Meeting Minutes of the
Wednesday April 6, 2011
Regular City Council Meeting
Item #1: Call to Order
Mayor Hemmesch called the meeting
to order at 6:30 p.m. at the
Council Members noted as being present: Jim Hemmesch, Tim Paczkowski, Jeff Mackedanz and Scott Kron.
Absent: Mike Mathiasen
Also present were: Martin Bode, City Administrator; Adam Ripple, City Attorney; Gordon Dingmann, Public Works Director; Chuck Merten, Fire Chief; Greg Stang, PeopleService; Kevin Mooney, Parks and RLCA Director; Marilyn Zenner, Administrative Assistant; Randy Jenniges and Dave Blommel, SEH; Jesse Kollman, Emergency Management Director; John Keul; Deb Vogt and Bobbe Teigen, Paynesville Area Health Care System (PAHCS); Pat Evens; Michael (Tucker) Plantenberg; Troy Niewind; Deb Bode and Ryan, Local TV Channel 10 camera operator.
Item #2: Approval of Agenda
A Motion was Made to Approve Agenda as presented. Motion Made by Paczkowski, Second by Kron. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item # 3 Public Works Report - Director Gordon Dingmann
Director Dingmann reviewed with the Council the Bid results for repairing the City’s non enterprise fund building that were damaged in a hail storm in 2010.
Consideration of Resolution 125-11 Award of Bids.
A Motion was Made to Approve Resolution 125-11. Motion Made by Mackedanz, Second by Hemmesch. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #4: Approval of City Minutes of March 17, 2011.
A Motion was Made to Approve the City Council Minutes of February 17, 2011. Motion Made by Paczkowski, Second by Mackedanz. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #5. Consent Agenda.
Mayor Hemmesch read aloud the list of the following consent agenda items:
a. Approval of
Just and Correct Claims
b. Approval Purchase Requisitions
c. Resolution
123 – 11 Acceptance of March 2011 Donations
d. Resolution
126 – 11 Tax-Exempt and Permit
A Motion was Made to Approve the Consent Agenda as Presented. Motion Made by Mackedanz, Second by Paczkowski. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #6 Consideration of Resolution 116–11 Employment Agreement with Martin M. Bode
Attorney Ripple informed the Council that he had made the suggested revisions to Administrator Bode's proposed contract to reflect his salary to be set at Group 16 Step 3 effective April 6, 2011.
A Motion was Made to Approve Resolution 116-11. Motion Made by Kron, Second by Mackedanz. Motion Passed. In Favor: Hemmesch, Mackedanz and Kron. Opposed: Paczkowski.
Councilmember Paczkowski expressed his disapproval of the Council’s and Bode’s handling of the recent open administrators position.
Item #7 PAHCS Annual Update –Bobbe Teigen and Deb Vogt
Teigen started off by expressing
her appreciation to Deb Vogt for serving as
Teigen stated that PAHCS in the year 2010 paid out $307,000 to Minnesota Care Tax, $474,000 in surcharge taxes and $71,000 in property taxes. PAHCS gross revenues were $50 million, total payroll and benefits 18.75 million, total allowances 16 million, bad debt and charity care 631,000, capital budget was 1.25 million.
Teigen also noted that there is a
new physician at the
Teigen stated that PAHCS board focus is on the quality of care and patient satisfaction. The board has also started a new community advisory committee, one in each of the PAHCS areas. The board is very interested in community outreach opportunities.
Item #8
Pat Evens, President of the River Lake Days Committee, reviewed with the Council some of the agenda items for this years 2011 River Lake Days celebration. Noting that the committee is looking to have a granny pageant on Friday evening and having a show called Alexandria Aces for Saturday afternoon.
Evens asked the Council if there were would be a problem with campers parking overnight in City or private parking lots during River Lake Days. Staff will look into the question.
Evens again asked the Council if
there were some way the City could pay for police protection and the cost of
liability insurance that River Lake Days has to pay for this event. Staff and Council again explained to Mr. Evens
that River Lake Days is not an entity of the City of
Evens asked the Council to direct their attention to bullet number 10 of Appendix A., Resolution 124-11. In this paragraph it states that the River Lake Days Committee will have three to four additional police officers on duty during this event. Evens asked the Council would they be willing to consider changing this language to be a minimum of two officers and any additional officers will be decided at the discretion of the River Lake Day Committee President, Police Chief and City Administrator. The Council thought this would be okay.
Consideration of Resolution 124-11 Authorization of Use of Municipal Personnel
and Resources in Conjunction with the River
A Motion was Made to Approve Resolution 124-11. Motion Made by Kron, Second by Mackedanz. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #9 City Engineer Report – Randy Jenniges.
Jenniges stated that the Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) had provided a concept plan of the proposed bridge
over the
-with the proposed bridge and trail grading (lower by 10 feet), we have reviewed the potential conflict with the City raw water main from the new Well #5 to the water treatment plant. We are pleased to report that based on the proposed plan, there are no conflicts with the water main. However, we will request the DNR include a couple of additional notes on the plan set to field verify the water main and include its location on the cross-section sheets of the plan.
-apparently, there is a new design standards for the rail heights on the bridge related to equestrian use. If there is equestrian use, the rail height is 7 feet and if not then it is typically 4 ˝ foot height. The DNR is looking for City input regarding this issue. With limited to no equestrian use on the trail, I recommend going with the standard 4 ˝ foot rail height. A typical rail height of 4 ˝’ is high enough to provide pedestrian safety, but yet low enough to see over and enjoy the view. The 4 ˝ foot railing would cost less and be more aesthetically pleasing from State Highway 23. In addition, the DNR recently installed three other bridges along this route with the standard 4 ˝ foot railing.
-in general, this project will be an excellent amenity to the City and is a testament to the DNR staff working through the years to secure funding and create a good design.
It was the consensus of the Council to approve Engineer Jenniges recommendation and approve of the 4 ˝ foot rail height.
Item #10 Water / Waste Water Operator Report – Greg Stang, PeopleService.
Operator Stang reviewed his written report with the Council. Stang also updated the Council on the purchasing a variable frequency drive (VFD) for well #4. Noting that he had spoken with Traut Well and they have a new Franklin VFD that can be purchased at a savings of $300.00.
Stang stated that he along with Public Works Director Dingmann and Administrator Bode as of last Friday have completed the Wellhead Protection evaluation process.
Stang also noted that next week he
will have at his disposal the services of an interim worker from
Stang reported that this past week there had been a sewer backup at the library. Upon investigation it was discovered that Melrose Telephone had inadvertently shoved their fiber optic cable through the libraries sewer pipe. Melrose Telephone has since rectified the problem.
Stang noted that on May 14 will be the annual Water Festival to be held at the River Lakes Civic Arena.
Item # 11 Fire Department Report – Fire Chief Chuck Merten
Chief Merten reviewed, with the
Council, his submitted written report. Noting that for the month of March there
was a total of 12 calls: 9 medical, 1 car accident, 1 fire and 1 dispatched /
canceled. Along with the normal monthly
training the department participated in the Health Fair at Cold Spring Granite
and also had three of its firefighters participate in the Polar Plunge at
Item # 12 City Attorney Report – Adam Ripple
No report.
Item # 13 City Administrators Report – Martin M. Bode
Administrator Bode noted that Jesse Kollman, Emergency Management Director was in attendance and asked if he would approach the lectern and review with the Council the civil defense sirens situation. Kollman stated the City currently has three sirens that are strategically placed around the City. In the very near future the County will be requiring all cities convert to narrowband. Of the current three sirens the City has in place two of them are new enough to be capable of being converted to narrowband at a cost of approximately $500.00 each. The third siren the oldest of the three that is not capable of being converted to narrowband would have to be manually set off here at the Fire Hall. Also, with the recent addition of the Southside residents the Council may want to consider installing a fourth siren in or near that location. The cost of a new siren is between $15,000.00 and $20,000.00. Kollman also noted that neither of the current three sirens have battery backups, meaning in the event of a severe storm that could knock out power to the City, the current three sirens would not be able to send out a warning. The Council suggested that Kollman obtain updated quotes for upgrading its current sirens and the cost of a new siren as well as the cost of backing up each siren with a battery back up and work with Administrator Bode in the upcoming budget process.
Bode noted that the front doors to City Hall have been replaced and that the entrance to City Hall is now handicap accessible. Bode also provided for the Council, for Council consideration, a quote that the City has received in the amount of $2,130.00 from East Side Glass Company regarding potentially having the entrance door to the Council chamber handicap accessible.
The Council and staff discussed the concerns that some communities are having regarding auxiliary wood heat. The type of wood heat that is in question are those that are not installed in the home but rather in an adjacent building where the chimney may be anywhere from 8 to 10 feet off the ground. The concern is for such a short chimney the smoke from the wood heat is drifting directly to neighboring homes. The Council discussed the possibility of the City requiring this type of wood heat to have some type of minimum chimney height requirement. No action taken at this time.
Item #14 Reports of Council
a. Mayor Hemmesch reported that the EDA met on March 28 and that the next scheduled meeting will be on April 25. Hemmesch also reported that Tower Park Purchase Agreement option has expired as of the end of March 2011 and that Bill Traut had informed the EDA that they would not be exercising the one-year extension option of the purchase agreement.
b. Councilor
Mackedanz informed the Council that the Planning Commission continues to discuss
the
c. Councilor
Paczkowski reported that the next ROCORI Trail meeting was at 9:00 a.m. April 7,
2011, at
d. Troy
Niewind of
e. Mayor
Hemmesch reported to the Council that he along with Administrator Bode had
attended the League of Minnesota Cities Legislative Day at the Capitol in
Hemmesch also noted that he had attended the Cold Spring
Expo on March 26 and that he along with Gordon Dingmann and Paul Schreiber-Nass had attended the
The Council noted that Representative Larry Hosch will be hosting a Town Meeting here at City Hall on Saturday, April 9th.
Mayor Hemmesch asked Attorney Ripple to read aloud a letter that he had drafted to be sent to City residents explaining the City’s current position regarding Township fire issues.
Item #15 Additional Purchase Requisitions
None presented.
Item #16: Other Matters and Related Issues.
Pat Evens of
Parks Director Kevin Mooney reported to the Council that the new compost passes should be ready for mailing by the next utility billing which should be some time during the first week of May. Mooney also reported that Citywide Cleanup Day will be held Saturday, May 21 and that the County would be conducting Hazardous-Waste Pickup on Wednesday, May 18.
Item #13. Adjournment.
Mayor Hemmesch asked if there were any additional items for the Council to consider. Hearing no further comments, he asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
A Motion was Made to Adjourn. Motion Made by Kron, Second by Paczkowski. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Mayor Hemmesch declared the meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martin M. Bode