City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council T Regular Meeting Mayor Michael Walters Adam Pawelk F Fred McGuire Dan Schuette Kay Thul 1. Call To Order And Roll Call A 12/10/2024 - Minutes R 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 6:32 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, by Mayor Mike Walters. D Councilmembers present: Mike Walters, Fred McGuire, Kay Thul and Adam Pawelk Councilmember(s) absent: Dan Schuette City staff present: Interim City Administrator Tom Hanson and Administrative Services Director Michael Sommerfeld Others present: Jim Kasheimer 2. Adopt Agenda Mayor Walters asks if there are any changes to the Agenda. Interim City Administrator Hanson responded that there are two additional changes, added a Wastewater Treatment Facility payout to the consent agenda, and also added an additional RFA for the public works staffing discussion. COUNCILMEMBER KAY THUL MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMEBER FRED MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval COUNCILMEMBER ADAM PAWELK MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 3.A. Approve Minutes From November 26th, 2024 Council Meeting  COUNCILMEMBER ADAM PAWELK MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 3.A. Approve Minutes From November 26th, 2024 Council Meeting 3.A.i. Approve Minutes From November 26th, 2024 Workshop 3.B. 2025 Property Assessment Services Contract 3.C. Step Movement For Robert Hoen T 3.D. Public Services Superintendent Resignation 3.E. Downtown Boardwalk And Fence Replacement Project Closeout 3.F. Watertown - Sanitary Sewer Extension App 2 F 3.G. 696 Industrial Blvd. – Tax Increment Financing 3.H. RFA - Employee Handbook January 2025 A 3.I. Firefighter Resignation 3.J. 2024 End Of Year Payments 3.K. City Hall Closure For Team Building And Holiday Party R 3.L. WWTF Pay Application No. 31 4. Open Forum D 5. New/Old Business 5.A. 2025 Truth In Taxation Hearing - Final Budgets Administrative Services Director Michael Sommerfeld lead that tonight before you are the final approvals for resolutions to adopt the 2025 budget, approving the CIP updates and the final levies. COUNCILMEMBER PAWELK MOVED TO CLOSE THE REGULAR MEETING AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 Mayor Walters announced that we have a public hearing open. If anyone has any questions or concerns about the budget, capital investments or finances this is the time to speak. Hearing none or seeing none. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RE-OPEN THE REGULAR MEETING. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION #2024-58, APPROVING THE 2025 CIP. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0  COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION #2024-58, APPROVING THE 2025 CIP. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO ADOPT RESULTIION #2024-59, APPROVING THE 2025 BUDGETS FOR ALL FUNDS. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 COUNCILMEMBER PAWELK MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION #2024-60 APPROVING THE 2025 T FINAL LEVIES. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 5.B. 2024 Mobile Radios RFA Purchase F Fire Chief Tom Hanson provided an update on the fire department mobile radio replacement. The total cost of this project is $64,553.40. We have the $30,000.00 grant from the Emergency Communication Network and Department of Public Safety. With that $30,000 the city would have to come forward with a matching portion of $1,578.95. So the net cost against our budgeted CIP is $32,974.45. Our initial A line item for this allowed $75,000 for these radio acquisitions. Our grant application has been approved by the state. Once that grant has been signed by the state then we are able to proceed with the purchase of these radios. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO PURCHASE MOBILE RADIOS AND SUBSEQUENT EQUIPMENT. R COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 D 5.C. Public Services Staffing Discussion Mayor Walters provided background for discussion that the Public Services Superintendent, Mike Dressel is resigning and has accepted a position with the City of Waconia. We certainly wish him the best. We are going to discuss his replacement here and I personally believe strongly that it would be nice to hire within as we have some great people. Interim Administrator Hanson met with Mike Dressel and Michael Sommerfeld to discussed appointing an interim public services superintendent with Public Services Lead Mike Loerhs into this position allowing time for the incoming administrator to evaluate the position and formally make a determination or direction on a full-time permanent superintendent. To accomodate this change, Mike Loerhs would be placed at Step 1, Grade 15 of the approved pay scale. Tom Hanson continued that with the departure of Mike Dressel and promoting Mike Loerhs, we still have an additional vacancy in the public services department. Traditionally, we appointed a seasonal employee who works construction, but he is not able to return this year. Staff interviewed Spencer Green and we are recommending to fill our vacancy with her during this winter season. We are also looking for an additional seasonal employee with a preliminary start date in middle of January. This is just so we can maintain that high quality of service, plowing snow, parks, streets and all that. We will be soliciting outside interest for that individual. COUNCILMEMBER PAWELK MOVED TO ACCEPT THE PROMOTION OF MIKE LOEHRS AS INTERIM PUBLIC SERVICES SUPERINTENDENT, NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS OR MARCH 31ST, AND THE HIRING OF SPENCER GREEN AS A WINTER SEASONAL EMPLOYEE, AND THE AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL WINTER SEASONAL EMPLOYEE. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 6. Other Reports  AND THE HIRING OF SPENCER GREEN AS A WINTER SEASONAL EMPLOYEE, AND THE AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL WINTER SEASONAL EMPLOYEE. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 6. Other Reports 7. Claims COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPOVE THE CLAIMS ROSTER AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 T 7.A. CLAIMS 8. Adjournment COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 7:26 P.M. F COUNCILMEMBER PAWELK SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 4-0 A 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 ________________________________________________________ R Michael Walters, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________________________________ D Tom Hanson, Interim City Administrator