Melrose Select Board Greenlights Fall Festival Rodeo at Craft Lot

MELROSE — July 18, 2019 — Melrose Select Board approves Fall Festival rodeo at city craft lot and hires part-time streets worker. Acting Mayor Justin Feeler presided over the July 18 meeting after the mayor and acting mayor were both unavailable, with the board unanimously approving New Munich Jaycees representative Sophie March's plan to hold the September 6–8 Fall Festival rodeo at the craft lot adjacent to City Hall, with six park campsites and a pavilion at a fee matching last year's terms and a new $1,000 damage deposit. The board also voted unanimously to assess the full $6,000 paving cost against property owners Angel Vargas and Nita Molina — spread over three years at 3.95 percent interest — after the pair failed to pay the agreed $3,000 initial installment due July 15. Bob Beckerman was hired as part-time streets and parks maintenance worker at $16.50 per hour, and longtime seasonal employee Ronnie was moved to step 7, the top of the seasonal wage scale, in recognition of work performed during the vacancy. The board approved a personnel policy update requiring hands-free cell phone use by city employees in advance of Minnesota's August 1 hands-free driving law, and voted to reschedule the annual budget retreat to August 15 immediately following the regular council meeting.