City Council Meetings

Watertown Minnesota City Logo Watertown City Council Regular Meeting Mayor Steve Washburn Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters Dan Schuette 9/28/2021 - 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 6:34 p.m. Tuesday, September 28, 2021, by Mayor Steve Washburn. Council Members present: Washburn, Mike Walters, Adam Pawelk, Dan Schuette, and Lindsay Guetzkow. City Staff present: Administrative Services Director Lynn Tschudi Those who signed in: Scott Qualle, Mario Dattilo, Doug Dattilo 2. Adopt Agenda GUETZKOW MOVED, PAWELK SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval SCHUETTE MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.A. Regular Minutes From September 14, 2021 3.B. Work Session Minutes From September 14, 2021 3.C. Special Meeting Minutes From September 20, 2021 3.D. 2022 Assessors Agreement With Carver County 3.E. Reimbursement Bond Regulations 3.F. Velocity Telephone Renewal  3.D. 2022 Assessors Agreement With Carver County 3.E. Reimbursement Bond Regulations 3.F. Velocity Telephone Renewal 3.G. Homecoming Parade Use Of Streets 4. Open Forum 5. New/Old Business 5.A. Adopt 2022 Preliminary Levy Administrative Services Director Tschudi said the preliminary levy was presented at the September 14 work session. At that time, the levy was set to increase by 6.03% from 2021. Council asked that $20,000 be added to the budget for teambuilding and council visioning. Tschudi said she added $10,000 to the General Fund and $10,000 to the Enterprise Fund. After this change, the levy increased to 6.30%. Tschudi said the impact to the average valued home is $37 increase from 2021 or 2.99% increase. The City tax rate is 53.85% which is a decrease from 2021 of 3.90%. Pawelk said he was under the understanding that Tschudi would have kept the levy the same by adding the $10,000 in teambuilding and decreasing an expense by the same amount. He would like to see the levy decreased over the next couple months. Guetzkow said she prefers to leave a little wiggle room in the budget for unexpected items and is satisfied with the preliminary levy. Walters said the council tries to keep the levy increase close to the cost of living and the average value home is seeing a 2.99% for the preliminary and he feels that is acceptable. Walters said council continues to bring high quality services to the City of Watertown. Mayor Washburn said he would like to continue to evaluate the budget over the next couple months as final numbers come in for liability and health insurance. GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2021-102, ADOPTING A PRELIMINARY 2021 TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF WATERTOWN FOR COLLECTION IN 2022. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 5.B. Northland Securities Agreement Tschudi said that in 2017, the City commissioned Northland Securities to develop a financial management and rate study for its utility enterprise funds. This study helped forecast needed revenues to support the operations and debt. Since 2017, there have been increased costs associated with the construction of the wastewater treatment facility expansion. Because of these increased costs, an update to this financial management plan is needed to accurately forecast utility rates. Northland Securities has provided a scope of work to complete a full financial study with forecasted rates which would cost $8,800. Tschudi said if council was interested in a scaled down version at a lower costs, Northland would update the financial planning model to reflect revised project costs estimates only without any other changes, or a new updated written report. This type of project would be billed hourly with costs equating to approximately $4,000. Pawelk stated he does not want to spend the $4,000 or the $8,800 on the utility rate study.  without any other changes, or a new updated written report. This type of project would be billed hourly with costs equating to approximately $4,000. Pawelk stated he does not want to spend the $4,000 or the $8,800 on the utility rate study. Guetzkow feels that now is the best time to complete the study being that the wastewater treatment project is a huge investment and the City should know how they are going to pay for it. Schuette stated he is in favor of the cheaper option. Walters agreed with Schuette. Council discussed the difference between the two studies with Tschudi. Mayor Washburn asked if Tammy Omdal could present the two options so that council knows the importance of the data and how it affects the study. Tschudi will request additional information and or a presentation. WALTERS MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO MOVE THE AGENDA ITEM TO THE OCTOBER 12, 2021 MEETING. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 5.C. Authorize RFP For Building Services Tschudi said council reviewed the building services RFP during the work session and made recommendations for edits. Council will either decide to approve the RFP or take another course of action relating to the building services for the City. Council offered additional edits to Tschudi. Council discussed the point evaluation system on the current RFP. Ultimately it was decided to remove the point value system. Guetzkow feels the council is still moving forward at an aggressive timeline. Walters said he is against sending out an RFP for a service when it is not required and when the City already has proposals from the main two companies who perform the services in the area. PAWELK MOVED, GUETZKOW SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2021-105, AUTHORIZING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AS AMENDED FOR BUILDING OFFICIAL, BUILDING INSPECTION, CODE REVIEW, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT SERVICES. MOTION CARRIED 4-1, WALTERS VOTING NEY. 6. Other Reports Tschudi said City employee Nancy Pysick celebrated 24 years at the City of Watertown. She thanked Pysick for her dedicated work at the City. Guetzkow updated she attended the Community Education meeting where she learned of many staffing challenges both at Kids Company and the school district. Walters updated that some Chamber of Commerce events have been cancelled due to COVID: Ladies Night Out and the Educator's Dinner. Schuette updated that there is a Planning Commission meeting on September 30 at 6:30 pm. 7. Claims SCHUETTE MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2021 CLAIMS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 7.A. Claims For September 28, 2021  SCHUETTE MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2021 CLAIMS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 7.A. Claims For September 28, 2021 8. Adjournment GUETZKOW MOVED, WALTERS SECONDED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:37 PM. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 ________________________________________________________ Steve Washburn, Mayor ATTEST:__________________________________________________ Lynn Tschudi, Admin. Services Director