City Council Worksession

Watertown City Council Work Session Mayor Steve Washburn Lindsay Guetzkow Adam Pawelk Michael Walters Dan Schuette 10/12/2021 - Minutes 1. Call To Order And Roll Call Mayor Steve Washburn called the Watertown City Council work session to order at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 12, 2021, in the council chambers of City Hall. Council Members Present: Washburn, Michael Walters, Lindsay Guetzkow, and Adam Pawelk. Staff Present: Administrative Services Director Lynn Tschudi, City Engineer Andrew Budde, Public Services Superintendent Mike Dressel, and Public Utilities Superintendent Doug Kammerer. 2. New Business 2.I. 2022 Capital Improvement Projects Administrative Services Director Lynn Tschudi said the Council will be challenged in 2022 to determine the projects that are essential and which ones are not, as the balance in the Capital Fund will be negative by year-end. Tschudi highlighted the major projects in the Capital Improvement Fund including: • Street mill & overlay for parts of Wildflower Development • Salt Shed for public services • Wildflower Park equipment replacement • Tree chipper and bucket truck • Salt brine maker • Tool Cat • Tree chipper and bucket truck • Salt brine maker • Tool Cat • City parking lots mill & overlay Tschudi continued to highlight the important capital projects for the other departments: • FIRE: ladder truck and command vehicle • PARKS: Rick Johnson Park streambank restoration, Luce Line Trail Intersection Improvement, Forest Hills 9th Park Improvement. • UTILITIES: Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion, CIPP Lining, Well draw down. Council Member Pawelk stated he would like to see the mill and overlay and CIPP projects continued being these are phases of projects that have already been started. He feels some items on the CIP list are wants rather than needs and the projects will need to be prioritized. Council discussed moving the Forest Hills 9th Park Improvement a few years down the road. They would rather see the original park completely built out before touching the green space. Public Services Superintendent stated that homeowners in the area did have to move property off of the park parcel and he is worried about encroachment issues if the park is not at least marked. Washburn asked Tschudi to move this project to 2024. Washburn asked Engineer Budde why the Luce Line Trail project should be the responsibility of the City rather than the DNR. Budde said he was not 100% sure on where the responsibility lies, but after the Highway 25 Luce Line trail connection was made in 2021, this project was added to make the pedestrian trail loop safer. Council discussed trimming back the trees at this intersection and adding signage with possible pavement markings at a reduced cost from the budgeted $29,000. Budde said due to the multiple uses of the trail including equestrian and snowmobiles, the pavement markings would not last. Council said any improvements made in this area could be out of the operating budget. Washburn asked Tschudi to add a line item for the Mullen Property purchase of $40,000. Council Member Walters asked about the mill and overlay costs Budde showed for the parking lots and asked if some could wait. Budde explained that he would like to see the City Hall parking lot and behind City Hall done and the others could wait. Mayor Washburn suggested moving the salt shed, tree chipper, bucket truck, salt brine maker to 2023 to free up cash for 2022. Guetzkow said she could justify completing the City Hall parking lot in 2022 but asked how much that lot alone would cost. Budde said the lot would be about $75,000. Guetzkow asked if parts of the Arnica mill and overlay could possibly be moved to 2022 from 2023. Budde said it makes most sense to keep the Arnica Trail mill and overlay with the Arnica Drive mill and overlay. Guetkzow asked about any potential grant funds for Safe Routes to School. Budde said not likely with a reconstruction. Washburn asked Dressel what the intention was with the salt shed and brine maker. Dressel said the intention was to get the salt shed in prior to the WWTF expansion to not damage any infrastructure in the process. Council agreed it may make sense to keep the salt shed and brine maker in 2022. Council asked what the disruption would be to the Wildflower development if the northside was done one year and the southside a second year. Budde said it could be done, but he would suggest  Washburn asked Dressel what the intention was with the salt shed and brine maker. Dressel said the intention was to get the salt shed in prior to the WWTF expansion to not damage any infrastructure in the process. Council agreed it may make sense to keep the salt shed and brine maker in 2022. Council asked what the disruption would be to the Wildflower development if the northside was done one year and the southside a second year. Budde said it could be done, but he would suggest completing the southside first. Washburn noted that Tammy Omdal with Northland Securities will be attending a future work session to discuss the WWTF expansion and water tower. Washburn directed Tschudi to include the American Rescue Funds into the Utility Capital Fund Revenues. 3. Adjournment Washburn adjourned the work session at 6:28 pm. 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 __________________________________________________________ Steve Washburn, Mayor ATTEST:__________________________________________ Lynn Tschudi, Admin. Services Director