by Dennis Dalman
The city of Sartell will contract for city planning and other related services with a consultant company named Sourcewell, based in Staples.
The City Council agreed unanimously on that decision at its Sept. 23 meeting.
Sourcewell helps governmental units in its customer cities, counties and townships to do such tasks as land-use planning, development assistance and applications, zoning administration, comprehensive planning, staff meetings, ordinances, specialized plans or studies, permit review, legal notifications and violation enforcements.
Cities, including Sartell, can receive Sourcewell’s services and advice only when needed. There is no long-term commitment, and Sartell will use the service for perhaps up to a year. Sourcewell charges $60 per hour.
Other cities who contract with the company include Little Falls, Fergus Falls, Osakis, Nisswa, Genola, Staples, Frazee and more.
A major reason why Sartell decided to contract, at least for a time, with Sourcewell, is because Sartell’s longtime city planner/developer Anita Archambeau resigned this past summer to move to Tennessee. When she moved, city staff and council quickly realized she took her complex skills, knowledge and talent with her.
“We had Anita here for 19 years, and she did an amazing job,” Mayor Ryan Fitzthum told the council. “We interviewed some others to try to fill those big shoes, but it seemed like the shoes got bigger and bigger to fill.”
