City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES – 05-10-04 The City Council of the City of Pelican Rapids met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., Monday, 05-10-04, Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 N. Broadway. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members Dave Gottenborg, Ben Woessner, John E. Waller, III and Denise Magnusson were present. Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Street and Park Superintendent Tom Soberg, Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier, Police Chief Scott Fox, Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie, Tom Hintgen of the Pelican Rapids Press, Trevor Steeves, Josh Steeves and David Eggebraten were also present. Meeting called to order by Mayor Runningen. Fire Department Request was added to the agenda and the Teen Center was deleted. Motion by Waller, seconded by Magnusson to approve minutes of 04-12-04 and 04- 27-04 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Magnusson to approve the Accounts Payable Listing of 05-10-04 as presented with the addition of Municipal Service Company, WWTF Labor, Parts, $12,981; LMC, WC Audited Premium, $1523; IIMC, Ehlert Annual Dues, $105; Grefsrud Construction, Historic City Hall Interior, $18702.61 and Advanced Engraving, Historic City Hall Decals, $95.53. Motion includes approval of the Library Accounts Payable Listing of 05-05-04 as approved by Gary Lage of the Library Board. Motion passed unanimously. Police Chief Scott Fox presented his report. Fox and Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson reported that the League of Minnesota Cities ordinance search did not find any communities in Minnesota permitting the operation of powered scooters. One insurance company said they insure the scooters (the same as golf carts) and another one said they do not. Motion by Magnusson, seconded by Waller to request City Attorney Scott Dirks investigate city liability regarding licensing operators and permitting power scooters to operate in the City. Motion passed unanimously. David Eggebraten presented information for a Pelican Rapids Police and Fire Chaplain. The Pelican Rapids Ministerial Association is proposing a plan to have in place to provide a mechanism to care for police and fire department personnel during times of crisis. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to support the Pelican Rapids Ministerial Association’s efforts to provide a volunteer Police and Fire Department Chaplain. Motion passed unanimously. Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson will check on city liability. Fire Chief Trevor Steeves reviewed fire training plans regarding the airport house. The Fire Department is permitted to burn the house and haul the materials to appropriate sites. Mayor Runningen reviewed the need for highway signs for E.L. Peterson Park. He said the cost of the brown signs is $811 from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Chamber of Commerce would like the City to request funding for the signs from the Fire Department. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to authorize Mayor Runningen to sign a letter of request to the Fire Department for funding highway information signs for E.L. Peterson Park. Motion passed unanimously. Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier reported on activities in his departments. Mayor Runningen asked if there were any new products available to control odor at the lagoons. Frazier said products the City has used in the past are very expensive and are ineffective. He will check to see if there are new products available. Street and Park Superintendent Tom Soberg reviewed activities in his departments. Soberg said he has talked to the contractor about dust guard and hopes to schedule it for early June. Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie reported on sales at the Liquor Store. Electro Watchman representative will be stopping to discuss camera system. The physical inventory accomplished by the City Council reflected $7,000 more inventory than the liquor store perpetual computer inventory. Leslie will track the differences and correct the computer inventory. Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson reviewed the Planning Commission findings for Special Use Permits. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation and grant a Special Use Permit to Kevin Soberg of Soberg Construction, Inc., to permit an addition to an existing business in a residential zone at Lot 1, RJ Miller Addition to the City of Pelican Rapids, 429 1st Ave. NW. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Magnusson to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation and grant a Special Use Permit to the City of Pelican Rapids to allow construction of a storage and office building of pole type construction within the Industrial Zone at 1008 Otter Tail County Hwy. No. 9. Motion passed unanimously. Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert reported on the 4-30-04 Clerk’s Recap and Schedule of Investments. She reported Historic City Hall interior and exterior renovation expenses. Otter Tail County Commissioners approved the contract for the Pelican Rapids Transfer Station improvements with a completion date of August. Motion by Waller, seconded by Magnusson to approve the following Liquor Licenses: Paul Evenson for Southtown C Store for 3.2% Malt Liquor Off Sale; Rick Loerzel for Paul’s Holiday Station for 3.2% Malt Liquor Off Sale; Gary Deschene for GLD Lanes for 3.2% Malt Liquor On Sale; Donna Mattern for VFW Post 5252 for Club On Sale and Sunday On Sale Liquor and Douglas Berg for Bridges Bistro & Bar for Regular On Sale and Sunday On Sale Liquor. Motion passed unanimously. The Park Board has recommended changing camping rates. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to set camping rates at $10 and $15. Motion passed unanimously. Jenson explained that Street and Park Superintendent Tom Soberg recommends a schedule of four 9-hr. days, Monday-Thursday, plus a 4 hr. day, Friday. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Magnusson to authorize Street and Park Department Work Schedule Change in the Personnel Policy. Motion passed unanimously. Jenson and Ehlert announced that Assistant Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Julie Lammers has completed a three year program to become certified as a Minnesota Municipal Clerk. Mayor Runningen expressed appreciation to Lammers for this commitment. He said that investing in education is beneficial to the City now and in the future. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to accept, with regret, Administrative Assistant Richard A. Jenson’s resignation, effective 09-10-04. Mayor Runningen thanked Richard A. Jenson for his many years of service to the City. “With him goes a wealth of information about the City,” Runningen continued. Jenson said it makes it tough to leave because everyone has been wonderful to work with and he thanked the Mayor, City Council and City Staff. Mayor Runningen said the Historic City Hall ribbon cutting is scheduled for 06-08-04. Meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Deputy Clerk-Treasurer