City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council Mayor Steve Washburn Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters Dan Schuette 6/8/2021 - 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 in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 8, 2021 by Mayor Steve Washburn. Council Members present: Washburn, Mike Walters, Adam Pawelk, Lindsay Guetzkow, and Dan Schuette. City Staff present: Interim City Administrator Jeff O’Neill, Administrative Services Director Lynn Tschudi, and City Planner Mark Kaltsas. Guest: Liza Donabauer. Those who signed in: Michelle and Harrison Merten, Carter Nelsen and Doug Kammerer. 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. Interim City Administrator Jeff O’Neill introduced himself to the residents of Watertown and shared his background. Jeff retired from the City of Monticello in March of 2021 where he worked for 30 years. He will transition the City of Watertown until a permanent City Administrator is hired. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval PAWELK MOVED, SCHUETTE SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.A. Adopt A Motion To Approve Special City Council Meeting Minutes From May 19, 2021 3.B. Consider Resolution #2021-72, Accepting Donation For Rails To Trails Fireworks 3.C. Consider Resolution #2021-73, Approving Step Movement For William Myers 4. Open Forum Doug Kammerer, Public Utilities Superintendent, addressed council to alert them of the very dry weather. On an average day the City uses 240,000 gallons of potable water (2/3 of a water tower). Today 850,000  3.C. Consider Resolution #2021-73, Approving Step Movement For William Myers 4. Open Forum Doug Kammerer, Public Utilities Superintendent, addressed council to alert them of the very dry weather. On an average day the City uses 240,000 gallons of potable water (2/3 of a water tower). Today 850,000 gallons were used because of the high heat and additional watering of lawns (filling the water tower 3 times). Kammerer said the high service pumps are being ran 23 hours a day where they normally run 10 hours a day. Kammerer is stressing the odd/even watering theory. Lawns only need about ½-1 inch of water per week. Kammerer also said to NOT water during the day between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm. If your lawn turns brown, just leave it and it will return to green after the first rain fall. Kammerer said that water conservation during this time is also important in case of a fire emergency. 5. New/Old Business 5.A. Review Recruitment Profile For City Administrator Liza Donabauer with David Drown and Associates approached Council to review the community profile, job description, salary, and timeline for the City Administrator search. Each of these will need to be approved by council so the job can be posted. Mayor Washburn asked for wording change on one paragraph as well as clarification on the funding percentages for collector streets. Council Member Schuette asked if the salary range should be adjusted for the City Administrator position. Donabauer explained that the current salary study shows that the position is at around 96% of the market. She warned that if council adjusts this position to 100% of market, they will likely need to adjust the remaining City positions to 100% of the market during the current salary study. Schuette said he would like to see the range adjusted to 100% of the market. Walters and Guetzkow agreed with Schuette. Council agree with the market rate of $91,520 - $116,480 for the City Administrator position. Donabauer highlighted a special meeting of July 27 where council will select the finalists and August 18 where council will be involved in interviews. 5.B. Community Center Damage Deposit Waiver Interim City Administrator Jeff O’Neill explained that community organizations can use the community center rooms at no charge. Recently, the rental agreement was amended to require a $250 damage deposit to cover damages as well as clean-up fees for each group. The Toasmaster’s group is asking for relief from the $250 damage deposit. Guetzkow added that the $250 requirement was added after COVID as well as many upgrades were completed in the community center rooms. Walters is against the damage deposit fee for the community groups. Schuette is in favor of every group paying the $250 damage deposit to use it as a tool for people to clean up and follow the rules. Pawelk understands that some groups do not have the means to pay the fee, but he would like it to be consistent whatever the council decides. Washburn does not believe that community groups should need to pay the damage deposit fee. Washburn summarized that the fee should be lowered or removed, and an action item brought forward in the future. 5.C. Rezoning Of Mill Avenue Parcel City Planner Mark Kaltsas said there is a request to rezone a property from A-1 agriculture to R-2 on Mill Avenue in Watertown. The comprehensive plan does zone this as medium density, so the applicant is asking for the rezoning consistent with the comprehensive plan. The property has access to sewer and water and would be connected at time a building permit is issued. Planning Commission held a public hearing and is recommending approval of the rezoning request. Property owner Carter Nelson approached Council and asked why the neighboring property has not asphalted their driveway. Kaltsas said he will investigate it. WALTERS MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 426, AMENDING THE CITY OF WATERTOWN ZONING CODE, INCLUDING ZONING MAPS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 6. Other Reports Guetzkow reported that the Community Education director has accepted a position in Howard Lake. Watertown is in the final stages of hiring a new Community Ed. Director. The Community Learning Center playground equipment is near completion. The Rails to Trails fireworks will be Friday, July 30. 7. Claims PAWELK MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2021 CLAIMS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0.  Guetzkow reported that the Community Education director has accepted a position in Howard Lake. Watertown is in the final stages of hiring a new Community Ed. Director. The Community Learning Center playground equipment is near completion. The Rails to Trails fireworks will be Friday, July 30. 7. Claims PAWELK MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2021 CLAIMS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 7.A. Approve Claims Roster For 2021 Budget 8. Adjournment GUETZKOW MOVED, SCHUETTE SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:48 PM. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388