SLEEPY EYE – The Sleepy Eye City Council unanimously approved 2016 North Water/Sewer project improvements and assessments Thursday.

The $737,274 project includes adding utilities to Sportsman’s Park, new catch basins at 4th & 6th Ave. S.E. and design engineering at 8th Ave. N.E. & Birch Street and 2nd Avenue N.W.

City Manager Mark Kober said affected residents can pay off assessments without interest until Dec. 31, 2016 or pay assessments plus 3.5 percent interest over a 10-year period after 2016.

City Engineer Dave Palm said the project is progressing well in the ditch along Third Avenue (Highway 4 north) towards Sportsman’s Park, on the north side of Sleepy Eye Lake.

The City Council unanimously approved canvassing General Election results. Kober said 1,690 voters was an all-time record turnout. Previous record turnouts were set in 2008 and 2012.

Kober said city budget funding was set aside to absorb a 20 percent employee health insurance hike in 2017. The individual policy deductible is now $3,750 “out of pocket.”

“Right now, we’re in good shape. Our bank account has really helped us out,” Kober said. “As long as we don’t have to absorb hikes like that into the future, we’ll be ok.”

The City Council will hold a special meeting to consider Event Center project bid package No. 2 at noon, Monday, Nov.14 in the Council Chambers.

Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.