By Sara Quam
Good-byes and greetings along with some basic housekeeping measures were main topics at MondayÕs Luverne City Council meeting.
Before the new aldermen and mayor formally signed on for their terms, Mayor Bill Weber bid farewell along with council members Alex Frick and Everett Brandenburg.
Weber thanked his friends and family for supporting him when his schedule put them second on his list of priorities. Weber started out as a council member and then became mayor. He said, "It's been a great 16 years."
He said that throughout his life, he's been able to travel and visit other cities. "I always come away with the feeling that no city is better taken care of than Luverne. It's been a privilege to know the city employees and citizens."
He wished the newly elected officials well and said he knew Luverne residents would keep their standards high as they have in the past. As for Weber, he said he will continue to follow local politics.
After the new council was sworn in, Mayor Glen Gust said, "I'm very, very excited about this job. We're going to keep Luverne on the map."
New council members are Tom Martius and David Hauge.
In other business Monday, the council:
- Passed a resolution in support of border city legislation efforts. The estimated cost is just under $30,000 for the year's lobbying fees. Mayor Gust and Aldermen Keith Erickson and Martius along with City Administrator Matt Hylen are meeting with Sen. Arlene Lesewski and Rep. Richard Mulder next week. The meeting will start the support network the city hopes to establish.
Last year the legislation was close to passing, but with so many new faces in Congress and on its committees, Luverne will have a harder fight this year. Gust said he was told by Mulder that citizen input is more important than the city representatives when trying to get legislative support for an issue like this.
"It may mean we have to work hard this year. And then we may have a shot at it the second year," Erickson said.
- Appointed Erickson as acting mayor in Gust's absence. Erickson is the senior-most council member.
- Designated the Rock County Star Herald as the official newspaper. The paper will carry meeting notices, hearings, etc.
- Set aside $2,100 to subsidize the Senior Citizen Center meal site utilities for the year, which is the same usually designated.
- Approved Gust's citizen appointments for 2001 boards and commissions.