Ways & Means Committee

MINUTES WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE MEETING December 10, 2024 @ 3:00 PM 344 West Main Street Camden Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Amanda Schroeder, Steve Meister, See Moua-Leske STAFF PRESENT: Steven Anderson, City Clerk; Karla Drown, Finance Director; E.J. Moberg, Director of Administrative Services; Jason Anderson, Director of Public Works; Sharon Hanson, City Administrator OTHERS PRESENT: None The meeting was called to order by Chairman Meister at 3:02 pm. Meister asked for approval of the October 22, 2024, minutes of the Ways and Means committee Meeting. MOTION BY Schroeder SECONDED BY Moua-Leske to approve the October 22, 2024, minutes of the Ways and Means committee Meeting. All voted in favor. Chairman Meister asked for discussion on Alley reconstruction methodology and cost split. Director of Public Works, Anderson provided background information. The current policy is that 100% of the cost to alley work is assessed to the property owners. 65% of owners must sign a petition to have work done on an alley. The alleys are not part of the City’s CIP where there is not major infrastructure running through it. The L & O committee discussed, and owner/city cost share as follows: 50/50 for alleys with commercial and 75/25 residential. There are benefits to the city to have the alley paved versus left as gravel. This would be that the gravel isn’t running into the drainage system of the city and requiring cleanout. There is a time savings. City Administrator, Hanson stated to re-visit policy changes, to look at the impacts they have. After a policy change has been in place for two years, they should then be re-evaluated. All alley projects should be part of the queue and get worked into the city CIP, with consideration of levy impact. Director of Administrative Services, Moberg added that with city participation, a petition would not trigger instant action, but the project would be put into city planning. MOTION to amend the Special Assessment Policy and Annual Fee Schedule to allow for a 50/50 owner/city cost participation in commercial districts and 75/25 owner/city cost participation in residential districts of alley projects. Any petitions brought to the City for alley projects will require owners of not less than 75 percent in frontage of the real property abutting the alley(s) named in the petition and projects would happen if/when funds become available in the City CIP. MOTION BY Schroeder, SECONDED BY Moua-Leske to approve. All voted in favor. MOTION BY Schroeder SECONDED BY Moua-Leske to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 3:45 pm. All voted in favor. Respectfully Submitted, Karla Drown Finance Director