WELLMAN
A brisk regular meeting Monday night left the Wellman city council time to discuss the city’s recent successes and disappointments, which include Light the Night in the former category …
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WELLMAN
A brisk regular meeting Monday night left the Wellman city council time to discuss the city’s recent successes and disappointments, which include Light the Night in the former category and the library building in the latter.
The city’s holiday celebration on Nov. 25 saw “a nice turnout” for the Christmas tree lighting and arrival of Santa downtown.
“It was nice that there were hot dogs and s’mores and hot chocolate,” council member Angela Stutzman said.
About 100 hot dogs were served at the event.
“It felt good to just walk downtown,” council member Fern Bontrager agreed. “It just looked nice.”
Ongoing delays in the library’s renovation and expansion continue to vex the council. Doors and windows are still coming in for the construction project that should have been completed last month; now the city looks ahead to work being completed in early 2024.
“It’s still progressing,” Mayor Ryan Miller said. “It’s not there yet.”
In council action at the Dec. 4 meeting, a public hearing was set for Dec. 18, which will allow the city to put the splash pad project out to bid.
The right to review the plat of survey for Dennis Miller was waived; the property sits within two miles of the city, but the council agreed to leave decisions about the land to the county.
The council approved the replacement of a screen for the sewer plant, which had been installed outside and subsequently destroyed by the elements over the years. For $4,095, it will be replaced and moved indoors.
The council also passed a resolution to oppose Alliant Energy’s proposed rate increase, which would boost the electric bills of residential customers by 13.4% and small businesses by 20%. The proposed increase would be the largest in the company’s history and raises eyebrows when considered in light of the power company’s $1.72 billion in gross profits in 2022.
Whether the resolution will have any bearing on the rate increase coming to fruition is unclear, but the council felt the action worthwhile.
“The consumer doesn’t really have a voice in this, so at least we are saying something for our community,” Miller said.
The Wellman City Council will next meet on Monday, Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
