Meeting Minutes of the
Wednesday July 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
Members noted as being present: Jim Hemmesch, Mike Mathiasen, Tim Paczkowski and Scott Kron.
Absent: Jeff Mackedanz
Also present were: Martin M. Bode, City Administrator; Adam Ripple, City Attorney; Chuck Merten, Fire Chief; Greg Stang, PeopleService; Marilyn Zenner, Administrative Assistant; Gordon Dingmann; Public Works Director; Jesse Kollman, Emergency Management Director; Michael (Tucker) Plantenberg, President Richmond Firefighters Relief Association; Ron Welter, Accountant for Richmond Firefighters Relief Association; Chad Bueckers, Mike Schriefels, Affordable Disposal; Dave Gruenes, Stearns Electric Association; Glenn Guggenberger, Treasurer Richmond Lions Club and Aaron Cheeley, Local TV Channel 10 Program Director / camera operator.
Item #2: Approval of Agenda
Mayor Hemmesch asked if there were any additions or corrections to the agenda.
A Motion was Made to Approve Agenda. Motion Made by Paczkowski, Second by Kron. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #3: Approval of City Minutes of June 16, 2011 (Workshop).
A Motion was Made to Approve the City Council Minutes of June 16, 2011 (Workshop). Motion Made by Mathiasen, Second by Kron. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #4: Consent Agenda.
Mayor Hemmesch read aloud the list of the following consent agenda items:
a. Approval
of Just and Correct Claims
b. Accept Resignation of Firefighter
Employee No. 132
c. Resolution
153 –
11 Acceptance June 2011 Donations
d. Resolution
156 – 11 Authorization for Lawful Gambling Permit
To
A Motion was Made to Approve the Consent Agenda as Presented. Motion Made by Paczkowski, Second by Mathiasen. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #5: Presentation of Action Items
a. Mayor
Hemmesch temporally recessed the regular Council meeting to conduct a public
hearing regarding the City of
City Attorney Adam Ripple along with Stearns Electric representative Dave Gruenes gave a brief overview of the proposed ordinance.
Mayor Hemmesch asked those in attendance if they wish to make a brief statement or comment regarding the proposed ordinance. None were made.
Mayor Hemmesch then reconvened the regular City Council meeting.
Consideration of Ordnance 2011-101 Franchise Ordinance With
Stearns Electric
A Motion was Made
to Approve Ordinance No. 2011-101.
Motion Made by Kron, Second by Mathiasen. Motion Passed Unanimously.
b. Mayor
Hemmesch temporally recessed the regular Council meeting to conduct a public
hearing regarding the City of
City Attorney Adam Ripple gave a brief overview of the proposed ordinance.
Mayor Hemmesch asked those in attendance if they wish to make a brief statement or comment regarding the proposed ordinance. None were made.
Mayor Hemmesch then reconvened the regular City Council meeting.
Consideration of Ordnance 2011-102 Franchise Ordinance With
CenterPoint Energy
A Motion was Made
to Approve Ordinance No. 2011-102.
Motion Made by Paczkowski, Second by Kron. Motion Passed Unanimously.
c. Mayor
Hemmesch temporally recessed the regular Council meeting to conduct a public
hearing regarding the City of
City Attorney Adam Ripple gave a brief overview of the proposed ordinance change.
Mayor Hemmesch asked those in attendance if they wish to make a brief statement or comment regarding the proposed ordinance. Chad Bueckers of Affordable Disposal expressed his appreciation if the Council would consider amending its current solid waste ordinance to allow for more then three haulers.
Administrator Bode noted to the Council that no formal ordinance had been drafted for the Council to act on, as staff was looking for Council direction as to how the Council wished the proposed change to be read i.e. allow for unlimited number of hauler licenses or specify a specific number. It was the consensus of the Council that staff draft a proposed solid waste ordinance amendment amending the number of refuse hauler licenses from three to four.
The Council also requested that the current three solid waste license haulers be notified of the proposed changes and offered an opportunity to express their opinion at the next Council meeting.
Mayor Hemmesch then declared this public hearing temporarily recessed, to be reconvened at the August 3, 2011 regular City Council meeting.
d. Glenn Guggenberger, Treasurer of the Richmond Lions was present to
present to the City a check in the amount of $1,000.00 as a donation to
Item #6:
Ron
Welter, CPA for the Relief Association and Michael (Tucker) Plantenberg,
President of the Richmond Firefighters Relief Association, reviewed the
financial health of the Relief’s retirement investments with the Council.
The
Relief members requested of the Council to consider approving of an increase
from their current benefit level of $1,150.00 annual retirement contributions
to each member’s account to $1,275.00.
After a brief discussion the Council consensus was to approve of an
increase to $1,250.00 per year of service.
Consideration of Resolution 157-11 A
Resolution Approving of Retirement increase for Richmond Firefighters Relief
Association
A Motion was Made
to Approve Resolution 157-11. Motion
Made by Kron, Second by Paczkowski.
Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #7
Director Kollmann reviewed with the Council the final estimate for the replacement and updating of the City’s Civil Defense Sirens. The Total cost of units, labor to install and programming comes to just over $15,000.00. (Noting that the estimates have been included in tonight’s Purchase Requisition). Donation received to date are $7,000.00 plus the $5,000.00 already set aside by the City leaves the project about $3,000.00 short. Kollmann stated he is still looking for additional donations to come in. Council expressed their appreciation and thanked Director Kollmann for his outstanding efforts with this project.
Item #8: Public Works Director Report – Gordon Dingmann
Director Dingmann reported to the
Council that so far this year the City of
Dingmann also reported that he along with Administrator Bode had attended the last River Lake Days Committee meeting that was held on Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Dingmann stated that he had reviewed with the RLD committee the various streets that would need to be closed for the event, and the street sweeping and the insects spraying that would be done prior to opening night.
Item #9: Water / Wastewater Operator Report – PeopleService Operator Greg Stang
Operator Stang reviewed with the
Council Resolution 154-11, a resolution of mutual agreement between the City of
A Motion was Made
to Approve Resolution 154-11. Motion
Made by Paczkowski, Second by Mathiasen.
Motion Passed Unanimously.
Operator Stang also reported to the Council that well number #4 was in need of service that would include pumping the well out and possibly acid treating the well. Stang provided to the Council an estimate from Jennings Well Drilling in the amount of $2,500.00 to get the job done. This estimate is included in this meetings Purchase Requisitions for Council consideration.
Item #10: Fire Department Report
- Fire Chief Chuck Merten
Chief Merten reviewed, with the
Council, his submitted written report. Noting that for the month of June there was a
total of 10 calls: 7 medical and 3 fire calls.
Merten stated that the department had participated in an LP burn, this
burn was put on by
Item #11: City Attorney Report –
Adam Ripple
Nothing additional.
Item #12: City Administrators
Report – Martin M. Bode
Administrator Bode noted that with the completion of the City’s 2010 audit as well as the City's financial books being up to date through the first six months of 2011 that the budget process for 2012 has begun. Department managers have been issued budget worksheets for the year 2012.
Staff reviewed with the Council
Resolution 155-11, a resolution amending the operation and maintenance
agreement between the City of
A Motion was Made
to Approve Resolution 155-11. Motion
Made by Mathiasen, Second by Kron.
Motion Passed Unanimously.
Item #13: Council Reports -
a. EDA
Councilmember Mathiasen report to the
Council that the EDA's main focus at this time is the
b. Planning Commission
Councilmember Kron reported that the Planning Commission has completed its work on the Rural Service District and will be providing an updated Rural Service District map and resolution for the Council to consider at the August 18, 2011 Council workshop meeting. Kron stated that the Planning Commission continues to look at the feasibility of extending City utilities to the Southeast project.
c. Parks / ROCORI Trail
Councilmember Paczkowski and Attorney Ripple updated the Council on recent ROCORI trail events. Attorney Ripple noted that on June 30 the ROCORI trail board held a special meeting at which SEH provided a completed project memo to the board which will then be forwarded on to the County and then on to MN DOT for their review. It was also noted that the ROCORI trail board was informed that the 2010 funds have been released however do to the State shut down those funds are not assessable until such time as the State goes back to work.
Item #14: Additional Purchase Requisitions
Consideration of Purchase Requisitions.
A Motion was Made to Approve the
July 6, 2011 Purchase Requisitions.
Motion Made by Mathiasen, Second by Kron. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Other Matters and Related Issues.
Council inquired of Administrator Bode how things were going regarding the accountability of employees time and timesheets. Administrator Bode stated that he has implemented weekly staff meetings that are held on Monday’s of each week at 1:00 p.m. Bode stated that so far he has had two staff meetings and that the main focus of the staff meetings are to improve communications between the various departments and to help build a team working relationship.
Closed Meeting Employee #030 Review
Mayor Hemmesch at 8:00 p.m. closed the regular meeting in order to conduct an employee review.
Mayor Hemmesch at 8:40 p.m. reconvened the Council meeting.
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 Mathiasen, Second by Paczkowski. Motion Passed Unanimously.
Mayor Hemmesch declared the meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martin M. Bode