City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF 11-30-04 The City Council of the City of Pelican Rapids held its regularly scheduled meeting at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, 11-30-04, Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 N. Broadway. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members Denise Magnusson, John E. Waller, III, David Gottenborg and Ben Woessner were present. No one was absent. Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Scott Fox, Street and Park Superintendent Tom Soberg, Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie, Tax Increment Consultant Michele Hartman, Library Director Pam Westby, Tom Hintgen of the Pelican Rapids Press, Richard Peterson, Judith Marko, Jane Aschnewitz of Chamber of Commerce, Mark Johnson of Shultz Torgerson Architects, Hazel Hovde, Jesse Fahje, and Terry Lapos were also present. Mayor Runningen called the meeting to order. Certify Unpaid Utility Bill to Property Taxes, Animal Control and Birding Books were items added to the agenda. Police Officer Jeff Stadum was present to introduce the police dog, Sarge, to the City Council. He reported on the training he and the dog recently completed and thanked City Council for supporting the training. Mayor Runningen said a thank you is due to the community as they really made it possible. Jesse Fahje and Terry Lapos of Weckworth Animal Clinic were present with Hazel Hovde to address the City Council about the problem of neglected cats and kittens running at large in the community. Mayor Runningen said the council will gather information from other cities and review costs. He said they would consider at the next council meeting, 12-13-04 at 5:30 p.m. Michele Hartman of Municipal Economic Development Network, Inc. addressed City Council about a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Policy. She recommended the City Council establish the position of the City of Pelican Rapids with respect to the use of Tax Increment Financing. This policy will also provide for a formal application and an application fee to cover the City’s expenses in developing the district. The idea is to make the TIF district self funding. The recommended fee would be $5,500 to create a new district or $2,500 to prepare plan documents and other related information for a project to be located in an existing Tax Increment Financing District. Motion by Waller, seconded by Waller to approve and accept the POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PROJECTS (A complete text is part of permanent public record in the city clerk’s office.) Motion passed unanimously. Hartman reviewed a proposal by Timothy Neitzke of Minnesota EyeCare Network, Inc., to construct a new building in the City of Pelican Rapids, using tax increment financing. Motion by Magnusson, seconded by Gottenborg to introduce a RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE MODIFICATION OF THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT NO. 2, CREATION OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT NO. 6 “EYE CLINIC” AND ADOPTION OF THE MODIFIED DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND NEW FINANCING PLAN RELATING THERETO. Motion passed unanimously and resolution declared duly adopted. Timothy Neitzke will be notified of the Council’s actions and advised that the next step is to provide the City with a formal application and the fee to continue with process. Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie was present. He provided City Council with a report on liquor store sales for November. Mayor Runningen said the City needs to accomplish a physical inventory at the first of the year. Council Member Gottenborg asked if the Percon system will be able to be used for inventory. City Council has attempted to utilize this part of the inventory system twice in the past and it has not worked. Leslie said that the Percon system does not work at this time but he will check on getting it to work. Mayor Runningen requested that Leslie arrange with the computer software firm to provide training if necessary. Street and Park Superintendent Tom Soberg reviewed the public works garage building project and introduced Mark Johnson of Shultz Torgerson Architects. Johnson discussed the opportunity to add an electric boiler and additional wiring to take advantage of off peak electricity sometime in the future. A dual fuel system would cost $24,000 with a payback of five years. To bring the electricity to the building would cost $5,000 at this time. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to authorize the expense to bring three phase power to the public works garage at a cost not to exceed $5,000. Motion passed unanimously. Soberg reviewed the 42 ½ blocks of city streets that need overlay with some needing partial reconstruction. These are based on the long range plans in effect since 1997. Library Director Pam Westby asked about the park plans relative to the Draft Comprehensive Plan. Council reviewed the bills. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Magnusson to approve payment of the 11-30-04 Accounts Payable Listing as presented. Library bills have been approved by Library Board Member Gary Lage. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to certify unpaid utility bill in the amount of $110.69 to the Otter Tail County Auditor for collection with real estate taxes for parcel no. 668000. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Magnusson to authorize Mayor Runningen to sign the Cleary Building mutual release documents, which have been signed by representatives of Cleary Building and approved by City Attorney Greg Larson. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Woessner to authorize Mayor Runningen to sign the Otter Tail Power Easement as revised and approved by City Attorney Greg Larson. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Runningen reviewed the Union Negotiation process and requested appointment of a Union Negotiation Committee. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to appoint Mayor Runningen, Council Member Gottenborg and City Attorney Scott Dirks to the Union Negotiation Committee. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Runningen reviewed the Personnel Policy Committee recommendations regarding Overtime and Compensatory Time. 1. New limitations on amount of compensatory time that can be accrued will be 42 hours. 2. These hours will be paid down to zero beginning in December 2005. In December, 2004 the balance will be paid down to 42 hours. 3. Overtime will be authorized by the City Administrator and in critical situations, it may be authorized initially by the supervisor and as soon as possible by the City Administrator. The 1999 Policy permitting pay for 40 hours as authorized by the City Administrator will remain in effect. Motion by Waller, seconded by Magnusson to approve the Overtime/Compensatory Time Policy and to introduce the following resolution to adopt Ordinance No. 04-01, entitled AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CITY CODE SECTION 208.05 RELATING TO THE OVERTIME OF EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS. (A complete text of this resolution is part of permanent public record in the city clerk's office and will be published in complete form.) Motion passed unanimously and resolution declared duly adopted. Mayor Runningen reported on the Personnel Committee recommendation to hire Donald Solga as City Administrator. Donald Solga has worked for Unisys Corporation in Pueblo, Colorado and Viking Adjusters of St. Cloud. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree in Business Administration. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Magnusson to hire Donald Solga as City Administrator. The position is at will. The salary will be $2125 per pay period. This amount is 80% of the pay schedule for the City Administrator position. Motion passed unanimously. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jane Aschnewitz reviewed the new Pine to Prairie Birding Trail brochure. Mayor Runningen explained that the City will initially pay for postage to mail the brochures and the Pine to Prairie Birding Trail Association will reimburse the costs as the City submits bills. The City of Pelican Rapids Economic Development Authority will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, 12-06-04, Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer