Following Council action taken November 15 and starting April 1 of next year, those seeking sewer hookup from the City can expect a four percent increase. For those needing help with their water bill, meanwhile, there are options.

“If someone can’t pay their water bill we get them in touch with the County,” City Clerk/Treasurer Nicole Thiel said November 15, with the end that those needing help get set up with the state. The water bill program action, which aims to reduce the estimated 120 or so city residents behind on their water bills, was moved forward to Council with a motion by Jason Meyer, seconded by Laurie Foster. In the meantime, there was safety to think about – enter ‘Keeping Safety Simple,’ a company seeking the City’s approval to come teach safety to the tune of $14,400 for 12-days a year. Company co-owner Dustin Thompson was on hand at the November 15 Council meeting to brief Council members and make his pitch, ultimately being hired by the City.

“So we basically do all the inspections that the DSPS requires,” Thompson said referencing the Department of Safety and Professional Services in telling the Council what his company could offer the city.

In addition, Keeping Safety Simple offered blood borne pathogen training, along with basic CPR First Aid and AED training. Included among the companies offerings was that of “chainsaw awareness,” along with fire extinguisher training, hazard protection, and an emergency action plan. Moving forward to the regular Council Meeting from the Committee of the Whole, the proposal by Keeping Safety Simple was approved for $14,400 for 12-days over a one-year contract period.

“If I’m doing my job over the years, you should need a person less,” Thompson said of the ‘teach a man to fish’ philosophy the company had.

Returning from safety to utility matters, it was further reported that the Village of Cadott had approached the City on the possibility of taking Cadott sludge – a prospect the City was open to, at least potentially.

“I’d like to think we can work together with our neighboring communities,” Kevin Hendrickson said Monday November 15 from the Stanley Council meeting at the Fire Hall.

But whether Stanley can help Cadott with its sludge disposal needs may just hinge on the fallout for the city as it relates to phosphorous, and more specifically, Department of Natural Resources standards tied to the same. With industries like ACE Ethanol already putting the city on edge so far as state phosphorous standards are concerned, a load or three from Cadott, may just put the city over. It all comes down to numbers, in a phrase.

“They don’t have the industry like we do,” Mayor Al Haas said, with the general tenor of discussion being that it depended on how the phosphorous numbers were affected for Stanley vis a vis the State Department of Natural Resources.

As to remuneration from Cadott for taking on the sludge costs, the City would charge Cadott eleven cents per gallon, a six cent rise over what it would cost the City to process.

Do the profit-loss math on an average load of 50,000 gallons, and that’s $3,000 to the city per load from Cadott, with anywhere from three all the way to five loads per year. The outcome, however, is likely to be more tied to phosphorous impact, than profits.