NORTH BRANCH— It was a dark and stormy night and the North Branch City Council didn’t waste any time on Monday, Jan. 25.

Their regular, but brief, meeting began with a year-end update from Fire Chief Levin Grote who introduced himself as the new chief. He also announced that there were 121 calls in 2009 with 99 of them in the city.

The others were spread between North Branch Township and Fish Lake Township, with mutual aid calls in Almelund and Stacy. There are 27 members in the department, three on probation until their first year is up.

There may be two retirements this coming year, but Grote has two applicants on hand and would like to advertise for more. The council will act on that request at the next meeting.

City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad presented a request from Erica Morales and Jorge Blanco for on-sale liquor and Sunday liquor licenses. Their company, Don Julio North Branch, Inc., will be opening a Mexican restaurant in North Branch Market Place in March.

The official newspaper designation for the city was again on the agenda. After the Jan. 11 meeting the council had directed staff to seek separate bids from the Chisago County Press and ECM Post Review who had submitted a combined bid to the city. They declined to do so.

Council member Larry Erickson moved to approve the Isanti-Chisago County Star because of the lower price. This was seconded by Council member Peter Holmes.

Council member Kathy Blomquist stated she was hoping for a different newspaper this year because she felt they would reach more families that way. Mayor Amy Oehlers agreed.

Erickson pointed out that this was only for legal notices and the city could go to other papers for advertising if they so wished. Holmes pointed out that the legal notices would be printed in the NorthStar Advertiser, which distributes over 30,000 copies per week, at no extra charge. The motion was carried by a 3-2 vote with Blomquist and Oehlers voting nay.

Finance Director Richard Hill presented request for a bond to fund the sewer component of the Highway 95 bridge project and refund two older bonds allowing an interest savings of $86,935. There would be no increase in the amounts on the refunding portion of the new bond. Combining these items would also generate savings on issuance costs. The request was approved.

In other business the council:

• Approved an ordinance allowing primary elections if the number of candidates warrants one

• Renewed the contract with ACSI for animal control services

• Did not repeal the ordinance pertaining to False Alarm/Alarm Systems