City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES-06-11-07 The City Council of Pelican Rapids met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., Monday, 06-11-07, Council Chambers, City Hall. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members Ben Woessner, John E. Waller, III, and David Gottenborg were present. Council Member Richard Peterson was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Scott Fox, Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson, Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier, Library Director Annie Wriggs and Kelley Gorman of the Pelican Rapids Press were also present. Mayor Runningen called meeting to order. No items were added to or deleted from the agenda. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to approve the minutes of 04-18-07, 04-30-07, 05- 14-07 and 05-30-07 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to approve the payment of the Accounts Payable Listing of 06-11-07 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Police Chief Scott Fox presented his report. Council discussed traffic control when We Fest dismisses on Sunday morning, 08-05-07. Chief Fox will contact the State Patrol to see if two cars could help traffic move through the signal lights on Hwy. 59. Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier presented his report. In-Control performed routine maintenance at the water plant, various wells and the wastewater plant. A new pump has been installed at the wastewater plant due to some impeller problems. Well No. 12 was shut off last week for a period of time. Minimum cost to rehabilitate is estimated at $10,000 unless the pump needs to be pulled then costs will double. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to authorize rehabilitation of Well No. 12. Motion passed unanimously. Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson reported on activities in his department. He said the Community Sign needs to move south of the current location. He suggests that the sign be moved to Chauncy Martin Field. Council asked that he check with the school district to see if that would be possible. Motion by Waller, seconded by Gottenborg to appoint the following lifeguards: Amy Field, Amanda Gilbertson, Brandon Haugrud, Kirsten Haugrud, Jill Hesteness, Kelcey Lass, Shauntae Sachs and Alexandra Thorson at the scheduled rates of pay for new and experienced lifeguards. Motion passed unanimously. Superintendent Olson reported on various equipment repairs. He also reported that Olson Pools has been re-plumbing the mechanical room at the swimming pool. The swimming pool is being painted and will be open later in the week. Olson also reported that materials for the Eagle Scout Project to shingle the Peterson Park shelter would be approximately $772. Library Director Annie Wrigg said Julie Tunheim is willing to accept an appointment to the Library Board. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to approve the appointment of Julie Tunheim to the Library Board for the remaining term of Dave Ellison for 2007, 2008 and 2009. Motion passed unanimously. Wrigg also reported on the difficulty in dealing with Trane on the Library’s heating and cooling system. She anticipates that the Library Board will consider a change to Climate Makers. The Library is extremely busy and the computers have been in constant use for the previous five years. The Viking Library System information technology person has been working with Wrigg and says that six computers must be replaced in 2008. The CPU’s will cost about $900 each. The keyboards and monitors are still good. Liquor Store Manager Bob Leslie is on vacation. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Liquor Store Income Statement. Available inventory is up about $25,000 from 2006 to $133,430 for May, 2007. Solga has requested that Leslie contact the Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association to find a target number for an optimal inventory. Solga has recommended an operating budget. Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert presented the 05-31-07 Financial Reports. Ehlert reviewed a request from the League of Minnesota Cities that the City of Pelican Rapids City Council confirm their acceptance of the municipal tort liability as part of renewal of the City’s commercial insurance package for 07-01-07 through 07-01-08. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller that the City DOES NOT WAIVE the monetary limits on municipal tort liability established by Minnesota Statutes 466.04. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to approve the VFW’s request for Temporary On-Sale Malt Liquor Licenses for charitable events on 07-21-07 and 07-28-07, located in the parking lot of the VFW. Motion passed unanimously. City Council considered a request to expand the number of Intoxicating Liquor Licenses from two to three or more or to set no restrictions on licenses for restaurants as the State of Minnesota. Council directed Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert to check with area communities with similar population about the number of licenses they will issue to restaurants. Council is not opposed to opening up one more license. Whether it will be more than one additional license or not is still open. Administrator Don Solga reviewed proposals from Community Partnership Research Group and Maxwell Studies for Housing Studies. After review, Administrator Solga recommends hiring Community Partnership Research Group. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to authorize the City to enter into a proposal for a Housing Study with Community Partnership Research Group and to pay for the study out of economic development funds and to prepare grant applications to submit to Minnesota Housing Partnership and West Central Initiative. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Don Solga said 77 properties were identified as problems as part of the Planning Commission Spring Tour. Letters requesting voluntary compliance will be sent out 06-12-07. Administrator Don Solga said he is meeting with the Emergency Preparedness Planning Committee group for Otter Tail County. They are discussing the use of Emergency Communications and Code Ready, a public information system designed to get information out for various emergency situations. Solga also discussed Memorandums of Understanding between municipalities, municipalities and counties, service organizations and various vendors. He also discussed the Continuity of Operations Planning, CO-OP. Mayor Runningen thanked the City staff and the Fire Department for communicating during the tornado sighting on Thursday. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to extend the City Hall building lease agreement for 120 days or until the date of closing of a sale of the property from Lake Region Electric Cooperative to State Bank and Trust, whichever is less. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Solga will be working with State Bank and Trust to create a new lease for City Hall and offices in the lower level of the former headquarters of Lake Region Electric Cooperative. Meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer