Two Harbors levy up 4.5%

• New Water Tower

A new city water tower near the Louisiana-Pacific plant is under construction. Matt Suoja

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• Silver Bay sets levy

The Two Harbors City Council passed its property tax levy for 2010 that will see a 4.5 percent increase for area residents. It is expected the increase will help pay for the new water tower near the Louisiana-Pacific plant that is already under construction.

“The base is all poured,” said council member Steve Detlefsen. “There still up there working.”

The council also approved the budget for 2010, which has a $24,100 surplus, for now. In recent talks, the council decided to hire a police officer to fill a position while postponing the hiring of public works employee.

Two Harbors may have dodged a bullet recently with Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s decision to lay off on local government aid cuts for this year. City administrator Lee Klein still has worries about future cuts. “There are certainly concerns about cuts after Feb. 4,” he said, speaking of the first day of the Minnesota Legislature.

Detlefsen projected the water tower would be up by next September with the project being in working order for 2011. Current conditions of the water tower are cost prohibitive for a fix, the council decided.

With that, the council passed a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of an approximate $2.4 million general obligation loan and for providing for its payment.

Earlier this summer, the council accepted a bid from Caldwell Tank for $3,031,000 for a water tower to replace the old one near Antonich Field. The new 150-foot tower will be located across from the Louisiana-Pacific entrance.

Lights action

Steve Blettner, the electrical superintendent for Two Harbors, said the lamps for Waterfront Drive are expected this week. Weather will play a part in when city crews can install them. “We will get started on it as time permits,” Blettner said.

Sled route

The council passed a resolution to designate a route on the east end of Two Harbors that would go up Burlington Bay Hill to make it easier for snowmobilers to reach downtown. “The west end is still a work in progress,” Mayor Randy Bolen said about a possible snowmobile route there.

Skateboard park

There will be a meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 in council chambers about installing a possible skateboard park at the John A. Johnson playground. It had been planned for a spot near Lake View Memorial Hospital, but it has plans for an assisted living facility there.

Tags: two harbors, city council, news, levy