City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES-11-27-07 The City of Pelican Rapids City Council met in regular session at 4:30 p.m., on Tuesday, 11-27- 07, in Council Chambers, City Hall. Mayor Wayne Runningen, Council Members Ben Woessner, Richard Peterson, David Gottenborg and John E. Waller, III, were present. No one was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Gene Miller, Fire Chief Trevor Steeves and Kelley Gorman of the Pelican Rapids Press were also present. Mayor Runningen called meeting to order. Fire Department Application for a Department of Natural Resources Grant was added to the agenda. No items were deleted. Motion by Woessner, seconded by Waller to approve Accounts Payable Listing of 11-27-07 with the addition of Wells Fargo Card Services for Fire Department uniforms, street and administration expenses in the amount of $387.85. Motion passed unanimously. The City Council considered the Planning Commission Report of their meeting on 11-26- 07. Gene Miller of G.A. Miller Engineering Inc., presented information on a donation of land from Cooper and Lisa Stewart for a park as part of the River Trail Park. The Planning Commission recommended acceptance of the gift with the Stewarts’ conditions regarding the property. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation to accept the donation of land from Cooper and Lisa Stewart for a park as part of the Linear Park System called the River Trail Park and accepting the Stewarts’ conditions that the property is used as a park and that the River Trail Park will be substantially complete within seven years, 01-01-15, subject to City Attorney Greg Larson’s review and recommendations. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Planning Commission’s recommendations regarding the building moratorium on buildings 120 ft. and smaller. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation and authorize City Attorney Greg Larson to draft language to bring all buildings under the building code and that all building or construction within the City will require a building permit. Buildings 120 sq. ft. and smaller would not be required to provide frost footings. Mayor Runningen, Council Members Waller, Peterson and Gottenborg voted yes. Council Member Woessner voted no. Motion carried. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to adjourn the City Council meeting for the Economic Development Authority meeting at 5:00 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Runningen reconvened the City Council meeting at 5:19 p.m. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to authorize the Economic Development Authority’s actions to approve the Accounts Payable Listing of 11-27-07, to approve the minutes of 11-13-07 as presented, to accept a quote in the amount of $22,700 for Fire Hall boiler from Climate Makers, to approve $1,500 for wiring the boiler and to approve Payment Request No. 7 for Fire Hall Construction project to R.A. Bristlin & Son, Inc., in the amount of $86,018, as recommended by Engineer Ronald Dick. Motion passed unanimously. Fire Chief Trevor Steeves reviewed his request to apply for a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grant for fire hose. He anticipates spending $4,000 on fire hose in 2008 so the grant will cover 50% of the cost. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to authorize the Mayor and Clerk to sign the DNR Grant Application for the Fire Department. Motion passed unanimously. Pelican Rapids Public Schools have requested no-parking on west side of Highway 59 in front of the high school for safety of the students. The Minnesota Department of Transportation will provide no-parking signs. Motion by Gottenborg, seconded by Waller to approve the Pelican Rapids Public Schools’ request for no-parking on the west side of Highway 59 in front of the high school from 5th Ave. to the High School Auditorium. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Don Solga said the Housing Study is very close to being finalized. He discussed having the meeting as a public meeting at the library rather than as a City Council meeting. Council agreed that conducting a public meeting in January at the library would be a good way to hear about the Housing Study. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Central Minnesota Radio Board’s activities regarding data collection on public entities radio inventories in the region . The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will conduct a public hearing on Otter Tail Power Company’s request for an 11% rate increase. The hearing will be Thursday, 11-29-07 at 9:00 a.m., in the Small Hearing Room, Public Utilities Commission, 121 7th Place East, Suite 350, St. Paul. The City Council will conduct the Truth in Taxation Hearing in Council Chambers, City Hall, on Monday, 12-03-07, at 7:00 p.m. Council Member Peterson discussed the Great Plains Natural Gas Company’s route for the natural gas line which will go in 6th St. NE. Meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer