CEYLON — The Ceylon City Council met on Tuesday evening and approved hiring the auditor Clifton Larson from Rochester after discussing what was expected from an auditor, any budget changes council members may want and that they must lower the budget not raise it. The budget must be approved in December.

The City Employee report had some concerns about water. A tile is hooked into the sewer system and two houses have been hooked into a tile and septic tank system. The tile has deteriorated and the houses need to be hooked into the sewer system which may be a hard thing to do with so many wires, fiber optics, and underground things in the way in their backyards. The council agreed with the city employee that it needs to be patched and then connected by a company in 2025. This will help eliminate backed-up sewer systems. A letter explaining the necessity for the connection will be sent to the houses involved.

There was also a concern about the tile plugged by Center Street and Grant Street. The city has already spent $7,000 on this problem. Leaves and grass plugged the tile. The last street lights to be replaced will be done this fall, soon. The clean-up of ordinance violations is planned for this week/month and others are to be determined. The council was concerned about the lack of enforcement of citations of the ordinance violations. A discussion about the land owners being charged with the renter was held.

The council approved the list of properties mowed by the city and the $20,000 charge that will be sent to the county to be added to property taxes for the property owners. The council approved the new rates for water and sewer in 2025. The rates will begin in January and are $25 for water and $23 for sewer. This rate hike was proposed and read at a previous meeting. The mayor will call the city attorney concerning the camper ordinance violations. Residents are not allowed to live year-round in campers.

In other business:

— A building permit for a tin roof on a house and garage was approved.

— The council discussed replacing Jim Plumhoff, a city employee, who will retire in 2026. A candidate could go to school for two years and pass the license test or enter the Earn and Learn program and work hands-on experience with Plumhoff for a year and pass the license test. The Council decided to add this extra employee to the budget for 2026 and advertise in Minn. Cities and MPCA resources and other resources in June of 2025 and give the candidate a chance to work for a year before asking the person to take the license test.

— The council canvassed the election results from 159 voters and congratulated the winning candidates who were present at the meeting. Mayor Judith Perkins, Councilmen Terry Muller and Tiffany Marlin.

— A request to use the old city hall across from the post office by the Helping Hands of Ceylon non-profit group for a Christmas event on Dec. 21 was approved.

The next meeting of the Ceylon City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 10, at City Hall.