The Town of Delmar began the special meeting of the electors on October 16th with nine residents in attendance to vote on the levy limit.

Chairman Dave Peterson explained that the reason for the special meeting was to go above the levy limits set by the state and to increase the levy limit by 20%. Peterson read the resolution and commented, “This is the proposal to the town electors to go 20% interest and that $109,870 would be the tax levy to the town.”

“That 20 percent? It doesn’t have to be the twenty. It can be less, right?” Kenny Zimmerman asked.

“Right,” Peterson agreed and remarked that at the previous annual town meeting, it was motioned and agreed on to go 20% for five years instead of 100%. He added that last year it was 20% and this is the second year it would be 20%.

“It’s an additional $18,000,” Peterson stated that it would cover four or maybe five houses.

“When the new houses are built, what it’s basically doing is lowering everyone’s tax levy.”

He added that you can look on your taxes and see that the town’s tax levy is very minimal compared to the County.

Treasurer Debbie Haas mentioned, “This resolution is either approved as is or it’s not approved.” She added that changes couldn’t be made after the board made the resolution.

“That money is used for roads and the township,” Zimmerman stated.

Peterson agreed and mentioned that it’s needed to keep up with road maintenance, vehicles, wages, equipment and anything the town needs right now. He described how prices for road maintenance is double what it was a few years ago.

Regarding prices, Haas answered, “Nothing goes down, it just drastically goes higher.”

“That’s why we’re coming to the public because we have to raise the levy, or else we can’t operate at the level we are,” Supervisor Brent Milas explained. 

The motion was made to approve resolution 23.1 to go above the levy limits by the state and another motion was made to approve the total town levy of $109,870.00.  Both motions carried unanimously.

As the special meeting ended, the regular meeting quickly began at 8pm.

During public comment, a resident addressed the Council, “What are you gonna do with the old garage doors? Junk ‘em?”

“Yeah, they’re gonna take them,” Peterson answered. “That way we have them out of here.” He added that it was in the bid for the company that installed the new doors to take the old doors and dispose of them at no extra cost.

“Yeah, we don’t want them lying around,” the resident mentioned to Peterson’s agreement.

With no news to report from the cemetery committee, Peterson mentioned that the Fire and Ambulance committee recently held the fundraiser for Firefighter Scott Knez who sadly passed away. “I give our department credit for doing the fundraiser and for all the work that went into it,” he said.

Supervisor Milas gave an update and remarked that broadband internet is expected to come across the Yellow River in 2024.

Peterson mentioned that 130th Avenue was shouldered and a “little improvement” was made by adding a couple loads of gravel to the road by 330th where it goes into Colburn because they raised the road up a little bit and it was a little low on Colburn’s side.

He also explained that a resident had commented on the length of the grass on 130th but they decided not to mow a second time. “We usually never have mowed a second time,” he added that the snowplow would get it in about a month anyway. He mentioned that it cost $3500 to mow and stated that some roads didn’t need it anyway.

Milas agreed and said that to offset the cost of the garage doors they needed to save somewhere.

Peterson further explained that with the dry weather this year, he didn’t feel the roads needed the extra mowing.

Peterson also shared that they had received and installed the street signs to replace the missing ones.

“I’d like to thank everyone for showing up,” Milas addressed the attendees, adding that it was a good turnout for a public meeting.

In other news

The Delmar Budget meeting was scheduled for November 13th at 8pm with the regular monthly meeting to follow.