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MINUTES
– MORRIS CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – AUGUST 26, 2008
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 26th day of August, 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, Miller, Storck and Mayor Giese. Council member Webster was absent. Also present was City Manager Hill,
Finance Director Krosschell, Public Works Director Dittbenner, Fleet Manager
Searle and City Attorney Glasrud.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 8/12/08
Regular Meeting Minutes:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 8/12/08
regular meeting minutes. Motion
carried.
8/12/08
Condensed Version: Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 8/12/08 condensed
version minutes. Motion carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to authorize payment of the City bills dated August
26, 2008. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: None
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: SCMC
Administrative Report: Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Carrington, to accept the July administrative
report from SCMC. Motion carried.
Gambling
Reports: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to accept the gambling reports from the West
Central Trailblazers and Met Lounge.
Motion carried.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to accept the gambling report from the
Morris Eagles. Upon a roll call
vote taken and all present voting in favor and Council member Carrington
abstaining, motion carried.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Storck, to accept the gambling report from
the American Legion. Upon a roll
call vote taken and all present voting in favor and Mayor Giese abstaining,
motion carried.
Tree
Planting Information: Mayor
Giese encouraged the council to take part in the tree planting project along
Highway 28 on September 20th.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Approving a Form and Fee for Permits to Operate Golf Carts and 4-Wheelers: Mayor Giese stated he was puzzled about
the vehicle information on the form because the individual is actually getting
the permit. City Manager Hill
stated the city definitely wants to verify there is insurance on the vehicle so
it is kind of a package deal.
Glasrud noted there are no license plates issued but the city needs to
know certain things about the driver and vehicle. It was noted the city would issue some type of card for the
permit holders.
Giese
asked if the $25.00 fee would be pro rated for this year since the permits
expire on December 31st of the year in which they are issued. Carrington suggested a 16 month permit
for the first year if they apply yet this fall. Storck stated he still feels $25.00 is too much. Miller disagreed, noting that if
someone can afford an ATV or golf cart they can afford the $25.00 fee.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to adopt Resolution #2818-8-08,
Resolution Approving a Form and Fee for Permits to Operate Golf Carts and
4-Wheelers. Furthermore, the
permits shall expire on December 31st of the year in which they are
issued. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving an Engineering Feasibility Study Report for the Highland Homes
Addition Public Improvement Project:
Jeff Kuhn of WSN was present at the meeting and reviewed the Highland
Homes area proposed construction project.
Kuhn stated the lack of storm sewer and the inadequacies with the
existing storm sewer is one of the major issues in this area. Kuhn recommended that all utilities be
replaced except for the water and sewer along Westview Drive, which is newer
than the rest. Kuhn discussed the
drainage issue at length and the possibility of retention ponds. Council member Storck suggested control
structures such as a gate with a holding pond.
Hill
indicated he would be asking the council at the next meeting to set the date
for the public hearing. Hill
anticipated the plans and specs to be ready before City Engineer Fier leaves
for the winter and to go to bid in early February.
Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Miler, to adopt Resolution #2819-8-08,
Resolution Approving an Engineering Feasibility Study Report for the Highland
Homes Addition Public Improvement Project. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor,
motion carried.
Resolution
Approving a Three Year Audit Services Agreement with Eide Bailly: Council member Miller moved, seconded
by Carrington, to adopt Resolution #2820-8-08, Resolution Approving a Three
Year Audit Services Agreement with Eide Bailly of Fargo, North Dakota. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Declaring a House at 111 East 3rd Street Hazardous and Declaring it
Repaired: Hill stated he
talked with the owner of the property at 111 East 3rd Street and he
has no money and no ability to do anything on the home. Hill indicated at a minimum the home
needs to be secured. City Attorney
Glasrud suggested the home be condemned and taken down. Hill noted that Nora from the HRA
office wanted to buy the home but was unable to negotiate a price with the
owner. It was the consensus of the
council that condemning the property would be the best course of action.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt Resolution #2821-8-08, Resolution Declaring a House at 111
East 3rd Street Hazardous and Facilitating an Order to Abate
Nuisance and to proceed with the condemnation process, giving the owner 30 days
in which to remedy the hazards or the property would be condemned and taken
down. Upon a roll call vote taken
and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Adopting Assessments for Various Nuisance Abatements: This resolution would adopt assessments
for the following properties in which the city corrected nuisances on their
properties: Joseph Basel, 111 East
3rd Street, weed and junk clean-up for $442.50; Lillian Ehlers 12
South California Avenue, elm tree removal for $452.63;
James and
Katina Humphries, 3 Sunnyslope Road, a water shut-off repair for $742.50. These assessments would be placed upon
the payable 2009 property taxes.
Mayor
Giese noted tax should have been included on the charge for the tree removal at
12 South California.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Carrington, to adopt Resolution #2822-8-08, Resolution
Adopting Assessments for Various Nuisance Abatements, with the inclusion of tax
on the 12 South California assessment, and to add an interest rate of 5%. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present
voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Setting the City’s Truth in Taxation Hearings for 2008: Council member Carrington moved,
seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2823-8-08, Resolution Setting the
City’s Truth in Taxation Hearing for December 9, 2008 and the Continuation
Hearing for December 18, 2008.
Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion
carried.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: CUP Recommendation from Planning Commission: Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council
member Storck, to accept the recommendation from the Planning Commission and
approve the conditional use permit for Morris Head Start, 1001 ½ Scotts
Avenue, Morris. Motion carried.
Planning
Commission Minutes: Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Carrington, to approve the 6/17/08
planning commission minutes and the 6/30/08 worksession minutes. Motion carried. Council member Carrington asked when
Phase 2 of the annexation process was scheduled to begin. Hill indicated he would look into the
matter.
City
Manager Report: This was
informational for the council.
NEW
BUSINESS: Mayor Giese reminded
the council of the community picnic on Thursday, the 28th.
Council
member Storck asked about the snow removal policy and how the city is going to
be consistent in getting the roads cleared off. Hill stated he would pull a copy of the current policy and
put it on the council’s agenda for the second meeting in September.
OLD
BUSINESS: Council member
Carrington asked about the status of the parking lot by Pizza Ranch. There was no news to report.
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS: Revenue &
Expenditure Report: This was
informational for the council.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:47 p.m.
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