City Council

CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES -05-10-10 The City Council of Pelican Rapids met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, 05- 10-10, in Council Chambers, City Hall. Mayor Ben Woessner, Council Members Steve Foster, Kevin Ballard, John E. Waller, III and Richard E. Peterson were present. No one was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Jeff Stadum, Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson, Utilities Superintendent Brent E. Frazier, Library Director Annie Wrigg, Tom McSparron of West Central Initiative, Mary Jo Stage, Kevin Soberg, Matt Soberg and Dan Bonitatibus were also present. Mayor Woessner called meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. All present stood, addressed the flag and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Mary Jo Stage asked to address the Council regarding a traffic concern. Motion by Foster, seconded by Waller to approve agenda with addition. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Foster to approve the minutes of 04-27-10 as presented. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Foster to approve the Accounts Payable Listing of 05- 10-10 as presented, in the amount of $180,488.45 for City bills, $64,822.58 for April Liquor Store bills and $7,562.02 for library bills. Motion passed unanimously. Utility Superintendent Brent Frazier reported on the water and wastewater departments. Thein Well has performed service on the wells. At the wastewater treatment plant the heating/air conditioning unit has been installed. Superintendent Frazier said staff is feeding 268 lbs. of alum per day which is a substantial reduction of the estimated use and City is meeting standards at the plant. RBC unit is down and he is investigating whether to repair the unit or replacing this means of treatment. Mayor Woessner asked if more land is needed for sludge spreading and whether other companies would be available to spread sludge if necessary. Library Director Annie Wrigg reported that the meeting room usage is up and summer residents are back. Police Chief Jeff Stadum reported on various items in the police department. He said April was a busy month with two arrests, 15 tickets, $1,107.99 in fines and five assists to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Department. He said thee department has been training on the electronic filing of charges (echarging) with the State of Minnesota. Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson reported that the department accomplished their semi-annual hydrant flushing and are prepping curbs for painting. He has identified three areas of patching. Porfirio Diaz and Richard Peterson will be returning to seasonal park positions and Anne Peterson will be returning as Pool Manager. Olson will have names of lifeguards and one additional park employee at the next Council meeting. Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert presented 04-30-10 Financial Reports. Council Member Peterson asked about funds available for Windmill Steps. Project will be accomplished this July. Tom McSparron presented an update on the West Central Initiative’s (WCI) efforts to improve life in west central Minnesota. The dollars invested in Otter Tail County totaled over $13 million. Some of the projects include a dental program for young children, training for employees to learn new skills and efforts to help volunteers make real differences to their communities. He concluded, “Our pledge to you is to continue the careful stewardship of every dollar and every gift contributed to WCI. Fund contributions are matched dollar to dollar by the McKnight Foundation.” Mary Jo Stage presented concerns about cars speeding on 9th Ave. SW. The speed limit on residential city streets is 25 miles per hour. Mayor Ben Woessner told Stage that her concern has been noted and Council will consider. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Planning Commission’s actions in recommending a change to clarify the front yard description. Motion by Waller, seconded by Ballard to amend the City Code regarding 905.02 as recommended by the Planning Commission by introducing the following resolution, entitled ORDINANCE NO. 10-01, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING BUILDING AND LAND USE REGULATION ORDINANCE CHAPTER 9, ZONING ORDINANCE PART 5, CITY CODE SECTION 905.02, RELATING TO DEFINITION OF YARD FRONT, SUBDIVISION 11. (A complete text of this resolution is part of permanent public record in the City Clerk’s Office.) Motion passed unanimously and resolution was duly adopted. Ordinance will go into effect upon publication. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the proposal to develop a 3.3 acre area in the southeast part of town. Single family homes or duplexes are proposed. Proposal is in line with the City’s housing study. The Planning Commission has approved the preliminary plat. Council Member Peterson said it seems that street improvements get bogged down because individuals wanting to make the improvements can’t afford them. It’s become cost prohibitive. Peterson continued, “My suggestion is that the entire community needs to step up and make these improvements or we won’t have any improvements.” He suggested that the Council call for a preliminary engineering study on the costs of making the improvements. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Peterson to accept the preliminary plat for development along 5th Street Southeast and Maplewood Drive as recommended by the Planning Commission. Motion passed unanimously. As part of the discussion of street and utility improvements, builder Kevin Soberg said previously he built homes in Swan Addition. The people in Swan Addition paid $10,000 for wells and septic systems so similar assessments for water and sewer improvements would be reasonable. Administrator Don Solga presented information from Ulteig Engineering regarding costs for doing the preliminary engineering report. City Council may accept the entire agreement or Council can request only the preliminary agreement contract. Administrator Solga recommends that Council approve the document in its entirety. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Foster to approve an engineering agreement with Ulteig Engineers, Inc. for 5th Street Southeast and Maplewood Drive Utility and Street Improvements and authorize Administrator Don Solga to sign the contract on behalf of the City. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Ballard to introduce RESOLUTION ORDERING PREPARATION OF REPORT IMPROVEMENT NO. 77. (A complete text of this resolution is part of permanent public record in the City Clerk’s Office.) During discussion Matt Soberg asked when Council expects the report. Administrator Don Solga said he would check with engineer Jon Olson and call Matt Soberg to let him know when the Council would be considering the preliminary report. Motion passed unanimously and resolution declared duly adopted. Administrator Don Solga reviewed actions necessary for the Small Cities Development (SCDP) Grant Program. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Peterson to approve the Request for Release of Funds and Certification form and authorize Mayor Ben Woessner to sign the request on behalf of the City of Pelican Rapids. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Ballard to approve the Certificate of Categorical Exclusion Environmental Activities for SCDP Funded Projects form and authorize Mayor Ben Woessner to sign the form on behalf of the City of Pelican Rapids. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Foster to approve and authorize the Administrative Contract with Fergus Falls HRA and authorize Mayor Ben Woessner and Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert to sign the contract on behalf of the City of Pelican Rapids by introducing the following resolution, entitled RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CONTRACT FOR SERVICES 2010 CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM. (A complete text of this resolution is part of permanent public record in the City Clerk’s Office.) Motion passed unanimously and resolution declared duly adopted. Motion by Foster, seconded by Waller to approve the following liquor license renewals for VFW Gilmore Weik Post 5252 Club On-Sale and Sunday Liquor, for Paul’s of Pelican/Tesoro for Off Sale Malt Liquor and for Southtown C Store for Off Sale Malt Liquor. Motion also included approval of a Temporary On-Sale Malt Liquor License for 06-12-10 Beer Garden, subject to the rules and requirements attached to the license, to VFW Gilmore Weik Post 5252. Motion passed unanimously. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Project Priority List for Loan Program for upgrading the water and sewer mains in town. The next step would be to ask to be placed on the intended use list and determine what we will do. Administrator Solga said he would like to determine if the City would like to proceed with a portion of the project. The City will have to review what the debt service is for the water and sewer funds. This phased plan was all put together by Moore Engineering some time ago at the time they were working on a street improvement project for the City. Council Member Peterson said, “I don’t think we should be taken off the list. It’s something we’re going to have to deal with and let’s contact Ulteig about the cost to get us through this project.” Council agreed. Administrator Don Solga will contact Ulteig Engineers, Inc. about updating the information for the Minnesota Department of Health. Motion by Waller, seconded by Foster to adjourn meeting to 4:30 p.m., on 05-13-10, Council Chambers, City Hall for Liquor Store Project Bid Results. Motion passed unanimously. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES -05-13-10 The City Council of Pelican Rapids met in a reconvened session of the 05-10-10 meeting at 4:30 p.m., on Thursday, 05-13-10, in Council Chambers, City Hall. Mayor Ben Woessner, Council Members Steve Foster, Kevin Ballard, John E. Waller, III and Richard E. Peterson were present. No one was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk- Treasurer Glenys Ehlert and Craig Farstad of Otter Tail Power Company were also present. Mayor Woessner reconvened the meeting at 4:30 p.m., to discuss the bids received earlier today for construction of the new liquor store. The Council considered the low base bid and discussed Alternates G-1 for Asphalt Drive, G-2 for Ceramic Tile Base, ME-1 for Heat Pump System and ME-2 for Geothermal System. Craig Farstad of Otter Tail Power Company reviewed a comparison between natural gas heating use and ground source heating pump (GSHP) heating use as it relates to the Liquor Store new building. He also discussed geo-thermal systems. Some heat pumps are air forced heat systems and they would need the natural gas furnace for colder weather. The GSHP would need wells drilled. The air source heat pump based on 8000 tons would run $14,000 with a rebate of $1900. Air conditioners would not be there so to keep the natural gas furnace and add the air source heat pump would cost about $4,000 less the rebate. A 10 ton system should run around $45,000. Administrator Don Solga said that awarding the bid without any heating alternates would give the city a natural gas system. Mayor Woessner asked what the benefits are of the GSHP if you don’t consider payback. Farstad said the GSHP is the most efficient system there is and it shows a commitment to being “Green”. Farstad said, “You need circulating pumps for GSHP and an air source heat pump would be called out as air conditioner. Administrator Solga reviewed the bids for the coolers and security system. The low bids for the liquor store cooler is Nortons Heating with a bid of $59,585 and Electro Watchman for the liquor store security system with a bid of $$6,428 plus monitoring of $34.95. Motion by Foster to accept the low bid of Sundance Companies, Inc., for liquor store construction for the base bid of $394,000 with alternates G-1, G-2 and ME-1. Motion died for lack of a second. Motion by Peterson, seconded by Waller to accept the low bid and award the contract for Liquor Store Project to Sundance Companies, Inc., for the base bid of $394,000 with Alternates G-1, $6,271 and G-2, $440. Council asked about references. Administrator Solga said another architect who worked with them highly recommended them. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Waller, seconded by Ballard to accept the low bid and award the contract for Liquor Store coolers to Norton’s Heating in the amount of $59,585. Motion passed unanimously. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Foster to accept the low bid and award the contract for Liquor Store security system to Electro Watchman in the amount of $6,428 plus monitoring in the amount of $34.95 per month. Motion passed unanimously. Council briefly discussed the sign for the new liquor store. Administrator Don Solga provided information he has received that the electronic billboard will be $15,000 to $16,000 plus $6,000 for the stationary sign. Lettering on the building will be $9,000. Council will continue to consider and obtain information on liquor store signage. Motion by Waller, seconded by Peterson to adjourn the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer