Council Discusses Water Lines, Electrical Rates, And Streets

The Minden City Council met at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 4, at the council chambers.

 

The key points of the night were a public hearing on the one- and six-year street improvement plans, a presentation on an assessment of the city’s water infrastructure, and a discussion of proposed electrical rates adjustments.

 

After the consent agenda was approved, Jess Hurlbert, an engineer from Olsson Associates, explained what streets were in the one- and six-year plan.

 

The following streets are in the one-year plan: Fifth Street from Brown Avenue to Colorado Avenue, Aspen Avenue from First Street to Evergreen Street, Birch Street from Aspen Avenue to the east limit, Evergreen Street from Aspen Avenue to Sycamore Street, Holland Street from Logan Street to Lincoln Street, and Campbell Street approximately 100 feet west of Brown Avenue.

 

. . .

 

Next on the agenda was the presentation of studies on Minden’s water infrastructure as prepared by Chris Miller, an engineer from Miller & Associates.

 

“The city’s been experiencing what we call ‘red water,’” the Miller & Associates representative said. “You guys have some problems of water that appears red, milky, or cloudy, and it’s happened for the past several years.

 

“It primarily occurs in the summer months when you guys have high demand and you have high velocities pumping from the plant in the town.”

 

The water distributed to Minden has an issue with the amounts of manganese and iron within it, according to the study.

 

. . .

 

In May of 2012, a customer sent a complaint to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) of Nebraska, and samples of Minden’s water were taken from three residences.

 

The findings were varied.

 

. . .

 

In the next order of business, the city council discussed Resolutions 1595, 1596, and 1597 concerning the adjustment of electrical rates.

 

Over the past few years, due to infrastructure upgrades needed to continue service, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has increased their rates. In 2011, the increase was 9.6% and, in 2012, the increase was 6.5%.

 

This year, NPPD is increasing their rates 3.77%. The proposal, as brought before the council, is to raise the rate by 2.5%, with the city covering the other 1.27%.

 

The full article can be found in the February 13, 2013, edition of the Minden Courier.