Red Wing City Council briefs

Council overrides veto, which Egan issued to spark discussion

Mayor Dennis Egan had vetoed a resolution opposing proposed legislation that would change budget reporting requirements, but the council unanimously overturned the veto Monday.

Egan said the veto wasn’t so much in opposition to the council position as to promote more conversation. “It really was from a standpoint of better understanding,” he said.

The proposed legislation would require the city to organize and release certain information about city finances, with the goal of being able to compare cities, Finance Director Marshall Hallock said.

Egan wanted to know that the cost to the city would be to produce the information, but Council President Ralph Rauterkus said that’s not the issue. “It doesn’t matter what the cost is, the cost is too much because it’s not going to accomplish the goal,” he said, adding it throws the burden back on to the cities.

Hallock and council members said the issue is another unfunded mandate and could lead to others. “We’ve seen it too many times,” Council member Dean Hove said. “It just escalates.”

In other news:

• The council unanimously approved a special hunt for deer and turkey with an expansion of the archery zone.

• An ordinance changing the maximum front fence height from three and a half to four feet was introduced Monday night. The change better aligns with industry standards, Planning Director Brian Peterson said.

• Deanna Sheely’s appointment to the Sister Cities Commission for a first term ending in 2014 was unanimously approved.

Meeting watch

Monday’s City Council meeting lasted about four hours and 40 minutes. All members were present. Council member Peggy Rehder participated via Skype for a portion of the meeting before the connection was lost.

— Compiled by Danielle Nordine, staff writer

Tags: red wing, government