Austin City Council discusses trial use of goats to eliminate woody invasive species at Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, resolution in support of a bonding bill at Monday meeting

The Austin City Council discussed the trial use of goats at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center to eliminate woody invasive species at a work session following their regularly scheduled meeting Monday evening at Austin City Hall.  Mayor Tom Stiehm spoke with KAUS during the “Meet the Mayor” segment and stated that the goats will be brought in on a trial basis to see how effective they are in eliminating the unwanted species of weeds at the Nature Center…

Parks and Rec Director Kevin Nelson stated to the council in a memo that the goats will be contained by a low-voltage electric fence that will be signed accordingly.  Mayor Stiehm went on to state that the council also discussed programs to cut back on mowing of floodlands in the city and the replacement of Christmas lights at their meeting Monday evening…

The council authorized spending $2,500 from 2020 contingency funds to replace the bulbs in the lighted snowflake decorations, with the goal being to get another five years of use from the decorations.  In other business, the Austin City Council approved a tax abatement application from New Horizon Homes and Nature Ridge Properties of Austin for a project at 1305 18th Drive Northeast, and they also approved a resolution supporting the passage of a bonding bill, citing needed upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment facility totaling $78 million.  The current bonding bill, totaling anywhere from $1.5-$1.8 million includes $19 million in funding towards the project, and the issue will be addressed for a fifth time in another special legislative session to be held on or around September 12th.

The next regularly scheduled meeting for the Austin City Council will be held on Tuesday, September 8th at 5:30 p.m.