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MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING–NOVEMBER 27, 2007
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order this 27th
day of November, 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 member Carrington, Webster, Miller, Storck and Mayor Giese. Also present was City Manager Hill,
Finance Director Krosschell, City Engineer/Surveyor/Inspector Fier, Public
Works Director Dittbenner and Fleet Manager Searle. Fire Chief Storck was present for a portion of the meeting.
ADDITIONS
TO AGENDA: Mayor Giese added
the following items to the agenda:
1)Application for Exempt Permit for St. Mary’s School; 2)Resolution
Providing for the Issuance and Sale of $655,000 G.O. Bonds; 3)Resolution
Approving an Amendment to the Bylaws of the Morris Fire Department;
4)Resolution Approving a Grant Agreement with the MN DNR for Fire
Equipment.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 11/13/07
Regular Meeting Minutes: It
was noted that the first paragraph of the minutes should reflect Mayor Giese,
not Mayor Wilcox. Council member Webster
moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 11/13/07 regular meeting minutes with
this change. Motion carried.
11/13/07
Condensed Version: Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Webster, to approve the 11/13/07 condensed
version minutes with the same change as mentioned above. Motion carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Webster, to authorize payment of the City bills dated
November 27, 2007. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: None
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: SCMC
Administrative Report: Mayor Giese
moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to accept the October administrative
report from SCMC. Motion carried.
Gambling
Reports: Council member Carrington
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to accept the gambling reports from the Morris
Eagles, West Central Trailblazers and Met Lounge. Motion carried.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to accept the gambling report from the
American Legion. Upon a roll call
vote taken, with all voting in favor and Mayor Giese abstaining, motion carried.
Annual
LCSC Board Election: Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Storck, to vote for Bob Block and Donna Quart
on the 2007 CCOGA Election Ballot for LCSC. Motion carried.
WACCO
Celebration: The council was
informed that this has been cancelled and rescheduled to sometime in January.
Application
for Exempt Permit: Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Webster, to approve the application for exempt
permit from St. Mary’s School for a raffle with a drawing to be held on
February 9, 2007. Motion carried.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Public
Hearing and Resolution Adopting Assessment – West 6th Street: City Manager Hill stated the city has
received two written objections to the proposed assessment, but one of which
was an objection to water and sewer charges that the property owner was not
even assessed for. Hill noted if
the council passes the assessment resolution, property owners can appeal the
decision to the district court.
Mayor
Giese opened the public hearing at 5:29 p.m. City Engineer Fier noted the
project is not completely finished, there is some boulevard seeding left to do
and some remedial work on driveways and sidewalks, all of which will be
finished in the spring. Fier
stated there are four assessments for the project – water, sanitary sewer, curb
& gutter and sidewalk. Fier indicated the procedure used for the
assessments is the same one that has been used for the past 27 years.
Neil
Simonson, representing Paul and Zoe Bankord, was present at the meeting. Simonson stated the straw that broke
the camel’s back for Bankord’s is that this is the second assessment in two
years. Simonson indicated that
Bankord does not get a benefit that equals his cost of the assessment. Simonson argued that there is no basis
to assess multiple unit dwellings more than a business or a house and suggested
the ordinance be changed from a rate of .75 for multiple units to a rate of
.50. Simonson asked that the
council consider some equitable way of readjusting this, rather than trying it
in district court.
Paul
Bankord stated he owns Dormer Apartments.
Last year he was charged with an assessment of $16,883 for his home and
business, which he was okay with, but now has another assessment for $16,552. Bankord stated he is looking for a code
change to the multiple family unit assessment formula. Floyd Schmidgall was present at the
meeting and would also like to see a change made to the formula.
There
being no further comments from the public, Mayor Giese closed the public
hearing at 5:47 p.m.
City
Manager Hill explained if the formula is changed, more of a burden will be
placed on the single family home owner.
Hill indicated assessments are figured differently everywhere and Morris
property owners pay nothing for the road itself. Hill noted multiple family units are a business and rent is
charged based on the number of units.
Hill indicated with this particular assessment there is no way to
refigure it and if it were to be changed the city taxpayers would bear the cost
of the difference. Hill suggested
taking a look at including the cost for roads in future assessments.
Public
Hearing and Resolution Adopting Assessment – West 6th Street:
(continued)
Storck
noted that when people are buying property they should ask questions about when
the streets, water and sewer will be replaced. Bankord stated there are only two towns in the state that have
this type of assessment formula, most figure it by linear footage or tax
value. Fier indicated in notes
from city intern Amanda Minion it shows that Fergus Falls and Alexandria use a
.80 formula. Considerable
discussion was held.
Council
member Carrington stated his only problem with the assessment for Bankord is
that he came before the council and asked that the formula be looked at and
that wasn’t done. Mayor Giese
indicated he doesn’t disagree with Carrington that there was a
miscommunication, but according to the April 10th minutes it was the
council’s consensus that the city’s numbers weren’t that out of whack. Miller agreed that the council felt the
numbers were in the ballpark in comparison with other cities but that the council
had planned to get together with Bankord’s & Smith’s.
Hill pointed
out that the assessment for the Wolberson property should be deferred until
such time as improvements are made on the property at 510 West 5th
Street.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt Resolution #2746-11-07,
Resolution Adopting Assessment – West 6th Street and Lyndale
Avenue. Furthermore, to defer the
Wolberson assessment until such time as improvements are made on the
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.
Webster
recommended the system be changed, but felt this assessment could not be fixed
without a great upheaval.
Public
Hearing and Second Reading of Ordinance No. 77, An Ordinance Adding Section
2.62 to the City Code, Establishing a Rental Housing Commission: Mayor Giese opened the public hearing
at 6:14 p.m. There being no
comments from the public, Mayor Giese closed the public hearing at 6:15 p.m.
and brought the matter back to the council.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Webster, to accept this as the second reading
and adopt Ordinance No. 77, An Ordinance Adding Section 2.62 to the Morris City
Code Establishing a Rental Housing Commission. 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.
Resolution
Assessing Costs of Additional Sewer Connections Petitioned to be Provided and
Assessed for West 8th Street: Hill explained two property owners along West 8th
Street, Curt and Mary Quisberg and the Evangelical Free Church, petitioned the
city to have work done connecting them to the sewer system. Hill noted because they requested the
work there was not a requirement for a hearing.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to adopt Resolution #2747-11-07,
Resolution Assessing Costs of Additional Sewer Connections Petitioned to be
Provided and Assessed for West 8th Street. Voting was as follows:
Council
member Storck aye
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Webster aye
Council
member Carrington aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving an Amendment to the Bylaws of the Morris Fire Relief Association: Fire Chief Storck indicated this
resolution would increase the annual benefit amount from $1,350 to $1,500, and take
effect January 1, 2008. Storck
noted funding is available to bump up the annual benefit amount. Miller explained the resolution also
addresses another housekeeping item with regard to a lump sum survivor
benefit.
Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2748-11-07,
Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Bylaws of the Morris Fire Relief
Association. Voting was as
follows:
Council
member Carrington aye
Council
member Webster aye
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Storck aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Identifying “Slum and Blighting” Conditions: Council member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt
Resolution #2749-11-07, Resolution Identifying “Slum and Blighting” Conditions
at the property located at 507 West 7th Street in Morris. 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.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Webster, to adopt Resolution #2750-11-07,
Resolution Identifying “Slum and Blighting” Conditions at the property located
at 502 West 7th Street.
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.
Resolution
Adopting Assessments – Mowing:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution
#2751-11-07, Resolution Adopting Assessment for Current Services – Mowing. Voting was as follows:
Council
member Storck aye
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Webster aye
Council
member Carrington aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Providing for the Issuance and Sale of $655,000 G.O. Refunding Bonds: Mark Ruff of Ehlers and Associates was
present at the meeting to deliver the results of the bid tabulation. Ruff stated the winning bid was from
Wells Fargo of Rapid City, South Dakota.
This resolution authorizes the refinancing of the 98 G.O bond for
library renovations and the 99 G.O. bond for street improvements. This refinancing reduces the interest
rate from between 4 1/2% to 5% to 3.98%.
Ruff indicated this will save the city money up front and over
time.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2752-11-07,
Resolution Providing for the Issuance and Sale of $655,000 G.O. Refunding
Bonds, Series 2007B. Voting was as
follows:
Council
member Carrington aye
Council
member Webster aye
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Storck aye
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving a Grant Agreement with the MN DNR for Fire Equipment: Fire Chief Storck stated this grant
money would be used to purchase six radios for the new fire truck. Hill indicated the city’s share of the
cost is 50%.
Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Webster, to adopt Resolution #2753-11-07,
Resolution Approving a Grant Agreement with the MN Department of Natural
Resources for Fire Equipment.
Voting was as follows:
Council
member Miller aye
Council
member Storck aye
Council
member Carrington aye
Council
member Webster aye
Resolution
Approving a Grant Agreement with the MN DNR for Fire Equipment: (continued)
Mayor
Giese aye
With all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving an Amendment to the Bylaws of the Morris fire Department: This resolution would allow for
officers of the Fire Department to continue in their positions if no one else
is nominated, and to extend the position for an additional three consecutive
two year terms.
Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Carrington, to adopt Resolution #2754-11-07,
Resolution Approving an Amendment to the Bylaws of the Morris Fire
Department. 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.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Accept Resignation from Planning Commission: Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council
member Webster, to accept the resignation of Dave Stevenson from the Planning
Commission. Motion carried.
Planning
Commission Minutes, 10/16/07:
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to accept the
10/16/07 planning commission minutes.
Motion carried.
City
Manager Report: Council member
Webster asked if the budget had ever been compared to the comprehensive
plan. Council member Storck
suggested the city decorate a motor grader for next year’s Parade of Lights. Storck also suggested that a map would
be nice that shows areas that have been televised, jetted or where upcoming
projects would be.
Delinquent
Water Bill List: The following
list of delinquent water bills was presented to the council:
Mike
Nordquist 4
Skyview Lane $122.66
Zachary
Grant 103
S California 121.69
Stephanie
Gausman 115
S Oregon Avenue 102.48
Mike
Meka 8
South Street 133.39
Christian
Sell 12
South Street 87.91
Wilber
Gahm 200
South Street 106.89
Grandview
Apts. 100
S Columbia Avenue 1,387.90
David
Nohl 201
South Street 101.80
Erik
Giese 111
South Street 68.24
Erik
Giese 3
California Avenue 68.24
Peggy
Vaneps 11
South Street 103.42
Carol
Mohrman 106
East 1st Street 68.24
James
Bosch 301
East 2nd Street 68.24
Fred
Geyen 205
East 2nd Street 155.05
Marlene
Wagner 304
East 3rd Street 22.59
Paul
Myers 300
College Avenue 108.25
Kathy
Spandl 106
East 5th Street 105.32
Mitch
Babcock 209
East 5th Street 128.83
Met
Lounge 24
East 6th Street 21.30
Met
Lounge 26
East 6th Street 140.69
Dale
Peterson 402
East 6th Street 87.95
Paul
Pederson 306
East 7th Street 50.09
Jeff
Mangan 109
East 7th Street 83.56
Carl
Moser 405
East 8th Street 144.25
David
Lindberg 101
East 8th Street 60.64
David
Lindberg 803
Oregon Avenue 29.99
Rodney
Giese 204
East 9th Street 86.88
Joan
Geleneau 509
East 7th Street 124.70
Dennis
Benson 605
East 7th Street 81.48
Stacey
Vig 512
East 9th Street 130.82
Jason
Karch 900
Arizona Avenue 99.68
Holly
Johnson 919
Columbia Avenue 85.52
Council member Miller moved,
seconded by Mayor Giese, to follow the usual procedure of turning off the water
at the above locations until the bill has been paid. Motion carried.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m.
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