New Tower councilor jumps into city business

By Steve Altenburg

TOWER, Minn./January 14, 2025/—The first city meeting of 2025 was held on it normal second Monday of the month schedule  at 5:30 pm at the civic center.

In attendance was new council member David Wanless who had apparently taken his sworn oath of office at a non-specified time, place, and in a non-public meeting. He is the second councilor that this has been done with, and this just happens to coincide with a larger similar situation currently happening at the state legislature.

Regardless, Wanless volunteered for several commission/committee appointments and appears to be quite enthusiastic about taking on challenges.

The city reorganization also saw a 1-year extension with Collosimo, Patchin, & Kearny, LTD. It appears that they are experiencing staffing changes that may affect them serving some of the city’s needs in the future.

Staffing changes have also caused the city’s long term auditor to notify many of their clients that they will no longer be to handle the workload that they have been carrying. The city is currently looking for a suitable replacement firm and Wanless offered to help clerk/treasure Michael Shultz with some phone calls and information gathering.

The city audit normally is schedule to start sometime in February so this is a time sensitive issue if the report and data are going to be ready to submit to the state by the end of June as required.

In other business:

• Schultz was given a 6% raise for 2025 matching what the other full-time employees received and based on his review that Mayor Dave Setterberg stated exceeds expectations in his work/job.
• The new job position of Senor Maintenance Foremen was given as a promotion to the only applicant Ben Velcheff who is the current maintenance foreman. The only real notable difference seems to be a pay increase of $ 2,800 a year.
• The old county building and land is now officially the property of the city. There is apparently a lot of work/upgrades that need to be done and the city will be trying to get grants for those expenses.
• And finally work continues on the water plant project. No delays in its completion date have as of yet come forward.

The city meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.