City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES – 12-09-02 The City Council of the City of Pelican Rapids met in regular session at 6:00 p.m., 12- 09-02, in Council Chambers of City Hall, 315 N. Broadway. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members Paulette Nettestad, Denise Magnusson, John E. Waller III and Dave Gottenborg were present. No one was absent. Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Scott Fox, Street and Parks Superintendent Vern Benson, Utilities Superintendent Brent Frazier, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jane Aschnewitz, Council Member Elect Ben Woessner and Rick Gail of the Pelican Rapids Press were also present. Mayor Runningen called the meeting to order. Great Plains Natural Gas Company was added to the agenda. Motion by Waller, seconded by Magnusson to approve minutes of 11-12, 11-27 and 12- 02-02 with the correction of the date the original City Hall was built to 1889; minutes were approved as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Magnusson, seconded by Nettestad to approve payment of Final Accounts Payable Listing of 12-09-02. Motion includes addition of Egge Construction bill for water and lagoon service in the amount of $590. Motion also includes payment of Library bills in the amount of $108,202.42 as approved by Library Board member Al Grothe. Motion passed unanimously. Police Chief Scott Fox reported on various police matters. Utilities Superintendent Brent Frazier reported on his departments’ activities. Street and Parks Superintendent Vern Benson reported on his departments’ activities. Council reviewed the Liquor Store report included in the packet. Council reviewed the 11-30-02 Cash Recap with Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert. Motion by Nettestad, seconded by Waller to approve the Proposed 2003 Budget as presented and to levy taxes against property in the City of Pelican Rapids for 2003. The 2003 General Levy is $349,335 and the Special Levy is $92,860. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Runningen thanked Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson and Council Member Dave Gottenborg for serving on the committee. Motion by Magnusson, seconded by Nettestad to approve the following Cigarette, Plumbing, Recreational Game, Mobil Home and Plumber’s Licenses, subject to receipt of application and payment of fees. Cigarette License: Pelican Super Valu, Southtown C Store, Larry’s Supermarket, Park Region Co-op, VFW Gilmore Weik Post 5252, Holiday Station, Pelican Cash-N-Dash, and Bridges Bistro & Bar. Recreational Game: GLD Lanes, Pelican Tastee Freez, Sportman’s Recreation, VFW Gilmore Weik Post 5252, and Bridges Bistro & Bar. Mobile Home Park: Z & Z Associates. Plumber: Pelican Plumbing, Stadum Plumbing, Hanson’s Plumbing & Heating, Nelson’s Plumbing & Heating, Kotte’s Plumbing & Heating, Smith Appliance Repair, Esser Plumbing & Heating, Jim’s Plumbing, Jerome Toftely Plumbing, Schmitty’s Plumbing, Heating & Sheetmetal Inc., and Grant’s Mechanical . Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Nettestad, seconded by Gottenborg to adopt the City Hall Meeting Room Use Policy as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Jenson reviewed the proposal by Great Plains Natural Gas Co. for a base rate increase through the Public Utilities Commission. Council reviewed the Thompson Estate Projects. City Hall Reuse Committee is working toward preserving the building as a historical site and utilizing the deck area to access the park system from the downtown. Park Board listed bathrooms and storage in Peterson Park, cost of $36,000; sprinkler system for Soccer Field, cost of $8,300; purchase of land for a soccer field and ice skating rink, cost of $25,000 and to develop a new park adjacent to the multicultural center at a cost of $.70,000. Council Member Nettestad suggested splitting the money between the Historic City Hall project and Pelican River Park. Ben Woessner suggested opening up the Historic City Hall as an event center. These events would generate income that could be used to complete the project. Council Member Gottenborg said he would like to see some money go toward the Historic City Hall and to beautify the river area adjacent to the library. Council reached the consensus that these two concepts were most important to them and they would like the committee to work on these. Council continued discussion of park improvements. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to set the end of the month meeting on Thursday, 12-26-02, at 4:00 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Deputy Clerk-Treasurer