TOWER— The city’s finances continue to slowly improve while several major projects have been completed or are now underway, marking another year of improvement for the city. That’s according to Tower Mayor Dave Setterberg, who gave his “state of the city” presentation as part of the city council meeting here on Monday.
Setterberg highlighted several factors contributing to the city’s success, including a high degree of community involvement, citing organizations like the Lake Vermilion Cultural Center, the historical society, the events board, the food shelf, the women’s club, the trails club, and the charter school and affiliated organizations.
Setterberg noted those groups have played a key role in some major improvements, including renovation of the Historicw Fire Hall, continued progress at the cultural center, and ongoing work on recreational trails. He gave a special thanks to council members Bob Anderson and Joe Morin for their work repairing the roof of the trapper’s cabin in the mini-park.
Setterberg also cited updates at the airport, the purchase of the former county public works facility, the completion of city-wide sewer line inspection and the new accessible kayak launch, as city achievements this year. He read from an email he received from a man who thanked the city for installing the accessible launch, which he said had allowed his wife to do something she had always loved in the past but hadn’t been able to do since becoming disabled.
At the same time, Setterberg noted new private sector building in town is now underway, most notably behind the Marjo Motel.
While the city’s levy, at just over $400,000 a year, is relatively small, Setterberg noted that the city had brought in $11.957 million in grants over the past 2-3 years to facilitate several major infrastructure projects. Ongoing or upcoming projects include improvements to the train depot and mini-park, a new drinking water treatment plant, sewer and blacktop replacement on portions of Second and Third Aves. S, and expansion of wastewater treatment capacity.
Setterberg noted that the city’s financial improvements since 2018 have come without any major increases in the city’s levy, which the council froze in 2022, followed by a three percent and two percent levy in 2023 and 2024. Setterberg noted that about 80 percent of the levy goes toward salaries for city workers.
He said the city is expecting at least $136,000 of additional outside revenues for 2025, including a $120,000 in one-time state aid for the ambulance service. While the ambulance has faced financial challenges for several years, Setterberg noted that the service has done better in 2024, with an increase in calls and some cost savings that have kept the city from having to backfill the service’s budget, as was required in 2023.
Setterberg said the city is also expecting to receive reimbursement from FEMA for about $120,000 in damages related to the June flooding, although he said the timing of the reimbursement was uncertain.
Setterberg noted with satisfaction that the city had made its final payment this year on the $250,000 extraordinary expense loan that it had received from the League of Minnesota Cities in 2019 at the height of the city’s financial crisis. “That is now paid in full,” said Setterberg.
While Setterberg’s report was largely upbeat, he did note that recruitment of new members for the city’s fire department remains an area of concern. He also noted that the city had hired Dianna Sunsdahl to help the city review employee operating procedures and help find ways to build some redundancy into the city’s workforce.
Ambulance discussion
In other matters, the council discussed what do with the city’s 2013 ambulance following the recent delivery of its new ambulance, it’s second new rig in the past two years. While the Tower Ambulance Commission had recommended selling the rig, the council wanted to explore dedicating the rig for inter-hospital patient transfers. “We were looking at getting numbers on a transfer van,” said Setterberg, who noted that renovating the old ambulance for transfers would likely cost much less than buying and equipping a van.
Council member Morin questioned whether the city would be money ahead by using the old ambulance for transfers, rather than selling it. Setterberg said he had asked ambulance director Dena Suihkonen to draft a plan looking at those questions.
The recent acquisition of the county public works facility has opened space in the garage at city hall to park a third ambulance, Setterberg noted. With outstanding questions, the council tabled a decision on the ambulance until more answers are forthcoming.
In other business, the council:
• Hired Olivia Haavisto as the city’s new maintenance assistant, replacing John Harju. Haavisto has been working on a fill-in basis in the position for the past several months. Starting pay will be $21/hour.
• Approved a resolution to certify the delinquent water and sewer accounts onto the property tax assessment for the following individuals and the indicated amounts: Jay Aldrich- $2,195.03; Melanie Aldrich- $693.14 and $830; and Brenda Friesner- $2,773.75.