an ordinance for dogs roaming at large, with a fine of $100, and an ordinance for property with nuisance junk, with a fine of $500. The ordinances will be enforced by law enforcement.

— The council opened the sealed bids for concrete work, namely the sidewalk on the south side of Main Street downtown, and approved the bid for the sidewalk from Mike Wolter from Cosmos, Minn., of $7,250. The sidewalk has been closed for some time since the new road was made. The bids for the concrete pad by the city Hall were discussed. The council will request bids for that project separately.

— The council approved the vendor fees for Community Day at $50 and Mayor Judith Perkins volunteered to collect the fees.

— The FREA contract for the rent of the land south of the City Hall, where they built a hub for the electronics for the Broadband project in Ceylon/Martin County, was reviewed since FREA would like to purchase the land but the city would not want to sell that land, which would mean opening it for bids and auctioning the land. The city would like $2,500 a year for the rent of the land.

— The city employee report included a question about bidding on items that would be helpful for traffic and safety control during Community Day, and putting city-owned items up for auction. The council approved the request.

— The Clean Up Day fee was discussed. An increase was mentioned, but no action was taken.

— The cemetery reported a beginning balance of $39,000 and an ending balance of $28,000. The city pays $5,000 a year to help the cemetery pay for mowing. The council approved no increase in the yearly dues from the city.

— The Fire Department/Townships will have an internal audit and council members Wayne Walter and Terry Muller will attend.