City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM DECEMBER 10, 2019 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Quicker presiding. On roll call: all members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Chair Quicker presented Director of Public Works Flynn’s report on one burial at the Cemetery, equipment maintenance, streets and sidewalks snow and ice removal, salting and sanding, finished placing Christmas decorations, trimming and pruning trees, maintaining tree lighting, filling potholes, hauling brush and compost, cleaned up compost site, maintaining Christmas decorations, the Sewer Department is doing lift station, bar screen and plant maintenance, installing a new pump in Raw Lift Station, worked on sewer backups, the Water Department is winterizing fire hydrants, meter reading and repaired two services. Motion Neville, second Clough, to adjourn. All Aye. _____________________________________ Jerry L. Quicker, Chair ___________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM DECEMBER 10, 2019 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Glassbrenner presiding. On roll call: all members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Council Member Weiers reported on the December 3, 2019 meeting of the Beautification Committee regarding: 1) discussion on, walking tour of, and awarding of two downtown Christmas tree decorating contest winners due to a tie – the winners are #5 Schmitty’s/Christie Country Quilts and #13 Strangfeld’s Body Shop and 2) discussion on, review of Prock Park sign design and recommendation that Parks Director Barth proceed with the sign order with one revision at a cost not to exceed $1,200. Mayor Glassbrenner reported on the December 4, 2019 meeting of the Police and Fire Commission regarding a closed session for interviewing a candidate for the Chief of Police position – the meeting adjourned in closed session. Mayor Glassbrenner reported on the December 10, 2019 meeting of the Personnel Committee regarding: 1) closed session for interviewing a candidate for the City Custodian position and 2) reconvening into open session with the recommendation that Patrick Glinski be hired effective December 16, 2019 for the City Custodian position at $11.00 per hour; increasing to $11.50 per hour after six months; increasing to $12.00 per hour after one year. Council Member Quicker reported on the December 10, 2019 meeting of the Commission on Public Works/Utilities regarding current activities. Mayor Glassbrenner declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Mayor Glassbrenner stated the next item is the Taxi Service 2002 contract which was presented at the last meeting. Motion Quicker, second Weiers, to approve submission of the 2020 taxi grant application jointly with Clark County and support of the City cost share. All Aye. Mayor Glassbrenner asked if there were any questions on the Beautification Committee item (2). Motion Clough, second Neville, to accept the recommendation that Parks Director Barth proceed with the Prock Park sign order with one revision at a cost not to exceed $1,200. All Aye. Mayor Glassbrenner asked if there were any questions on the Personnel Committee item (2). Motion Counsell, second Clough, to accept the recommendation that Patrick Glinski be hired effective December 16, 2019 for the City Custodian position at $11.00 per hour; increasing to $11.50 per hour after six months; increasing to $12.00 per hour after one year. All Aye. Mayor Glassbrenner presented the following nomination list of polling place officials and voting registration deputies: Ward I – Elaine Glassbrenner, Jana Marden, Janice Mayer Ward II – Denise Clough, Dorothy Counsell, Corrine Witte Ward III – Helen Pfeiffer, Jerry Quicker, Brent Shoup Ward IV – Sharon Bjerke, Natalie Erpenbach, Arlys Knoop Ward V – Joan Hubing, Karen Venne, Eileen Zank This represents eight Republican and seven Democratic representatives in the polling place. Their terms of office will be two years, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Voter Registration Deputies – Carol Harnisch and Rosalie Peterson This represents one Republican and one Democratic voter registration deputy. Their terms of office will be two years, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to accept the Mayor’s nominations as presented for polling place officials and voter registration deputies and appoint them to two year terms 2020-2021. Council Members Clough and Quicker abstained. Council Members Counsell, Neville and Weiers – Aye. No-Nay. Motion carried. Interim Chief of Police Fehlman stated that the Police Department has an old Toughbook Computer it no longer uses from the 2010 Impala. The Owen-Withee Police Department has offered to purchase it as is. They would have to have it upgraded for their uses. Fehlman asked if the City would be willing to donate it to the Owen-Withee Police Department, since it is no longer needed here. Discussion followed. Motion Neville, second Counsell, to donate the old Police Department Toughbook computer to the Owen-Withee Police Department as is. All Aye. Mayor Glassbrenner stated that the City has problems with feral cats, someone has gotten bitten and scratched. People are feeding the feral cats. Interim Chief of Police Fehlman stated that the Police Department could not capture the feral cat who bit the person and the person had to have further care. Discussion followed on have an ordinance not allowing the feeding of them, limiting the number of cats, etc. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that she has not seen an ordinance where you can’t feed them. Another issue is having a hard time enforcing an ordinance. Council Member Counsell asked how do you tell if a cat is feral or a pet and limiting the number of cats will just have more people ditching the cats, creating more of a problem. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that the Police Department could collect animals running at large. Interim Chief of Police Fehlman stated we don’t know how to catch them or where to take them. Maybe contact other communities to see what they do, if they have someone who traps cats, etc. Police Officer King stated that most of the calls are from out of towners who call thinking these cats are lost pets. Council Member Clough stated feeding these feral cats is a health problem to both people and other cats. These people who are feeding these feral cats are not doing the cats a favor. Council Member Neville stated not only are these cats a safety hazard, they are a health issue. Interim Police Chief Fehlman reported on November, 2019 complaints, citations, warnings and investigations. City Attorney Wachsmuth reported that the Industrial Park land sale to Xcel Energy is being held up. The City has paid off the land contract with Lloyd Meyer, but he is refusing to sign off until his other personal issues with Xcel Energy have been resolved. These issues have nothing to do with the City and if he continues to refuse to sign the only option is for the City of sue him to sign off. Mayor Glassbrenner stated that he was pleased to be a part of the Christmas Tree lighting on Friday and he would like to thank both the Beautification Committee members and Parks Director Barth and his crew for a great job decorating our City. Council Member Weiers thanked all the businesses and organizations who sponsored and decorated the downtown trees. Hotel/Motel Room Tax Permit Applications: Black Water Lodges, Beth Darst, Agent, 1216 & 1218 W. Fourth Street DAHI Hospitality, Inc., d/b/a Super 8, Bhupendra A. Patel, Agent, 1000 E. Division Street O’Neill Manor, LLC, Julie A. Counsell, Agent, 824 Hewett Street Tuft’s Mansion, LLC, James A. Voss, Agent, 26 Hewett Street Motion Quicker, second Neville, to grant all the listed permits. Council Member Counsell abstained. All other members – Aye. Motion carried. Motion Weiers, second Clough, that the City Bills Nos. 1136 to 1176 in the amount of $103,244.28 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. __________________________________ Charles W Glassbrenner, Mayor _______________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************