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05-20-1980 CC MIN ., REGULAR SEMI-MONTHLY MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ELK RIVER HELD IN THE ELK RIVER PUBLIC LIBRARY May 20, 1980 Members Present: Mayor Madsen, Counci1members Otto, Toth, Engstrom, and Duitsman. Members Absent: None 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Madsen. 2 . Agenda Item 12, Next City Council Meeting Date, was added to the agenda. COUNCILMAN TOTH MOVED APPROVAL OF THE MAY 20, 1980, CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. COUNCILMAN ENGSTROM SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED 4-0. 3. Minutes COUNCILMAN TOTH MOVED APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 5, 1980, CITY COUNCIL MEETING. COUNCILMAN DUITSMAN SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED 4-0. 4. Open Mike Mr. Duane Morda1, Mr. Ho1ger Steen, and Mr. Arnie Mach appeared before the City Council requesting stop signs at the corner of Xenia and Ward. They indicated that excessive car speed on Xenia and sight problems at the intersection were reasons for needing the stop signs. The City Administrator indicated that he and the Street Superintendent had both viewed the intersection and felt that a stop sign would be feasible for that intersection, but that stop signs are not necessarily means of controlling speed. Councilman Otto indicated that a two-way stop sign on Xenia would be the probable solution to the problem. COUNCILMAN OTTO MOVED TO ERECT STOP SIGNS TO STOP TRAFFIC TRAVELING NORTH AND SOUTH ON XENIA. COUNCILMAN TOTH SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED 4-0. 5. 1980 Sea1coat and Road Improvement Program The City Administrator indicated that the Street Superintendent and City engineer, McCombs-Knutson Associates, had submitted a list of street priorities for sea1- coating and bituminous overlay. The City Administrator recommended that the City Council authorize City staff to proceed with securing bids for completion of the sealcoat and overlay program on projects listed as the first most urgent, the second most urgent, and bids on each of the two bituminous overlay projects, and also, as a third category, additional sea1coat projects for additional roads if extra funds are available. Mayor Madsen indicated the streets were in need of repair and suggested the projects proceed as soon as possible. The City Administrator indicated that the County would be bidding sea1coating wo.rk for the County roads and suggested that the City of Elk River request bids for sea1coat of City streets on the same contract as the County. COUNCtLMAN DUITSMAN MOVED APPROVAL TO AUTHORIZE CITY STAFF TO PROCEED TO SECURE BIDS ON THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, WITH THE ADDITION OF SECURING BIDS FOR THE THIRD CATEGORY OF ADDI- TIONAL ROADS TO BE SEALCOATED. COUNCILMAN TOTH SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED 4"""0. May 20, 1980 Page 2 6.D6Wrtt6wn Overnight Parking The City Administrator indicated that requests had been made for overnight parking, which is now prohibited, in the downtown area of the City of Elk River by nurses working the night shift at Mercy Hospital and residents of the downtown apartments. The City Administrator further indicated that two suggestions were made by City staff to solve the downtown overnight parking problem. One suggestion was that the County be contacted to determine if individuals could park overnight in the County administration parking lot. The other suggestion was the use of the parking lot on Jackson Street south of the Fire Station which the City of Elk River now owns. Councilman Otto expressed concern as to the time of the overnight parking and whether it would conflict with the business hours and business parking in the downtown area. Councilman Otto indicated he could see no problem with allowing parking in either of these areas if the overnight parking ended before the business hours began. Councilman Otto further indicated that there was a charge for contract parking during the business day and that the same charge should be made for overnight parking. The City Administrator indicated that parking permits could be issued for overnight parking as well as the contract parking during the business hours. COUNCILMAN TOTH MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO CONTACT THE COUNTY REGARDING OVERNIGHT PARKING IN THE ADMINIS~ TRATION PARKING LOT AND TO DETERMINE RATES TO BE CHARGED FOR THE OVERNIGHT PARKING. COUNCILMAN ENGSTROM SECONDED THE MOTION; . MOTION PASSED 4~0. 7. Sale of Hydro Electric Units at Orono Dam The City Administrator indicated that a new proposal had been received for the purchase of the hydro electric equipment for the amount of $12,000 from Mr. Dave Mercer. The City Administrator further indicated that Mr. Merc.er would rem.ove the hydro electric equipment from the power house at his own expense and his activities would not interfere with the City's general contractor on the Orono dam rehabilitation project. The City Administrator indicated the City attorney, Dave Sellergren, was in the process of preparing a contract for the sale of the hydro electric equipment. COUNCILMAN ENGSTROM MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR AND CITY. ADMINISTRATOR.. TO ENTER INTO. A . CONTRACT FOR THE SALE OF. THE. HYDRO. ELECTRIC GENERATION EQUIPMENT TO DAVE MERCER IN THE AMOUNT OF.$12,000; COUNCILMANOTTO SECONDED THE MOTION. . MOTION PASSED 4~O. 8. Administrator'sUpdate A. New Police Officer The City Administrator indicated that the City was faced with the problem of filling the position in the Police Department of the school liaison/juvenile officer and a sergeant or evening supervisor.. The City Administrator further indicated that at the present time the City has one officer who is qualified or interested in filling either of these vacancies and, therefore, the other position would need to be filled by an experienced police officer which might require a salary higher than the starting base wage. Councilman Otto and Councilman Duitsman indicated they felt the school liaison officer was the priority position to be filled. It was the Council concensus to allow the City Administrator to proceed to add an experienced individual to the Police Department with the understanding that the officer could be paid at a rate higher than starting pay for patrol officers. B. Sewer Interceptor The City Administrator indicated the City had received the Projects List for the year 1980 from the PCA and that the interceptor project was not listed. The Administrator indicated that the Project List comes from the Needs List, which established a priority ranking of 354 for the City of Elk River. The May 20, 1980 Page 3 City Administrator further indicated the Needs List is an on-going list from which the annual Project List is taken. The proposed funding for 1981 is expected to reach projects numbered in the 400s. It is assumed that approxi- mately $350,000 will be left of the possible funding at the point a.t which the City of Elk River would be placed on the Projects List. The City Administrator further indicated that on June 24, at 9:45, the Pollution Control Agency is holding a public hearing at which time the City of Elk River will present written and oral testimony to request to be placed on the Projects List for 1980. C. Old 101 Bridge The City Administrator indicat.ed that at this point nothing had been drafted on the joint powers agreement between the City of Elk River and Wright County, due to seasonal work commitments of the Wright County staff. The Administrator indicated that Wright County was aware of the City's concern on the project and that they would proceed as soon as possible with necessary work. D. Orono Dam The City Administrator indicated that HUD and the State of Minnesota had been contacted regarding additional funding for the dam rehabilitation project.. HUD informed the. City of Elk River that imminent threat funding was not available at this time, and any requests for grants would have to compete with other block grants. The State informed the City that additional funding could not be approved without specific legislation, but that the City of Elk River could borrow up to 90% of the local share from the State of Minnesota at approximately 6% interest. The Administrator indicated that it would be possible for the City to seek legislative approval of additional grant funds in the 1981 session. The City Administrator further indicated that the City would need approximately $48,000 for its local share at this time.. Mayor Madsen asked if bonds would have to be sold for the $48,000. The City Adminis- trator indicated that bonds would have to be sold, but the sale of the bonds could be negotiated. The City Administrator further indicated that Mrs. Nickerson's property was appraised and at the time the City of Elk River receives the appraisal, the City Administrator would be able to discuss with her specific compensation for her easement rights. The City Administrator further indicated that Acton Construction was in the process of getting started on the project and that the.y were also concerned with costs and suggested a $10,000 savings on bridge repair and the possibility of some savings on the riprap. Councilman Otto asked that the Lake Owners Association be informed of the process of the project. The City Administrator indicated that the Lake Owners Association and the adjoining property owners would be completely informed on the process of the dam rehabilitation project. 9. HUD 701 Grant The City Administrator indicated that two applications had been prepared for HUD 701 grants. One application, in the amount of $12,000, is for the capital improvement program for the City, and the other application, in the. amount of $26,030, is for the downtown redevelopment and HRA activities. The City Adminis- trator indicated the applications were being submitted as separate grants because each would be evaluated on its own merits. The City Administrator fur- ther indicated that if HUD were to fund one of the City's requests that one or the other, but probably not both, would be funded. Mayor Madsen-asked whether it would be better to submit one for the downtown development and HRA activities rather than both of the applications. The City Administrator indicated that if HUll had refused the downtown redevelopment and HRA activities there would still {; May 20, 1980 Page 4 be the opportunity to possibly. get the capital improvement program grant and as such, it would be better to submit both applications. COUNCILMAN OTTO MOVED APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 80-8, AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A HUD 701 GRANT APPLICATION FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.PROGRAMAND AGREEING TO CONTRIBUTE LOCAL FUNDS, AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION 80-'-9, AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A HUD 701 GRANT APPLICATION FOR HRAAND TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT STUDIES AND AGREEING TO CONTRIBUTE LOCAL FUNDS; COUNCILMAN ENGSTROM SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION PASSED 4-0. 10. Check Register COUNCILMAN. OTTO MOVED APPROVAL OF THE CHECK REGISTER. COUNCILMAN TOTH SECONDED THE MOTION; MOTION PASSED 4-'-0. 11. TentativeAgenda Downtown parking problem, the status of the creation of the HRA, dutch elm tree contractor, and street lighting policy are items tentatively scheduled for the June 3, 1980, City Council meeting. 12.CityCoundld~eting The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 1980, at 7:30 p.m. at either the County Courthouse or the Fire Station or another p1;'earranged loca- tion. There being no further business, COUNCILMAN TOTH MOVED THAT THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED. COUNCILMAN OTTO SECONDED THE MOTION; MOTION PASSED 4-0. Respectfully Submitted, Q~lto ~~~ Phyllis Boedigheimer Deputy City Clerk/Treasurer PB:adb