City Council

Trail to the Past. Road to the Future. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MANTORVILLE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 21 5TH STREET E, MANTORVILLE, MN 55955 Monday, October 9, 2023 6:30 PM 1. Call to Order Mayor Bradford Called the meeting to order at 6:31pm. Present: Mayor Chuck Bradford Councilmembers: Jessica Bradford Lyle Hoaglund Jeffrey Ingalls Absent: Councilmember Greg Rud Others Present: City Clerk-Treasurer Gretchen Lohrbach Public Works Lead Joe Adams Fire Chief Duke Harbaugh Sheriff Scott Rose Amy Evans 2. Pledge of Allegiance Everyone stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. Adopt the Agenda Terry Eckstein on behalf of the Mantorville Chamber of Commerce was added to the agenda under New Business. Councilmember Hoaglund moved and Mayor Bradford seconded to approve the new agenda. Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays 4. Consent Agenda Regular City Council Meeting Minutes for 9.11.23 will be changed to reflect Councilmember Greg Rud as being absent. Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to approve the consent agenda with these changes: A. Accounts Payable (Warrant List) October 9, 2023 B. Regular Council Minutes September 11, 2023 C. Chamber of Commerce meeting minutes for September 2023 Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays 5. Proclamations, Presentations and Recognitions - No Items 6. Public Concerns Bill Reding asked about the netting in his yard. Public works lead Joe Adams said they will pull it up when they plant the grass. Tom Monson from MBT Bank-Mantorville presented a concept of turning the smaller shelter at Riverside Park into a stage for band performances. The project would be paid for by private funding and sponsorship. It will have to have a design done because it has a different type of beam in it. Council thinks this sounds like a good idea and would like to see concept pictures in the future. Karen Steele said she is done watering her sod for the year, but would like assistance with the sewer portion of her water bill again. Councilmember Ingalls moved and Councilmember Bradford seconded to forgive the sewer portion of her bill attributed to the extra watering: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays 7. Public Safety Update Sheriff Scott Rose and Amy Evans explained the new ordinance, No. 23-03, regulating cannabis products from Dodge County to Council. This ordinance will apply to the City of Mantorville until the beginning of 2025. After that, the City can put their own ordinance in place. Update from Fire Chief Duke Harbaugh:  There were 11 medical calls and 1 fire in August.  Marigold Days was also a great success for Fire Relief with their breakfast and the dance.  Fire Dept. calendars are in and City Clerk Lohrbach will have them for sale at City Hall.  Pumper #1 is fixed now.  Annabelle Hardwick received a Firefighter of the Year award from the State of Minnesota.  There will be an open house at the Firehall Wednesday at 5:30-7:30pm for Fire Prevention Week.  There will be fitness testing Wednesday night at the firehall.  The Fire Dept. would like to advertise the old tanker for sale. Council recommended that they do whatever works best for them.  October 18-21st if the Fire Chief’s Conference, Duke Harbaugh and JJ Williams will be attending.  There will be a Life Saving Award event October 24th at 6:00pm after the Commissioner’s Meeting.  This is an election year for the Fire Dept. 8. Public Hearing – No Items 9. New Business Terry Eckstein shared with us that:  Fall Festival is coming up on October 28th.  They will be doing the cookie tins again this year for Old Fashioned Christmas.  This year for Old Fashioned Christmas, children will be able to write letters to Santa and they will be answered.  Friday December 1st, they would like to have a lighting ceremony of the tree at Riverside Park. Eckstein will look into the cost of having lights put on the tree.  Trail to the Past. Road to the Future. Councilmember Ingalls Moved and Councilmember Bradford seconded to have the tree lighting ceremony December 1st: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays 10. Old Business Council discussed the preliminary budget for 2024:  Virgil Andrist would like to know the cost of the lights for the Highway 57 project. City Clerk Lohrbach will see if WHKS and Xcel can attend the next City Council Meeting.  Karen Steele would like to see the levy set at 6% and the City only do absolutely necessary projects.  City Clerk Lohrbach will prepare a 7% levy budget for the next Council Meeting removing the Park Wishlist item of rip rap for the covered bridge at Riverside Park and eliminating some other costs. 11. Tabled Items Council discussed the year-long moratorium on edible cannabinoid products in the City of Mantorville that will be expiring early January of next year and the passing of the new cannabis use laws in Minnesota. Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to pull this item from the table: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to follow the Dodge County Ordinance, No. 23-03, regulating cannabis products: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays 12. Reports A. Public Works Report  Carol Denneson wants to donate a tree for Denneson Park. Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to accept the donation of a tree from Carol Denneson for Denneson Park: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays  The Park Board approved spending $3,000.00 on potted trees and would like to moved forward with purchasing them. Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to approve spending $3,000.00 on the potted trees: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays   The City will be receiving a $9,197.24 reimbursement for the Emerald Ash Borer treatment grant.  Fall tree removal of 15 of the most dangerous trees will cost $5,300.00. Councilmember Bradford moved and Councilmember Ingalls seconded to approve the fall tree removal: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays  Public Works Lead Joe Adams looked into the cost of purchasing a street sweeper. Used costs around $80,000.00. We currently spend around $4,000.00 per year on street sweeping.  The 9th and Blanch Street project is finished. The final payment of 5% is being held back until the grass is growing. B. City Clerk Report  There is $22,000.00 left of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. Streets capital outlay is currently -$20,490.90 because of the 9th and Blanch Street Project payment to SL Contracting for $19,327.90. Councilmember Ingalls moved and Councilmember Bradford seconded to approve using $19,327.00 of ARPA money for this payment: Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays  Last Wednesday we put info about the trolley tour and local businesses being open Thursdays until 7:00pm, the farmer’s market, the fall coloring contest, and the cookie tin reveal on Facebook.  Last heard was that there are 26 visitors for the trolley tour this week.  Middle School clean up day in town is October 18 th and City Clerk Lohrbach reached out to them for the Chamber to see where they will be raking this year. C. Consultant Report D. Committee Reports EDA – Councilmember Ingalls said that the trolley tour attendance wasn’t great to begin with, would like to look at promoting it earlier. They would like to keep track of where the wooden nickels ($5 coins) are spent. City Clerk Lohrbach said that she could do this. There was also a discussion on CEDA and the possibility of having them only focus on finding and applying for grants. Art in the Park photos will be hung on the side of the Mantorville Square building. Park Board – Meets on the 24th of October Township – Councilmember Bradford said there was discussion on the Dodge Center Ambulance funding. They would like to see it billed per parcel of land instead of per household. E. Councilmember Reports  Trail to the Past. Road to the Future. F. Mayor’s Report  The wrought iron rails are installed at the covered bridge. All the painting was donated. City Clerk Lohrbach will get a thank you card ready for Louie Vangness for the work on the railing.  All the cornstalks and pumpkins have been put out for the town’s fall décor.  Some of the bridge lights are out. Public Work’s Adams will look into this.  City Clerk Lohrbach and Mayor Bradford met with city attorney Dave Anderson about the Wilcox Annexation. More information will be coming. 13. Executive Session –No Items 14. Adjourn Motion made by Councilmember Ingalls and seconded by Councilmember Bradford to adjourn the meeting at 9:00pm. Motion carried: 4 ayes / 0 nays