City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council Mayor Steve Washburn Deborah Everson Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters 6/23/2020 - Minutes 1. Call To Order And Roll Call Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the Watertown City Council was called to order at 6:33 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 2020 in the Council Chambers of City Hall by Mayor Steve Washburn. Council Members present online using Zoom.com: Washburn, Michael Walters, Deborah Everson, Lindsay Guetzkow, and Adam Pawelk. City Staff present at City Hall: City Administrator Shane Fineran and Clerk Treasurer Lynn Tschudi. City Staff present online: City Planner Mark Kaltsas and Building Official Scott Dornfeld. Guest: Mark Huber, Mark Eliot, Louise Thymian. 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval WALTERS MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 3.A. 3A - Adopt A Motion To Approve City Council Regular Meeting Minutes From June 9, 2020 3.B. 3B - Consider Resolution #2020-88, Approving Waste Hauler License 3.C. 3C - Consider Resolution #2020-89, Declaring Surplus Equipment 4. Open Forum 5. New/Old Business 5.A. 5A - 1012 Trebbiano Lane Utility Bill Credit Request Fineran explained that Mr. Huber from 1012 Trebbiano Lane is requesting a credit on his utility bill. While the Hubers were vacationing in Florida, their water softener malfunctioned causing above normal 5. New/Old Business 5.A. 5A - 1012 Trebbiano Lane Utility Bill Credit Request Fineran explained that Mr. Huber from 1012 Trebbiano Lane is requesting a credit on his utility bill. While the Hubers were vacationing in Florida, their water softener malfunctioned causing above normal usage for three months. He is requesting a credit of $404.72 for the sewer portion of the bills. Everson asked if Mr. Huber contacted the city in April asking why the bill was so high. Tschudi could not recall Mr. Huber contacting the city. Mr. Huber addressed council and explained that his water softener was stuck on recycle for three months. He is familiar with the city billing credits being that he was a Mayor in another community. Pawelk asked if Mr. Huber is on automatic bill pay. Huber replied yes. Everson asked if Huber noticed the high bill. He said it took a while to realize the problem and the high bill. Fineran said this is the first request he has had where the problem has been discovered on the inside of a home. Washburn asked for clarification on the summer rates. Fineran explained the average placed on the sewer for the summer months. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO SET THE SUMMER SEWER RATE AT 1012 TREBBIANO TO 5,000 GALLONS PER MONTH. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. Walters said he is in support of the motion because council has been in support of credits like this in the past. Guetzkow is worried if a credit is given for this type of a leak, it will set a precedent for residents with toilets running and sinks leaking who want a credit on their bill. NO OTHER MOTIONS WERE MADE. Washburn stated there would be no other credits given. 5.B. 5B - 700 Mill Avenue NE Utility Bill Credit Request Fineran said the city has received a request from the Riverside Terrace Mobile Home community at 700 Mill Avenue NE for the month of May. There was a leak in a service line to a vacant property causing a usage of five million gallons of water. The average usage at the park is 528,500 gallons per month. The park was billed for 922,000 gallons of sanitary sewer with the summer rate being applied. A sewer credit of 393,500 gallons would amount to $2,275.76. Everson asked if any other similar credits have been given to other mobile home parks in the past. Fineran said he believes there was a credit given for a water main break at the Stevens/White trailer park many years ago in the amount of about $5,000. Louise Thymian from MNWA Riverside MHP, LLC addressed council to request a credit. Guetzkow asked when the leak was discovered. Thymian said within 24 hours of receiving the high bill the leak was repaired. Guetzkow asked how the water/sewer charges are being allocated among the residents. Thymian said that the residents are paying for the water/sewer charges. She cannot confirm if the residents will pay for the leak. Thymian stated the homes are metered. Everson would like to know what the total bill was. Thymian replied $44,288.69. Washburn asked what the average bill is. Thymian said a normal bill should be around $6,000. WALTERS MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020-91, APPROVING UTILITY BILLING CREDIT FOR 700 MILL AVENUE NE. MOTION CARRIED 4-1. GUETZKOW, WALTERS, PAWELK, WASHBURN VOTING AYE, EVERSON VOTING NAY.  Everson would like to know what the total bill was. Thymian replied $44,288.69. Washburn asked what the average bill is. Thymian said a normal bill should be around $6,000. WALTERS MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020-91, APPROVING UTILITY BILLING CREDIT FOR 700 MILL AVENUE NE. MOTION CARRIED 4-1. GUETZKOW, WALTERS, PAWELK, WASHBURN VOTING AYE, EVERSON VOTING NAY. 5.C. 5C - 676 Industrial Blvd Conditional Use Permit City Planner Mark Kaltsas said a Conditional Use Permit is being requested at 676 Industrial Park Blvd by Crius Corporation. The CUP is to allow for outdoor storage for empty tanks, equipment and raw materials. Kaltsas recapped the original comments provided by council at the initial CUP request. He directed council to the Planning Commission recommendations. Concerns from the public include spillage from the outdoor tank and the overall use of the property for industrial business. Planning liason Walters said the company stated the outdoor storage tank is mostly empty. He stated their products are scent free and of a thick viscosity. Pawelk clarified that a CUP is not to address the nature of the business but rather than the special request being made. Kaltsas said that is true, however if the products they are using could cause harm to the environment, the city can ask for additional information. Guetzkow asked about possible fumes given off by the products manufactured at the 676 Industrial Park Blvd site. Kaltsas said the city can mitigate noxious odors, however he has not noticed any odors. Everson asked if the owner can meet all the conditions set in the CUP. Council discussed in detail the screening requirements. Mr. Eliot addressed council regarding the health concerns. Eliot stated they are not making asphalt they are making a product to go on top of asphalt. The materials stored outside would be packaged. The materials are water soluble. Eliot noted that any airborne solid such as clay or sand have inhalation warnings. The primary use for the facility currently is for maintenance and logistical support. Eliot offered suggestions for shielding the outdoor tank. Washburn asked if any workers require special PPE while working with the product. Eliot said PPE is used when cleaning tanks and the product is in a dust state. Washburn asked what type of odor is emitted. Eliot said there is a slight odor not comparable to asphalt. Kaltsas said if the double stacked fence was removed, the tank was painted to match the building, and large evergreen trees were added for screening, it would be a better solution than adding another fence type. Washburn asked how Crius Corp plans on being a good neighbor. Eliot is intending on being in Watertown for a long time. His company makes a safe product and supplies it nationwide. Kaltsas showed on a map where he would suggest placing eight 10-12-foot evergreen trees for screening. Council discussed the meaning of noxious odors and the current city code. WALTERS MOVED, EVERSON SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020-92, APPROVING THE REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND SITE PLAN REVIEW AMENDMENT TO ALLOW OUTDOOR STORAGE OF EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL GOODS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 676 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD WITH THE ADDITION OF CONDITION L: OUTDOOR STORAGE TANK SHALL BE AT A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF 16 FEET, THE APPLICANT WILL PAINT THE OUTDOOR STORAGE TANK TO MATCH THE BUILDING, THE APPLICANT WILL REMOVE THE SECOND TIER FENCE, THE APPLICANT WILL PLANT EIGHT 10- 12-FOOT EVERGREEN TREES FOR SCREENING, AND CONDITION M: REFERENCING THE CITY CODE SECTION 26-29 RELATING TO NOXIOUS ODORS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 6. Other Reports  APPLICANT WILL REMOVE THE SECOND TIER FENCE, THE APPLICANT WILL PLANT EIGHT 10- 12-FOOT EVERGREEN TREES FOR SCREENING, AND CONDITION M: REFERENCING THE CITY CODE SECTION 26-29 RELATING TO NOXIOUS ODORS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 6. Other Reports Fineran updated that the Disc Golf Course field planting will occur next week. He is hoping for an end of July opening. The virtual open house for the Highway 25 project is tomorrow, June 24. Fineran said the new city website is live: WWW.WATERTOWNMN.GOV. Pawelk updated that the Park Commission voted to install a dog wash station at the dog park. Everson encouraged residents to call the sheriff if they see something they would like to report. Washburn reported that the League of MN Cities invited him to speak on their podcast regarding the efforts the city has made to help citizens during COVID-19. 7. Claims 7.A. 7A - June 23rd Claims EVERSON MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2020 CLAIMS AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 8. Adjournment PAWELK MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:05 PM. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 AFTER ROLL CALL VOTE. 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388