|
The Council saw little alternative to upgrading the system. The village had become dependent
<br /> upon power from the Anoka County Cooperative, but the service, according to a newspaper
<br /> account, "has been getting steadily worse and in spite of the many protests made to them about
<br /> the service no attempt has been made to correct it."The village had considered switching to
<br /> NSP,but that utility had no power to spare.54
<br /> When the Council opened the engine bids in May, however, all were deemed too high, and a
<br /> decision was postponed. Post-war equipment price increases prompted the Council to reconsider
<br /> the issue in October and vote to purchase the engines from the Worthington Pump and
<br /> Machinery Company, which agreed to honor the May bid. Because of a backlog of orders,
<br /> though, Worthington could not promise delivery until the following summer. In the meantime,
<br /> crews upgraded the system's lines, although work was impeded by shortages of wire and
<br /> transformers. Work also began on the"White Way"through downtown and along the highway.55
<br /> Activity slowed during the winter,but in February 1947, in anticipation of the spring
<br /> construction season,the Council opened bids for a new sewage treatment plant and a building to
<br /> house the Worthington engine. Bids for the former were over budget and all were rejected,but
<br /> the Council awarded a contract for$64,276 to Saint Paul contractor Howard Purtell for the
<br /> power plant, and for$40,140 to Kehne Electric of Minneapolis for the electric equipment and
<br /> switchboard.New remote controls would permit operation of the hydroelectric facility from the
<br /> new diesel plant,to be located just across the road. Bonds totaling$225,000 were issued to
<br /> finance these and other improvements. The Council assured the public that the bonds would be
<br /> paid by the utility's income,not tax dollars.56
<br /> Also in February, the Council accepted the resignation of Superintendent Ward Holsbo. By
<br /> April, George W. Wombill,manager of the public utility in Madison, Minnesota,was hired to
<br /> replace him. Wombill had been with the Madison utility for ten years, and with the utility in
<br /> Marshall, Minnesota, for seven years before that. At the same time,poor health forced Vernon
<br /> Skellinger to resign as a member of the Village Council. Skellinger had been the Council's
<br /> authority on municipal utilities and had been a strong proponent of the new diesel plant. The
<br /> Sherburne County Star News noted that"the council feels the loss of Mr. Skellinger keenly."57
<br /> His departure might have catalyzed a reevaluation of the Council's responsibilities with the
<br /> utility business,which was demanding an increasing amount of time and energy. In addition to
<br /> issues related to the electric service, the community's waterworks were also requiring more of
<br /> the Council's attention. The municipal water system, supplied by a 310-foot well, had been
<br /> established in 1920 at a cost of$50,000.58 On July 11, 1947,the Council decided to combine all
<br /> 54"Village Signs Contract for New Diesel Generating Units,"Sherburne County Star News,October 17, 1946.
<br /> 55 Elk River Village Council Minutes,May 6, 1946;"Village Signs Contract for New Diesel Generating Units."
<br /> 56"Village Signs Contract for New Diesel Generating Units";Elk River Village Council Minutes,November 7,
<br /> 1946,February 20, 1947.
<br /> 57"St.Paul Man Is Low Bidder for Local Power Plant Building,"Sherburne County Star News,February 27, 1947;
<br /> "Village Council Names Wombill Superintendent Public Utilities,"Sherburne County Star News,April 10, 1947.
<br /> 58 Seelhammer and Mosher, Growth of Sherburne County,337.By 1928,the system included a 100,000 gallon tank:
<br /> on a 100 foot tower;average daily consumption was 40,000 gallons. See Sanborn Map Company,Elk River.Minn.
<br /> April 1928,Sheet 1. Information on peak loads is in"Utilities Continues Tradition of Service It Started Here in
<br /> 1916."
<br /> 85
<br />
|