City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES-01-09-06 The City of Pelican Rapids City Council met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., Monday, 01-09-06, in Council Chambers, City Hall, 315 N. Broadway. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members David Gottenborg, John E. Waller III, Richard Peterson and Ben Woessner were present. No one was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Scott Fox, Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier, Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson, Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie and Jerry Barney of The Press were also present. Pathfinders Boy Scouts Ben Cahlin, Brandon Bakken, Alex Klovstad, Tyler Curfman, Brett McDonald, Sherry Klovstad, Travis Sjostrom, Andy Mackner, Spencer Livdahl, Lance Erickson, Zachary Cahlin, Kristie Curfman, and Boy Scout Leader Lee Livdahl were also in attendance. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Runningen. The Library Report was deleted from the agenda and Snow Banks on Streets was added. Chet Nettestad, commander of American Legion Post No. 17, addressed the City Council about a tree planting program. They would like to plant bundles of seedlings at the wastewater treatment facility or somewhere on city property to use as replacements as the trees grow large enough to be transplanted. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to authorize the American Legion Post No. 17, to order 80 trees as a community tree planting project. The American Legion plans to have volunteers plant the seedlings for eventual planting throughout the City. Motion designates Administrator Don Solga as the City’s contact person. Motion passed unanimously. Paul King, Moore Engineering, Inc. addressed City Council regarding the wear ability of the bituminous driveway apron constructed along 9th Ave. SW as part of the reconstruction project completed this past summer. He provided a letter to the City stating that the apron was constructed to the same standards as the roadway, 9 ton axel weight, following Minnesota Department of Transportation Criteria. “This section, under normal operating conditions and with proper maintenance will have a similar life-cycle as the newly constructed roadway,” he stated. The normal life of the roadway is estimated to be 20 years. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to approve the minutes of 12-5-06, 12-12- 05 and 12-27-05 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to approve payment of the 01-09-06 Accounts Payable Listing as presented with the addition of the Library 01-09-06 Bill Listing, approved by Library Board Member Gary Lage. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to appoint Ben Woessner as Acting Mayor. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to appoint Glenys Ehlert as Clerk- Treasurer. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Woessner to establish 5:30 p.m. as the regular meeting time for the 1st Council meeting held on the second Monday of the month and 4:30 p.m. as the regular meeting time for the 2nd Council meeting held on the last Tuesday of the month. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to appoint Krekelberg & Skonseng and Svingen, Hagstrom, Karkela, Cline & Dirks as city attorneys. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to designate The Press of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota as the official newspaper. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Peterson to designate Wells Fargo, Lake Country State Bank, Wells Fargo Investments, and State Bank and Trust as official depositories. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to approve expenses to send delegates to State Fire School. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to approve expenses for Water, Wastewater, Biosolids, Liquor Store, Police Chiefs’, Clerks’ and Mayors’ Conferences, League of Minnesota Cities Conference and Regional Meetings. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Waller to approve payment of Administrator and Clerk-Treasurer Bonds. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to approve payment of Liquor Store Bond. Motion passed unanimously. Council reviewed the 2006 appointments to Boards and Authorities, including the Planning Commission, Park Board and council portfolios. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to approve the Boards and Authorities as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Police Chief Scott Fox reported to the City Council on the Police Department. Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier presented his report, including information on the Well Head Protection meetings and reports. Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson reported on snowplowing. Snow has been removed from the downtown twice this winter so far. Olson also reported that the skating rink has been open. The skating rink policy states that the warming house will be closed any day when the temperature is below -10 degrees with wind chill or whenever the temperature is above 32 degrees. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to authorize hiring Dalmer Lammers, Andrew Skow-Anderson, Noah Albright and Sarah Homes as skating rink employees. Motion passed unanimously. Olson requested authorization to remove the metal shed at the Public Works Facility Site so that cement can be used for storage of cold mix. Council approved. Olson reviewed the alley behind 1st St SE and 2nd St. SE, between 2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave. S.E. The problem is a concrete slab located in the alley. The City has difficulty maintaining the alley when the slab is icy. The Street Department will push up the snow to the driveway and notify the property owner that the rest of snow removal is their responsibility. Council Member Peterson said that property owners are clearing the snow from their parking lots and into the street where the City has to remove it. This adds additional snow. Council advised a letter to property owners reminding them that snow is not to be pushed into city streets. Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie said they had a good year; net income is $35,084.50. Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert presented the 12-31-05 financial reports. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Waller to leave the mileage reimbursement rate at .405 cents per mile. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Solga reported that the Park Board is continuing work on the grant application. Solga will be providing park and bridge information to the Pelican Rapids Rotary Club this week as part of the Park Board’s request for funds to match the grant. Administrator Solga reviewed a minor clarification to Ordinance No. 05-11, regarding holiday pay for double time holidays. Administrator Solga reviewed the Family Medical Leave Act Policy and Ordinance No. 06-01. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to approve language change to Ordinance 05-11, clarifying that double-time pay is paid for hours worked on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, not the day the holiday is observed. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Waller to adopt ORDINANCE NO. 06-01, AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT CITY CODE SECTION 208.11, SUBDIVISION 4, RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT AND GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993 (FMLA). (A complete text of this ordinance is part of permanent public record in the city clerk’s office.) Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 06- 01 was adopted and will be in full force and effect upon publication. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to adopt ORDINANCE NO. 06-02, AN ORDINANCE TO ADOPT CITY CODE SECTION 905.05, SUBDIVISION 12, RELATING TO THE RELOCATING DWELLING UNIT(S) OR PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE(S) TO A LOCATION SITUATED WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS. (A complete text of this ordinance is part of permanent public record in the city clerk's office.) Motion passed unanimously and Ordinance No. 06-02 was adopted and will be in full force and effect upon publication. Hazardous Waste Day will be 08-09-06. Motion by Waller, seconded by Woessner to approve CONTRACT FOR THE OPERATION OF A MOBILE COLLECTION FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE. (A complete text of this contract is part of permanent public record in the city clerk's office.) Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Woessner to appoint John E.Waller, III, as the City’s representative to the Fire Department Facility Committee. Motion passed unanimously. Council Member Waller reported on the meeting of the Fire Department Facility Committee. All township representatives at the meeting were in favor of the facility as revised at $1.3 million. City Council indicated that they were in favor of the facility. Mayor Runningen and Council Member Gottenborg discussed economic development. Gottenborg said the subject of plans came up at the discussion at Rotary as part of the Park Board’s request for a donation. The City is using the Comprehensive Plan as the downtown planning document. Council discussed possible sites for relocating the liquor store. Mayor Runningen welcomed the Boy Scouts. They requested a copy of the 2005 or 2006 Budget. The Boy Scouts also requested an extension to the bike path so kids don’t have to walk and bike on the highway. Meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk Treasurer