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MINUTES
– MORRIS CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – JULY 8, 2008
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 8th day of July, 2008, 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, Public Works Director Dittbenner, Police Chief
Beauregard and City Attorney Glasrud.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 6/24/08
Regular Meeting Minutes:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Webster, to approve the 6/24/08
regular meeting minutes. Motion
carried.
6/24/08
Condensed Version: Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 6/24/08 condensed
version minutes. Motion carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Storck
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to authorize payment of the City bills dated
June 10, 2008. Motion carried
Pay
Estimate #2 – College Avenue & Circle Pines: Council member Storck moved, seconded by Webster to
authorize pay estimate #2 for $158,583.50 to Riley Brothers Construction for
work on the College Avenue & Circle Pines project. Motion carried.
Pay
Estimate #6 – West 6th Street & Lyndale Avenue” Council member Miller moved, seconded
by Carrington, to authorize pay estimate #6 for $91,344.85 to Riley Brothers Construction for work on the
West 6th Street & Lyndale Avenue project. Motion carried. A retainer is being held until the
boulevard work is completed along West 6th Street.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: Council member
Storck stated at the last council meeting the city attorney was instructed to
look into the issue of driving golf carts around Morris. Several citizens were present at the
meeting in support of this idea.
Rick
Grossman, 209 West 5th Street, stated he would like to take his
4-wheeler to work and with gas prices the way they are it is the economical way
to go. Mayor Giese asked if golf
carts would be treated different than 4-wheelers.
Randy
Sims, 309 West 5th Street, stated he doesn’t believe that people
would take the matter lightly if this was allowed. Sims suggested a curfew be put in place. Council member Webster asked what would
be a fair limit to the kind of vehicle allowed. Webster stated it is a matter of balancing the safety
issue.
City
Attorney Glasrud read through the list of restrictions imposed by state law. Mayor Giese reviewed responses he
received from other cities that are looking into implementing ordinances or
already have them in place.
Miller
stated it makes sense and he would like to try it. Miller suggested they be issued a permit and if they don’t
abide by the rules the permit be revoked.
Storck agreed and suggested it be brought up for review in a year. Giese pointed out some things would
need to be worked out such as age limit, permits, fines, etc. Carrington also thought it was
something that the city could try.
Beauregard asked that a couple of citizens sit in on the drafting of an
ordinance. Hill noted by the time
there are two readings of an ordinance and an effective date thirty days after
publication, it would be awhile before something is in place.
Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to direct City Attorney Glasrud, City
Manager Hill and Police Chief Beauregard to draft an ordinance allowing golf
carts and 4-wheelers in the city.
Furthermore, to appoint Randy Sims and Dennis Fuhrman to be on the
committee to help draft the ordinance.
Upon a roll call vote taken and all voting in favor, motion
carried.
Carl
Benson asked where bicycles fit into the ordinance. Glasrud stated they are already allowed. Benson expressed concern over bicycles
not stopping for intersections and riding on the sidewalks.
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: Dance
Permit: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Webster, to approve the dance permit application from the
Morris Eagles for a dance to be held on July 11, 2008. Motion carried.
Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to approve the dance permit
application from the Prairie Inn for a dance to be held on July 12, 2008.
Application
for Exempt Permit: Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the application for
exempt permit from the MN Deer Hunter’s Association for a raffle to be held on
August 17, 2008. Motion carried.
Schedule
Joint Powers Meeting with School Board: Council member Webster moved, seconded by Storck, to accept
the invitation from the school board to attend the joint powers meeting on
Monday, July 21st at 6:15 p.m. at the High School. Motion carried.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Authorizing Payment for Services to Dovetail Partners, Inc.: Hill explained the Elementary Property
Reuse Committee asked Dovetail to help facilitate the planning process for the
redevelopment of the old elementary school. Hill indicated they are a tremendous organization with a lot
of resources and they have done much more than what they billed for. Hill recommended the city pay for their
services, using money from some of the TIF districts that were closed out.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Webster, to adopt Resolution #2810-7-08,
Resolution Authorizing Payment for Services Provided by Dovetail Partners, Inc.
for Assistance on the Elementary Property Reuse Project. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Authorizing Approving an Airport Agreement with MN DOT: Hill stated this agreement with MN DOT
is for roof repairs and a new mower at the airport.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Webster, to adopt Resolution #2811-7-08,
Resolution Authorizing Approving an Airport Agreement with MN DOT. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Authorizing a Contract with Stahl Architects: Hill explained the elementary property reuse committee
interviewed architectural firms for the redevelopment of the school
property. The committee is
recommending that the city enter into a contract with Stahl Architects for the model
home designs and Treeline for the site development plan. Hill indicated the firms were excited
about the opportunity because it is very rare to develop this big of a piece of
property right in the middle of town.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to adopt Resolution #2812-7-08,
Resolution Authorizing a Contract with Stahl Architects for the Elementary
Property Reuse Project. Upon a
roll call vote taken and all voting in favor, motion carried.
Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt Resolution #2813-7-08,
Resolution Authorizing a Contract with Treeline, A Landscape Architect, for the
Elementary Property Reuse Project.
Upon a roll call vote taken and all voting in favor, motion carried.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Schedule Worksession: The council was unable to find a date for a worksession and
requested the item be brought up at the August 12th meeting.
Change
for September 9th Meeting:
Council member Miller moved, seconded by Webster, to reschedule the
September 9th regular council meeting to Monday, September 8th
at 5:15 p.m. due to the primary election on the 9th. Motion carried.
City
Manager Report: The council
and city attorney expressed concern about the open basement and no fence at the
house on 3rd and California.
Glasrud noted the city may have some leverage under the hazardous
building law. The council agreed
that there needs to be a remedy to this dangerous situation.
Mayor
Giese asked about the status of the UBC property. Hill stated he believes the church is still trying to work
out the purchase of the property.
NEW
BUSINESS: Miller asked if
there had been any thought given to making the two blocks along Oregon Avenue
in front of City Hall and the library into a two way street. Beauregard indicated City Engineer Fier
had looked into that and wrote a report but because of the width of the street
and the imaging equipment from the medical facility it wouldn’t work.
Council member Carrington left the meeting at this point.
NEW
BUSINESS: (continued)
Webster
asked about the request for a fence at East Side Park. Dittbenner indicated the fence is in
the budget for next year. Storck
asked about more water hook ups for campsites at PDT Park. Dittbenner stated he is getting quotes
for next year.
OLD BUSINESS:
None
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: The June transit report and building permit list were
informational for the council.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, Mayor Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:27
p.m.
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