The lead service line replacement project has been in planning for several years, with city staff working to identify which lines are made of lead or are galvanized. The requested $1 million, already pre-approved as the maximum amount for towns of New Ulm’s size, will be used to replace about 40 service lines. This grant and loan combination ensures no direct cost to the city for the project, including consultancy services. The project prioritizes lines with known lead contamination and those servicing daycares.

Another highlight from the meeting was a brief power outage at the local hospital caused by work on a transformer that inadvertently tripped a switch in the redundant power feed. Although power was restored promptly, the incident has prompted an engineering evaluation to prevent future occurrences. Staff will be meeting with hospital officials to discuss the findings and implement preventative measures.

The commission also approved the purchase of a new Caterpillar 265 compact track loader for the natural gas department, costing $91,033.33. This new acquisition is expected to enhance operational efficiency by providing the necessary equipment for work in confined spaces, such as alleyways, without sharing resources with other departments.

Additionally, the commission discussed budget carryovers for the steam department and approved the purchase of replacement parts for a steam meter project, totaling $24,840. The commission also approved upgrading the Microsoft Server operating system to the 2025 version, with the bid coming in under budget at $17,856.64.

In personnel news, Jared Lansteiner was recognized as the employee of the month for his contributions to the wastewater plant since 2002.