City Council

Owatonna City Council Minutes The Owatonna City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. Present were Council Members Schultz, Raney, Voss, Svenby, Boeke, Dotson and Burbank; Public Works Director Skov; Community Development Director Klecker; Parks & Rec Director Tuma; City Attorney Walbran; City Administrator Busse; and Administrative Specialist Clawson. Agenda Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Council President Schultz welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised request received for Item 3.2.2, Resolution 78.21 for Parking Restrictions on N Cedar Avenue and W Vine Street to be removed to allow further review. Council Member Svenby made a motion to approve the agenda with this item removed, Council Member Boeke seconded the motion, all members voted aye for approval. Consent Agenda Council President Schultz explained council members review Consent Agenda items prior to the meeting for approval in one motion. Items on the Consent Agenda were: Minutes - Council Meeting – August 2, 2021. Building & Inspection Report – July 2021. Weed/Nuisance Compliance Report – August 13, 2021. Exempt Permit – Raffle – Minnesota Pheasants – September 16, 2021. Event Permit – Car Show at the Eagles – September 25, 2021. Event Permit – MN Snap low Income Spay/Neuter Clinic – December 18, 2021. Event Permit – Relay for Life Steele County Event & 5K – September 18, 2021. Event Permit – Retrofit Recycling Event – September 18,2021. Extend Purchase Agreement – United Properties. Renew one-year Lease Agreements: Room 211(A) to South Central Human Relations Center Rooms 207 (A), (B), (C) and (D) and 214 to South Central Human Relations Center Rooms 212 (A)< (B), (C) and (D) to Steele County Transitional Housing Inc. Council Member Raney made a motion to approve these Consent Agenda Items; Council Member Burbank seconded the motion; all members voted aye for approval. Finance Report Vice President Raney recapped expenses for the period. Bills presented for payment totaled $680,708.56. Council Member Dotson made a motion to approve payment of these bills, Council Member Svenby seconded the motion, all members voted aye for approval. Ordinance 21-9: Vacate Alleyway in Block 3, Original Town Council President Schultz advised he will recuse himself as he is one of the property owners requesting the alleyway in Block 3, Original Town be vacated. Vice President Raney took over the meeting as Community Development Director Klecker presented the second/final reading of Proposed Ordinance 21-9 to vacate this undedicated alleyway located west of the buildings in the 100 block of N Cedar Avenue; a utility easement will be required. Council approved the first reading of this proposed ordinance during the August 2nd Council Meeting and there have been no changes since. Council Member Voss made a motion to approve Proposed Ordinance 21-9; Council Member City Council Minutes August 17, 2021 Page 2 of 4 Boeke seconded the motion. With a roll call vote, voting aye were members: Svenby, Voss, Dotson, Burbank, Boeke, and Raney and no members voted nay. The motion carried, this will be known as Ordinance 1622 and effective upon passage and publication. Council President Schultz returned to his seat on the dias to conduct the remainder of the meeting. Ordinance 21-10: Adjust Elected Official’s Salaries City Administrator Busse requested approval of the first reading of Proposed Ordinance 21-10 authorizing an increase in the salaries paid to the City’s Elected Officials. Monthly salaries would be increased by $300 to these respective amounts: Mayor $1,200 Council President $1,150 Council Vice-President $1,100 Council Members (not President or Vice-President) $1,000 Salaries for the City’s Elected Officials were last changed effective January 1, 2019; the second adjustment in a 20-year period. The Charter Commission preferred periodic review and Council approved Ordinance 1577 in April 2019 requiring quadrennial review of the City’s Elected Official’s salaries. Per State Statute, any change in elected official’s salaries becomes effective on January 1st following the next General Election; these salary adjustments would be effective on January 1, 2023, after the 2022 General Election. Council Member Voss requested clarification the annual cumulative increase would be $28,000. Council Member Raney made a motion to approve the first reading of Proposed Ordinance 21-10; Council Member Boeke seconded the motion. With a roll call vote, voting aye were members: Raney, Svenby, Voss, Boeke, Burbank, Dotson, and Schultz; no members voted nay, the motion carried. The second/final reading of this proposed ordinance will be heard during the September 7, 2021, Council Meeting. Resolution 79-21: 2021 Stormsewer Project – Approve Bids and Award Contract Public Works Director Skov explained this project involves replacement of two storm sewers; one is a failing clay tile and the other is a line that was incorrectly installed and undersized. Three bids were received with P&R Construction of Owatonna submitting the low bid of $196,283.50. Council Member Dotson made a motion to approve Resolution 79-21 accepting the bids and awarding the contract to P&R Construction. Council Member Burbank seconded the motion; all members voted aye in approval. Amend Benefits – City Administrator, Kris M. Busse Council President Schultz presented request from Mayor Kuntz to amend benefits of City Administrator Kris M. Busse. Last month, Council and Mayor completed an Annual Performance Review and concur Ms. Busse is doing a great job. Proposed benefit adjustments include: Deferred Compensation Match through Payroll Deduction $6,600 increased $4,000 to $10,600 Council Member Schultz commented originally they considered an annual $2,000 increase in the deferred compensation match but an additional $2,000 adjustment is being proposed because no adjustment was made last year during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. City Council Minutes August 17, 2021 Page 3 of 4 Monthly Vehicle Allowance $450 increased $50 to $500 Any salary increases will follow non-union employees through the approved salary structure. Council Member Raney made a motion to approve these benefit adjustments; Council Member Dotson seconded the motion; all members voted aye in approval. Accept Grant – Steele County Parks & Recreation Park & Rec Director Tuma requested approval to accept a grant from Steele County Parks & Recreation. Last fall, the Steele County Parks & Recreation offered a grant program to assist local communities to enhance recreation facilities. Projects could include redevelopment of parkland facilities in Steele Count and be of capital improvement nature. The City of Owatonna was just awarded $3,000 to assist in renovation/replacement of the current Lake Kohlmier playground to become an accessible and inclusive playground. The Lake Kohlmier Project is estimated to be $109,000 for playground replacement, landscaping, and accessible amenities. During the last Council Meeting a $100,000 grant from Lowe’s was also accepted toward this project. Council Member Dotson made a motion to accept the $3,000 grant from Steele County Parks and Recreation, Council Member Svenby seconded the motion, all members voted aye in approval. Staff Comments Troy Klecker, Community Development Director gave brief updates on current projects: Eastgate Apartments - the 3rd floor is finished, 2nd floor dry wall complete, and the 1st floor almost done with dry wall. Schrom Apartments - 3rd floor done; 2nd floor is painted; and 1st floor finishing dry wall. They just poured the parking lot and working on the exterior brick trim. Owatonna Glass - the building is up; all walls up so the structure is now fully enclosed Mini Storage on Hoffman - four buildings are completed, they have permits for two more units. Morton's Building - Structure is up and working on the interior finishes. Pearl Apartments - foundation is done, stud walls are going up, working on side walls, will be four stories high, they are just finishing placing the first floor walls. Jenna Tuma, Parks & Rec Director commented the project to surface Brown Park Basketball Court is done and it looks much better than the pictures shared during a previous Council Meeting. The River Spring Water Park & Lake Kohlmier Beach will be closing on Sunday, August 22nd; the ropes will stay out on the lake until after Labor Day weekend, but no City staff after this Sunday. Kyle Skov, Public Works Director gave brief updates on construction projects: Bridge Street is open from I35 to Park Drive so traffic has easier access to Fleet Farm & Target. On Friday, there will be additional detours when the intersection on 24th Avenue is blocked. Also, there will be additional detours as this project progresses. Truman Avenue Project: Yesterday during our project update meeting, the contractor said they are about two weeks behind schedule. October 15th was the proposed completion date so hoping to get back within schedule. North Cedar Streetscape Project: Sewer services in on the west side of the 300 block. Moving barriers to block the intersection on Pearl Street. The Rose Street intersection is now open. City Council Minutes August 17, 2021 Page 4 of 4 There is a temporary signal at North Street and Cedar Avenue.in response to the County’s Roundabout Project on 26th Street which was causing traffic to back up on Hoffman Drive, this is allowing traffic to move better through this area on North Street and Cedar Avenue. Public Comments Roger Wacek, 646 Vine Street: There was a recent article in the MN Star Tribune, "State get electric vehicles rolling" and the Eden Prairie Police Department just got its first Tesla squad car, when will Owatonna? Are we going to have enough gas to power our children's cars? Oil is a non-renewable, finite resource; it has been almost 20 years when I read a lot about the topic called "Peak Oil" Council Comments Council Member Svenby commented Minnesota's largest county fair opened today so hopefully everyone will get out and enjoy it, the weather is supposed to be good. Council Member Raney commented he had driven on the new portion of Bridge Street this morning, and everyone is going to be pleased with this street improvement. He asked everyone to be patient, by late fall, all roads will be open, and the roads will be good! He then added that hopefully everyone will get out to enjoy the fair. Council President Schultz commented this was a good meeting but now it’s time for everyone to go to the fair! Adjournment At 7:22 p.m., Council Member Raney made a motion to adjourn, Council Member Boeke seconded the motion and all members voted aye in approval. Dated: August 18, 2021. Respectfully Submitted, Jeanette Clawson, Administrative Specialist