By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

Glenwood City Commissioners directed staff to pursue an insurance application process that could  help city residents with sewer cleanup costs in the case of sewer backup into a home.

The details of the application are unknown, but city commissioners want to see if Glenwood would qualify for the insurance first.

If the city does qualify, the commission will have to work with a policy about when the city’s insurance will be activated and how much it will cover.  

“What we don’t want is for city homeowners to drop their insurance because they think the city will pay for it through this city-wide coverage,” said Glenwood City Administrator Dave Iverson.

The city is investigating a policy through the League of Minnesota Cities. There are cities that offer such insurance, but the cities need to be qualified and have maintenance and a process in place before an application for the insurance can be purchased.

The cost of the policy is affordable and if its available to Glenwood would be paid for through the sewer and water enterprise fund.  That means that anyone on the city’s utility services would pay for the insurance, Iverson explained to the commissioners.

While details of what an policy would cover were to be determined, Iverson said it would likely just help with the initial cleanup.  “That’s the nasty part of a sewer back up into a home,” he added.

The city did bring in Matt Williams, an insurance agent for Eagle Insurance Agency in Glenwood, to get his expertise on such a policy and what language the city would need to incorporate into its coverage before implementing such a policy.

In other business, Glenwood commissioners:

•Approved a resolution certifying delinquent water, sewer, and refuse utilities against benefited properties.  The commission also set the penalty amount and set the interest at 8 percent.

•Heard the commission and staff were invited to a recognition of service event for all those who have helped with the eradication efforts of buckthorn and beautification of Barsness Park and the city of Glenwood.  The event will take place at the Village Inn Sports Bar & Cafe beginning at 5:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

•Approved an agreement with Widseth Engineering to plan the rehabilitation on the Highway 55 water reservoir.

•Approved payment of the 2024 Workers Compensation Insurance bill in the amount of $66,024.

•Approved payment of $43,843.64 for the second half of the city’s property taxes.