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MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 25th day of September, 2007, by Mayor Giese in the Council
Chambers of the Morris Senior Citizens/Community Center.
PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited.
ROLL
CALL: Roll call was taken with
the following members present:
Council members Carrington, Miller, Webster, Storck and Mayor Giese. Also present was City Manager Hill,
Public Works Director Dittbenner, City Engineer/Inspector/Surveyor Fier and
Fleet Manager Searle.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 9/11/07
Regular Meeting Minutes: It
was noted the date listed for the bills should be changed to 9/11/07, not
8/14/07. Council member Storck
moved, seconded by Webster, to approve the 9/11/07 regular meeting minutes with
the above mentioned change. Motion
carried.
9/11/07
Condensed Version: Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 9/11/07 condensed
version minutes with the same change as mentioned above. Motion carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Webster
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to authorize payment of the City bills dated September
25, 2007. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: Bob Wolbersen was
present at the meeting and stated that when work was being done on Lyndale
Avenue, his driveway was eliminated and replaced with curb and gutter. Wolbersen asked that the driveway be
put back where it was. City
Engineer Fier indicated the business was gone and it was not known what the
property would be used for so the driveway was taken out. Fier noted there is access to the
property from the alley or off the highway. Hill stated typically what will go on the property will
dictate where the driveway will be.
Fier apologized for the lack of communication with Wolbersen.
Wolbersen
stated he had bought the house next door and planned to put a 28 x 56 house on
the properties. Wolbersen noted he
also didn’t need a water and sewer hookup because he was going to use the hook
up from the other house. Wolbersen
pointed out he has since sold the other house and would not be putting up a new
one.
Considerable
discussion was held on the request from Wolbersen. Fier pointed out that the old driveway was as tight as it
could be to the state right-of-way so the regulations would have to be checked
into if the driveway were to be put back in. The council directed City Manager Hill and City Engineer
Fier to meet with Wolbersen and work out the issue, and if necessary bring it
back to the council.
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: SCMC
Administrative Report: Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to accept the August
administrative report from SCMC.
Motion carried.
MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
Gambling
Reports: Council member Carrington
moved, seconded by Miller, to accept the gambling reports from the Morris
Eagles, West Central Trailblazers and Met Lounge. Motion carried.
Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Carrington, to accept the gambling report from
the American Legion. With all
voting in favor and Mayor Giese abstaining, motion carried.
Raffle
License Report: Council member
Carrington moved, seconded by Webster, to accept the raffle license report from
the Morris Baseball Association.
Motion carried.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Approving the Certification of a Special Assessment Against a Residential
Property: Hill stated this
special assessment is for the removal of a house owned by Gerald Gau at 711
Pacific Avenue. Hill indicated the
term has been set at five years with an interest rate of 7%.
Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2736-9-07,
Resolution Approving the Certification of a Special Assessment Against a
Residential Property. Voting was
as follows:
Council
member Webster aye
Council
member Carrington aye
Council
member Storck aye
Council
member Miller aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
for Authorization to Execute MN DOT Grant Agreement: Hill explained this resolution
authorizes the city to enter into an agreement with the MN DOT Aviation
Division for the purchase of a beacon at the airport. The state will pick up 70% of the $8,000 cost, or $5,600
with the city paying the remaining 30%.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Webster, to adopt Resolution #2737-9-07,
Resolution for Authorization to Execute MN DOT Grant Agreement for Airport
Improvement, Excluding Land Acquisition.
Voting was as follows:
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Storck aye
Council
member Carrington aye
Council
member Webster aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Regional Justice Center: Hill stated he talked with Jim Thoreen from the county about
this issue and suggested the city council get involved with the
discussion.
Council
member Storck stated he doesn’t like the idea of being partners with
anyone. Storck stated he feels the
city and county would be missing the boat if the jail were to leave Stevens
County.
Miller
agreed that he would hate to see it leave Stevens County. Miller stated that the city of Morris
makes up almost half the population of Stevens County and needs to retain the
courthouse.
Webster
stated one problem he sees is what the cost of the status quo is. Webster noted jobs may just shift to
wherever the jail would be built and not necessary be lost. Webster noted he sees a need for the
jail and feels the city should work with the county on the original pitch.
Hill
stated he feels the county is doing a good job at taking a look at
everything. Hill indicated the
problem needs to be identified, which is that there is no jail space so the answer
is then to build jail spaces. Hill
questioned if court space or a dispatch center is needed. Hill stated the solution is to build
what is needed and make it expandable.
Hill questioned what would happen to the existing courthouse if it was
abandoned.
Mayor
Giese also agreed that building the jail somewhere else would be detrimental to
Morris in the short and long term.
It was the
consensus that a worksession be held with the county commissioners to discuss
this issue.
Update
on Outdoor Wood Furnaces: Hill
recommended the City Attorney look over the proposed ordinance regulating
outdoor wood furnaces. Council
member Miller noted this has come up because of a complaint at the Laundromat
on East 7th Street.
Miller stated it would be great if the wood could be burned clean and
not bother anybody, but there is a potential for some medical issues and the
council needs to do what’s right for the good of the community. Carrington asked what the cost would be
to the business owner to come into compliance if this ordinance was
adopted. Miller indicated there
are so many variables and agreed that Glasrud should take a look at it.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to send this ordinance to City
Attorney Glasrud for his review and have him bring a recommendation to the next
council meeting. Motion carried.
Planning
Commission Minutes, 7/17/07:
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Webster, to accept the
7/17/07 planning commission minutes.
Motion carried.
MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
Delinquent
Water Bill List: The following
list of delinquent water bills was presented to the council:
Diane
Lesmeister 103
Meadow Lane $120.83
Mike
Meka 8
South Street 139.79
Christian
Sell 12
South Street 120.58
Peggy
Vaneps 11
South Street 99.72
Carol
Mohrman 106
East 1st Street 92.66
Erika
Stein 311
East 1st Street 125.79
Erica
Boettcher 307
East 1st Street 62.72
John
Luetmer 202
East 2nd Street 22.59
Dennis
Templeman 408
East 4th Street 99.79
Jeff
Vandeneinde 9
East 4th Street 326.42
Total
Mortgage Solutions 106 East 6th
Street 75.85
Dale
Peterson 402
East 6th Street 119.86
Michael
Eble 407
East 6th Street 165.63
Post
Office 105
East 6th Street 99.29
Joyce
Vaneps 403
East 7th Street 78.22
Sharon
Martin 311
East 7th Street 112.54
Zheng
Ming Xia 111
East 7th Street 133.38
Jeff
Mangan 109
East 7th Street 101.93
Carl
Moser 405
East 8th Street 137.69
Paul
Pederson 25
East 8th Street 239.46
Sharon
Dohlen 202
East 9th Street 118.60
Erik
Giese 201
East 9th Street 30.53
Shanni
Roberts 617
East 7th Street 20.70
Dorothy
Selland 718
Iowa Avenue 47.23
USDA-ARS 803
Iowa Avenue 326.31
Council member Storck moved,
seconded by Miller, to follow the usual procedure of turning off the water at
the above locations until the bill has been paid. Motion carried.
Miller questioned if another
penalty could be added on to the bill, even after the initial 10%. It was noted customers are given over a
month to pay the bill from the time it initially goes out in the mail. It was the consensus of the council
that this was something to look into.
NEW & OLD BUSINESS: Fier noted that West 6th
Street has been tarred and the Otter Tail parking lot would soon be striped and
finished. With regard to the heavy
rains last week, Dittbenner indicated pumps were set out and ready but weren’t
needed. Dittbenner noted that
smoke testing was completed and there were five areas of concern that need to
be fixed but nothing of huge concern.
Dittbenner stated he would be preparing a report and recommendations for
the council. Fier noted the only
big thing that was different with this rain is that the Habitat for Humanity
basement hole was not opened.
Dittbenner indicated he would also be making a recommendation to the
council to purchase smoke testing equipment. Dittbenner stated it is relatively inexpensive and would
allow the city to do more of it in other areas of town.
MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
NEW & OLD BUSINESS:
(continued)
Storck asked about a system for
regulating sump pumps and switching them over in April and November.
Hill instructed the council he
would be giving them a city manager’s report at each meeting to update them on
the different things going on in the city. Hill noted the Library Board approved an agreement with Rita
Mulcahy and she would be retiring as of January 1, 2008. The board has also begun the process of
looking for a new librarian.
Council member Miller noted the new
fire pumper is still in Florida waiting for completion.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: Revenue & Expenditure Report: This was informational for the council.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:35 p.m.
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