City Council

October 5, 2011 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Monday, October 10, 2011 5:30 p.m. Council Chambers, 315 N. Broadway 1. Call to Order 2. Agenda Additions or Deletions 3. Approval of Minutes – 9/27/11 4. Approval of Accounts Payable Listing 5. Utility Superintendent Report • Ground Water Pilot Study Well No. 13 • WWTF Capital Improvement Plan 6. Library Report 7. Police Chief Report • Traffic Concerns 8. Street/Park Superintendent Report 9. Financial Report 10. Public Hearing – Improvement Project No. 77 – Assessments – 6:00 p.m. 11. School Referendum – School Board Member 12. Park Board Recommendation to Establish a Swimming Pool Endowment Fund with WCI 13. Airport Maintenance & Operation MNDOT Agreement & Authorization 14. VFW Handicapped Parking Request – Rodney Zentz 15. Dunvilla Liquors • Otter Tail County Commissioners Public Hearing – 10/24/11-7:00 p.m. • Letter of Response 16. Liquor Store Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Maintenance Application 17. Local Government Resolution - SCDP 18. Lakes Country Service Cooperative Board Nominations 19. Culvert Bridge  CITY OF PELICAN RAPIDS COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES – 10-10-11 The City Council of Pelican Rapids met in regular session at 5:30 p.m., on Monday, 10- 10-11, in Council Chambers, City Hall. Mayor Ben Woessner, Council Members James Strand, Steve Foster, Kevin Ballard and John Waller, III, were present. No one was absent. Administrator Don Solga, Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert, Police Chief Jeff Stadum, Street and Park Superintendent Brian Olson, Library Director Annie Wrigg, City Engineer Bob Schlieman, Ulteig Engineers, VFW Quartermaster Rodney Zentz, Dwayne Wick, Shirley Ralston, Adelle Thompson, Kevin Soberg, Dean Smischney, M.F. Engkjer, Charlie Blixt of Pelican Rapids School Board and Lou Hoglund of the Pelican Rapids Press were also present. Acting Mayor John E. Waller, III, called meeting to order. Agenda addition of Liquor Store High Speed Credit Card Interface and deletion of Traffic Concerns under Police Chief’s Report were considered. Motion by Strand, seconded by Ballard to approve addition of LS Credit Card Interface, deletion of Traffic Concerns and approve the balance of the agenda as presented. Motion carried. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Foster to approve the minutes of 09-27-11. Motion carried. Motion by Strand, seconded by Ballard to approve the 10-10-11 Accounts Payable Listing for City bills in the amount of $73,495.87with the addition of FFHRA for SCDP September Administration Fees in the amount of $3,940.87, library bills in the amount of $3,587.32 and Liquor Store bills in the amount of $33,440.45. Motion carried. Administrator Don Solga presented Utility Superintendent Brent Frazier’s report regarding various items in the water and sewer departments. Administrator Solga reviewed the City’s Well No. 13 which was tested as part of a Minnesota Department of Health Ground Water Study. Administrator Solga said he and Frazier will be meeting with the City’s engineering firm for capital projects, Short Elliot Hendrickson (SEH) to walk through the Wastewater Plant for the Wastewater Treatment Facilities (WWTF) Capital Improvement Plan. Library Director Annie Wrigg said Kindle readers are now compatible with ebooks on the library system. Thanks to generous funding from Friends of the Library, the Pelican Library has been able to add titles to ebooks. Director Wrigg said she will be attending the Minnesota Library Association conference this week. Police Chief Jeff Stadum reported on his department’s activities. Mayor Woessner arrived at 5:40 p.m. Street and Park Superintendent reported on his department’s activities. He presented information on prices for a sweeper. A new sweeper would be $160,000. Administrator Solga said he checked with Kinetic Leasing on costs to lease. Current unit is 12 years old with 5,000 hours. Mayor Woessner commented that a seven year lease would cover paying for the sweeper before it would have too many hours and need to be replaced. A used 2010 sweeper with 2000 hours is available for $132,500. The new sweeper and used sweeper are both mechanical sweepers. Clerk-Treasurer Glenys Ehlert presented the 09-30-11 financial reports. Motion by Strand, seconded by Waller to approve the 09-30-11 financial reports as presented. Motion carried. Council considered a request for nominations for the Lakes Country Service Cooperative Board for the period beginning 01-01-12 and ending 12-31-15. No action was taken. Council considered a grant agreement with the State of Minnesota for Airport Maintenance and Operation. Motion by Foster, seconded by Waller, to approve the grant agreement with Minnesota Department of Transportation for airport maintenance and operation and authorize the mayor and clerk to sign on behalf of the City to execute agreement with the following resolution, entitled RESOLUTION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRANT AGREEMENT FOR AIRPORT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION. (A complete text of the resolution is part of permanent public record in the city clerk’s office.) Motion passed unanimously and resolution declared duly adopted. Pursuant to due call and published notice thereof, the City Council conducted a public hearing at 6:00 p.m., to consider the proposed assessment for the improvement of SE 5th Street beginning approximately 175 ft. south of SE 8th Avenue and extending south to Maplewood Drive with the construction of utility and street improvements and the improvement of Maplewood Dr. between SE 5th Street and SE 10th Avenue with the construction of street improvements, City Engineer Bob Schlieman of Ulteig Engineers addressed the Council and public present regarding the purpose of the assessment hearing which is a requirement of Minnesota Statute 429, to present assessment information, to answer questions and to correct any mistakes on assessments. Engineer Schlieman presented information on the project location, water main and sanitary sewer improvements, street and drainage improvements, project costs, project financing, cost sharing and assessment rates and payment options. He answered various questions about the project including the expenses included in a water service. A water service requires several pieces of connecting including a service saddle, curb stop and valve. Engineer Schlieman asked, “Are there any questions on the assessments.” There were no further questions. Mayor Woessner declared the public hearing closed. Motion by Waller, seconded by Strand to approve and accept the Special Assessment Roll for Improvement Project No. 77 and the Deferred Special Assessment Roll for Improvement Project No. 77, setting a 15 year period for assessments, an interest rate of 5.25% on assessments and approving that Deferred Special Assessments will begin when a platted lot is sold, a house is built or seven (7) years after assessments are certified, whichever occurs first. The motion introduced the following written resolution, entitled RESOLUTION ADOPTING ASSESSMENT FOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO. 77. (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. Rodney Zentz of the VFW requested one handicapped parking space on the street, NW 1st Ave. Administrator Don Solga reviewed previous requests for additional handicapped spaces between the lights on Hwy. 59 which were denied. He said the parking in front of the VFW is a little different because the activity is primarily at the VFW. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Waller to grant the request of the VFW to create a handicapped parking space, first space west of parking lot, on NW 1st Ave., as requested. Motion carried. School Board Member Charlie Blixt addressed the Council regarding the school’s efforts to pass an operating levy in the amount of $600. Administrator Don Solga asked the length of time for the levy. It will be five years. Administrator Solga asked, “What happens to the school if it doesn’t pass?” Blixt replied that the school is operating at a deficit of $600,000 per year and will run out of funds. Mayor Woessner clarified that the funds are just for operating expenses and Blixt agreed. Mayor Woessner thanked School Board Member Blixt for the information. Administrator Don Solga said that although the Park Board discussed establishing an endowment fund for the swimming pool, an endowment fund would provide interest for projects. Since it would be a longer term to raise enough funds to have the interest available for pool improvements, the endowment fund would not really work for necessary pool improvements. West Central Initiative recommended the establishment of a sub fund for the pool. The Park Board recommends that the Council reaffirm getting a group of people together and creating a sub fund for the pool. Council Member Foster asked if the Park Board has people in mind to serve on this group. Administrator Solga said the Park Board does not have people in mind. Council Members discussed various possibilities. Mayor Woessner suggested that the Park Board propose the committee members. Council Member Foster agreed. Administrator Don Solga explained that a new private liquor store, Dunvilla Liquors, is being proposed by a group of private people who have requested an Off Sale Intoxicating Liquor License for an Exclusive Liquor Store. In the past the County Board of Commissioners has denied requests to establish liquor licenses in unincorporated areas of the County. Administrator Don Solga read a letter he drafted to send on behalf of the City to request that the County Board continue to follow their past precedence of no off-sale liquor licenses outside of city boundaries. Solga emphasized that if additional liquor stores are established outside municipal boundaries, the City will have a difficult time transferring funds from the liquor store to the City. The City will also have to respond to mutual aid requests for law enforcement from the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s department. Administrator Solga said the City has worked to cut the budget and deal with cuts in Local Government Aid. Motion by Waller, seconded by Ballard to authorize Administrator Solga to send the letter to Otter Tail County Commissioners opposing the establishment of any liquor store outside of municipal boundaries, as presented. Motion carried. Administrator Don Solga reviewed suggestions for Liquor Store energy savings. He reviewed that a motor and fan control net cost is 2617.82. Energy savings would pay for system in 14 months. Otter Tail Power confirmed the rebates. Another program benefitting the Liquor Store is having an approved firm service the compressors every second year, Otter Tail Power will pay up to $325 for compressor service. The program cost is $30 per year for the compressor program. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Foster to do energy efficiency upgrades as recommended by Administrator Don Solga. Motion carried. Motion by Foster, seconded by Strand to enter into the compressor program with Otter Tail Power as recommended by Administrator Don Solga. Motion carried. Motion by Waller, seconded by Strand to introduce the following written resolution, entitled LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPLICATION RESOLUTION, authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to sign the Small Cities Development Program Business and Community Development Application. (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. Administrator Don Solga reviewed the Culvert Bridge project and the width of box culverts to meet State Aid Standards. Mayor Woessner said there will be more traffic in area due to the new park and this project is for next 100 years, not 30 days. Motion by Strand, seconded by Ballard to approve a 26 ft. bridge. Motion carried. Council considered whether to angle the road more to the west on the north side of the river. Motion by Foster, seconded by Waller to offset the bridge to the west on the north side of the river. Motion carried. Motion by Strand, seconded by Waller to approve Liquor Store Credit Card Interface software for cash registers as recommended. Motion carried. Motion by Ballard, seconded by Strand to adjourn the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Motion carried. Glenys Ehlert, CMC Clerk-Treasurer