MiTek, City Of Britton To Negotiate Over Property

    The Britton City Council approved negotiating a price with MiTek for the sale of three lots occupied by the former Sale Barn on the south edge of Britton at its regular meeting on Monday.
    MiTek is currently located at 406 Vander Horck and is looking at constructing a 150x250-foot building with a two-story office in the front for the purpose of expanding its electrical assembly side of the operation.
    Indications are that the expansion would include additional employees in Britton but the number is uncertain at this time.  The city has paid $245,000 for purchase of the Sale Barn property and work on the land to make it useable for economic development. 
    “With the automated jigging process that MiTek bought from us, we were doing our own electrical panels and have continued to do that here,” said former Britton site manager Clyde Fredrickson.  “Now they are looking at expanding that to a lot of other machinery that they build instead of hiring outside contractors to do that.”
    MiTek is wholly owned by Berkshire Hathaway and has about 8,000 employees world-wide.  The company is the world’s largest supplier of materials to the wood components industry.
    MiTek officials met with Britton city officials on Tuesday morning to look at the current facility and to get familiar with the community.  No commitments have yet been made and MiTek is looking at several options to determine what fits its building needs and what fits the community needs with the former Sale Barn land.
    The board did hold an executive session at Monday’s meeting to talk about the sale of the lots and upon resuming regular session a motion was approved to authorize Mayor Clyde Fredrickson to negotiate with Mitek on the land.
    Fredrickson said he did not know what kind of timetable the company is looking at for expansion, but he thought it would be “as soon as practical.  MiTek does have an immediate need.”
    In other action the board is looking at making $20,000 of cuts to swimming pool services to help make operating that facility more cost-effective.  Pool Manager Laken Werner  listed some potential cost savings for the board including eliminating the morning lap swim ($2,400), not being open one day of the weekend ($5,040), eliminating the concession stand ($18,000 in salary and supplies), and possibly eliminating being open evenings.    
    Last summer the pool was open from 1-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.  The facility was closed to the public for six weeks in the evening when swimming lessons were held.
    Werner noted that the weekends and evenings are the slowest time for pool attendance and thought the average attendance on a Saturday was only about 10 people.  She also said that only one person utilized the morning lap swim and that a lane is roped off for that purpose during regular pool hours.  Closing the concession stand would eliminate six employees, but if that is done a full line of vending options would still be available.
    The board directed Werner to find $20,000 in cuts, however she sees fit, and it will take action on her recommendations when adopting the first reading of the budget ordinance at a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.  Also on the agenda will be the potential land sale to MiTek and the first reading of the supplemental ordinance.
    The board approved a motion to offer land at the airport for lease for haying after a public hearing on the issue.  Ray Effling had leased the land for the past five years and would like to continue the agreement.  Aaron Beaner also appeared at the council meeting and indicated an interest in bidding for that lease.  Fredrickson said several other people had also expressed interest.  The board decided to put the lease up for bids with the top two bidders having the opportunity to submit a second sealed bid after the initial bid opening.
    Approval was given for annual donations to area organizations which were represented at the Monday meeting.  Those included $2,500 to the Marshall Prayer Rock Museum, $4,000 to the Britton Baseball Association, $5,000 to the Britton Country Club, $21,000 to Glacial Lakes Area Development, $1,000 to the Home Base school backpack program, and $8,000 to the Britton Chamber of Commerce.
    Other action included liquor license renewals for Cliff’s 1-Stop, VFW, Flowers By Anita, Snapper’s Dry Bean, Ken’s Food Fair, Dollar General, Baker’s, and Northern Lights, and a piano was declared surplus.  The board also approved GWorks for City Hall, a program for utility billing and fund accounting for $10,800 and a yearly fee of $7,200, it accepted a metal flower donation from GROW SD to be placed at the ballpark facility, and it approved a $250 Christmas bonus for seven full-time employees.
    The board heard from ISG representatives via video conference on project updates.  ISG will attend the board’s December meeting.  The firm is also starting design work on the Courthouse expansion project.
    Councilman Shane Storley of the Cemetery Committee informed the board that work on the Veterans Memorial at the cemetery is progressing well.  The wall and lighting are complete and statues will be installed next spring.  Donations completely funded the project.