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CEYLON -- During the Ceylon City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, the canvassing of the votes from Election Day, Nov. 3, were accepted as read by Clerk Mary Muller. 107 voted, 193 registered and there were 15 absentee ballots. The winning candidates will begin terms in January. Armin Kronback and Nicholas Feely were elected to the council and Judith Perkins was re-elected as mayor.
A presentation was given about the AVIVE outdoor AED (Automated External Defibrillator) by Emily Schumacher and Terry Larsen from AVIVE, and Jacci Yahnke and Ellen Kling from the EMTs of Ceylon Fire Department.
Schumacher talked about the container which would be installed outside of a building, likely on Main Street, in Ceylon. It also contains first aid items and is accessible at all times. Ceylon would be obligated to pay the maintenance cost of $600 per year and the cost to hire an electrician (unless one would volunteer the half hour to install the device), but the $8,000 cost will be paid for from a grant from Martin County Area Foundation.
They explained that the device is simple to use. There are audio and video instructions on the device. It has a camera that records anyone who opens the device. It includes a GPS so the device can be located and a dispatch is sent when it is used. It would page the Ceylon Fire Department. It is constantly charging the battery and if that should go low or something would go wrong with the device the company would be warned.
Larsen explained that his daughter collapsed outdoors playing basketball and died. An AED would have revived her but it was locked in the school. He has made it his commitment to get as many outdoor AEDs as he can to small towns in Martin County. There is one at the Winnebago Ball Diamonds in Fairmont and one in Sherburn and in Welcome.
Moving to other business, the Public Works employee explained the prices of mowers the council asked for as $11,500 for a 72 inch heavy duty commercial mower with 700 hours and a warranty for one year for parts only. The second option is a mower for $11,000 also 72 inch and heavy duty commercial mower with 350 hours and a one year warranty. He reported that the mowers owned by the city now (a John Deere mower is in need of much repair and the Bad Boy mower is a 2015) are ready to be replaced. This would speed up the mowing and also make it more safe. The money from the sale of the surplus equipment could be used to pay for the newer mower. The equipment dealer would be willing to hold the mower until 2027.
The council approved the purchase of the $11,000 mower and asked the dealer to hold it until the surplus equipment money is in from the online auction.
In other news:
-- The meeting continued with a resolution to list surplus equipment owned by the city for sale. The equipment listed were a tractor, a loader, a snowblower and a generator. The council approved listing these for sale on an online auction in “as is” condition for $10,000.
-- The council approved the $13,000 in mowing assessments to be added to the taxes for the properties mowed by the city.
-- The council approved the payment to Beckendorf for use of his private welder and torch to fix things.
-- Schumacher also reminded the council that there is a training session as part of the offer for residents for free. A session will be arranged after the AED is installed. The council approved the outdoor AED for Ceylon.
-- Beckendorf reported that two new cutting blades should be purchased for the pick up snowplow and the one on the skid loader. The cost would be $600 for both blades. The council approved that purchase.
-- The council discussed the proposal from the city attorney and approved the flat fee of $15,000 a year and $2000 for any hours over 10.
-- The proposal for former Public Works employee Jim Plumhoff to help with the water duties since he is licensed for that, was discussed and tabled until the next meeting.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. on Dec. 8 at City Hall.