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06-24-1985 CC MIN REGULAR WEEKLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1985 ---, Members Present: Mayor Hinkle, Counci1members Gunkel and Schuldt Members Absent: Counci1member Williams and Engstrom 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Hinkle. 2. Agenda Item 10d. - Flag Purchase, Item 10e. - Elk River Shopping Center Sign, Item 10f. - Water tower bids, Item 109. - Temporary Liquor License for VFW, and Item 11d. - Check Register, were items added to the June 24, 1985 City Council agenda. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE JUNE 24, 1985 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. 3. Staff Report on Equipment Purchase Phil Ha1s, Street Superintendent, presented a proposal for the purchase of three reversible snow plows at a cost of $100.00 each, and a snow blower unit at a cost of $4,250.00. Mr. Ha1s indicated that the snow blower was a used 1968 diesel model he had located in Wilmar, Minnesota. He further indicated that a new unit of this type would cost from $24,000 to $40.000 depending upon the options purchased with the unit. Mr. Ha1s indicated that he would plan to mount the snow blower on the front end loader currently owned by the City. He further indicated that the on~y blower the City has at this time is a small utility tractor. Mayor Hinkle ques- tioned the possibility of selling the unit currently used. Phil Ha1s indicated that he felt the City would be able to get between $500 and $1000 for it. Counci1- member Schuldt asked what was used to blow sidewalks now. Mr. Ha1s indicated that the new John Deere unit wit~ a two stage blower. Counci1member Gunkel commented that even with the purchase of the additional equip- ment, the Street Department purchases would still be under budget. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE THREE REVERSIBLE SNOW PLOWS AT A COST OF $300.00 AND THE SNOW BLOWER AT A COST OF $4,250.00. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. 4. Lawcon Grant for Lion's Park The City Administrator indicated that the contracts for the Federal Grant had been received for a grant in the amount of $33,007 and that the signed contract should be back in ten days to two weeks. The City Administrator iridicated that $77,000 had been received from the State Grant, for a total of $110,000 in. grants thus far. Counci1member Schuldt indicated that for the $77,000 State Grant, 60% of the work must be done by the City with City equipment, materials, and also work done by the Lions Club. He further indicated that it was his understanding that the Federal Grant was a 50-50 match between the grant amount and City's work on the project. City Council Minutes June 24, 1985 Page Two Phil Hals indicated that he has agreed to mow the Houlton property and Houlton will pay for the City employees time. Discussion was carried on regarding the pathway construction in the park. Phil Hals indicated that he felt some sort of crushed limestone would be better than blacktop due to the character of the underlying soil which may cause the blacktop to break up easily. 5. Fire Department Equipment Purchase City Administator Tom Bublitz explained that the rescue equipment proposed was authorized in the 1985 budget. Fire Chief Russ Anderson reviewed the three bids received on the rescue equipment and recommended that the City purchase the Amkus Rescue System from Fire Safety and Communications Corporation, as it was the best price, it included the Ram assembly, and was American made, which he felt was a plus. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 85-2Q, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF FIRE DEPARTMENT RESCUE EQUIPMENT FROM FIRE SAFETY AND COMMUNICA- TIONS CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,941.00. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. 6. Tax Increment Financing Plan for Guardian Angels Foundation Roadway City Attorney Peter Beck was present to review a request by Carol Mills representing Guardian Angels Foundation, for extension of 3rd Street to the pr9posed Guardian Angels project for access purposes. Mr. Beck indicated that Ms. Mills is proposing that extension of the street be included in the Tax Increment Financing project pvo- posed for the area adjacent to their property. Discussion was carried on regarding costs of the improvement and the affect of the project on the TIF. Further discussion was carried on regarding placement of the roadway and potential traffic problems which may be created. The City Administrator indicated that the City's engineer had given him a rough estimate of $50.00/per lineal foot for street construction with curb and gutter. The City Administrator further indicated that if the length of the street segment proposed were 150 feet, the cost would be approximately $7,500. The City Administrator further indicated that if the length of the street segment proposed were 150 feet, the cost would be approximately $7,500. Mayor Hinkle indicated that he was in favor of including the strip of street in the TIF plan. 7. Audit Report Mr. Gary Groen was present to review the 1984 Audit. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE BILL FOR $11,670.00 TO THE CITY'S AUDITOR. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. City Council Minutes June 24. 1985 Page Three 1 8. Recommendation for Interim Financial Consultant COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO EMPLOY GARY GROEN AS THE INTERIM FINANCIAL CONSULTANT FOR THE CITY OF ELK RIVER. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. Discussion was carried on regarding the proposed job description for the position replacing Administrative Assistant as described in the memo dated June 24. 1985 to the Mayor and City Council written by City Administrator Tom Bublitz. COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO PROMOTE SANDY THACKERAY TO THE POSITION VACATED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, WITH A COMPLETE JOB DESCRIPTION TO BE PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE. AND THAT A STARTING SALARY OF $8.08 BE SET FOR THE POSITION, AND FURTHER, THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR BE AUTHORIZED TO IMMEDI- ATELY BEGIN ADVERTISING FOR THE PART-TIME POSITION OF BUILDING AND ZQNING SECRETARY VACATED BY SANDY THACKERAY UPON ACCEPTANCE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT POSITION. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. Discussion was carried on regarding the City Administrator's recommendation for a full-time bookkeeper and authorized the City Administator to create a job de- scription and salary range for the position, and that the position be offered to Joan Geroy, the present part-time bookkeeper. Further discussion was carried on regarding Joan's excellent performance and capabilities. 9. Resolution Authorizing City Administrator to be Excluded from PERA COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 85-21, A RESOLUTION APPROVING ELECTION OF THOMAS R. BUBLITZ TO BE EXCLUDED FROM THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIRE- MENT ASSOCIATION. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 3-0. 10. Discussion Items A. Data Processing for City and Public Utilities Commission Councilmember Gunkel stated that the Public Utility Commission had recently purchased a new IBM computer. She noted that one of the reasons for pur- chasing the particular computer currently used by the City was for its ultimate use by the Public Utility Commission for utility billing. The Council discussed the implications of the Commission's purchase of a new computer with regard to the relocation of the Utility Commission offices in a new City Hall. B. Recognition of Chamber of Commerce Work on Referendum The Council discussed the Chamber of Commerce involvement in the City Facilities referendum and expressed their appreciation for the Chamber's support. It was the general consensus of the Councilmembers to direct the City Administrator to draft a letter of thanks to the Chamber for their support and assistance in the City facilities referendum. City Council Minutes June 24, 1985 Page Four C. Home Occupations Councilmember Schuldt expressed concern over the issue of home occupations in the City's Zoning Ordinance and commented that many of the home occu- pations are in actuality full fledge businesses. He noted this was not the intent of the ordinance with regard to allowing home occupations. He expressed a concern over the scale of business demonstrated by the home occupations and noted that one sign of the increased scale of business is the fact that employees are allowed as part of the home occupation. After brief discussion by the Council, there was a general consensus among Councilmembers present at the meeting that the Countil would review the occupation ordinance at a future council meeting. The original items D - Signing for Speed Zones and E - League of Minnesota Cities Annual Meeting were deferred to a future Council Meeting. D. Flag Purchase Councilmember Gunkel noted that the flagon the downtown flagpole was in dis- repair and that one loop on the flag is missing. She noted that a repaired flag is available and suggested that the City look into changing the setup for raising and lowering the flag so that it is possible to change the flag without the use of UPA wquipment. She suggested that the setup for raising and lowering the flag be changed so that it could be accomplished with City equipment. Councilmember Schuldt commented that in order to make the flag more durable the City could look into using some different type of material for a flag such as Herculite. Councilmember Gunkel stated that she would check with UPA Procurement with regard to finding some new material for the flag. E. Elk River Shopping Center Sign The City Administrator presented a colored rendering of the identification sign proposed for the Elk River Plaza Shopping Center. He noted that, since the sign would be located in a pun there would be some flexibility with regard to sign ordinance requirements. After reviewing the proposed sign, the Council directed staff to refer the item to the Planning Commission for their review and comment. F. Water Tower Bids The City Administrator reviewed the bids received for construction of a new water tower. He noted that bids were received from two bidders and were as follows: Hydrostorage, Inc. 750,000 gallon Hydropillar 1,000.000 gallon Hydropillar $453,340.00 $537,245.00 Na-Con Services, Inc. 750,000 gallon Pedestal 1,000,000 gallon Pedestal $445,100.00 $566,400.00 City Council Minutes June 24~ 1985 Page Five -, G. Liquor License COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE A ONE DAY ON SALE NON- INTOXICATING MALT.LIQUOR LICENSE.FOR VFW.FORJUNE.29~ 1985. COUNCUMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 5-0. 11. Administrator's Update A. County State Aid Highway 42 Bridge Dedication Council briefly discussed the activities planned for the bridge opening ceremonies including a parade of vintage cars~ band concert~ and refresh- ments. It was also noted that Mayor Hinkle, being one of the speakers would be speaking on the history of the bridge and that the City staff would research the history of the bridge for Mayor Hinkle. B. Police Officer Replacement Councilmember Schuldt commented that he does not think the Council needs to be involved in approving police officer appointments and noted that apparently the information offered by Chief Zerwas was a courtesy to the Council. 12. Check Register COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE CHECK REGISTER. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION PASSED 4-0. There being no further business, COUNCILMEMBER GUNKEL MOVED THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT SECONDED THE MOTION: THE MOTION PASSED 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 11:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, ~1l?~ Thomas R. Bublitz City Administrator