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MINUTES
-MORRIS CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING-NOVEMBER 10, 2008
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 10th day of November, 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 Miller, Storck and Mayor Giese. Council member Webster arrived at 5:22 p.m. Council member Carrington arrived at
5:50 p.m. 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: 10/28/08
Regular Meeting Minutes:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 10/28/08
regular meeting minutes. Motion
carried.
10/28/08
Condensed Version: Mayor Giese
moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to approve the 10/28/08 condensed
version minutes. Motion carried.
11/6/08
Canvassing Minutes: Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 11/6/08 canvassing
meeting minutes. Motion carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to authorize payment of the City bills dated November
10, 2008. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all present voting in favor and Council member Storck abstaining, motion
carried.
Pay
Estimate #6 – College Avenue/Circle Pines & Oregon Avenue: Council member Storck moved, seconded
by Miller, to authorize pay estimate #6 for $304,756.33 to Riley Brothers
Construction for work on the College Avenue/Circle Pines & Oregon Avenue
project. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: None
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: County
Board Visit: Mark Schneider of
Klein McCarthy, the county’s architect for the new jail/law enforcement center,
was present at the meeting.
McCarthy stated some of the issues they would like to discuss with the
city include the vacation of Colorado Avenue, parking and the need for a
conditional use permit.
Schneider
presented a virtual tour presentation of the new jail/law enforcement center
and reconstruction of the courthouse. Schneider also reviewed a hardscape vs.
greenscape analysis. These figures
show that the proposed plans meet the parking requirements and the overall lot
coverage requirements set forth by the city.
James
Thoreen, Stevens County Coordinator, stated what is being proposed is at least
a fifty year investment. Thoreen
indicated they are trying to be budget conscience and at the same time figure
out how to best serve the needs of today while helping the successors of the
next generation.
Webster asked
how many beds the jail would hold.
Thoreen stated there are twenty cells with a total of forty beds. County Commissioner Sayre explained
there are separate classifications of offenders so the maximum that may be able
to be housed in the jail would be thirty two.
Hill
indicated in looking at the jail from a zoning standpoint, the variance
questions regarding parking, setback requirements and lot coverage have been
answered. Hill noted a conditional
use permit would be needed, because even though there was previously a jail
there it has since stopped running.
Hill stated another issue is the technical procedure of vacating
Colorado Avenue, which is a process than can be started at any time.
James
Thoreen indicated they hope to receive bids in March or April and begin
construction in May or June.
Thoreen proposed they begin the vacation process in early 2009. County Commissioner Munsterman asked
who owned the alley by First Lutheran Church. Hill stated the city has the right of way. Schneider stated the church would like
to maintain some access through that alley, as the county plans to share
parking with the church. City
staff indicated it would work best for maintenance to leave the alley
open. Miller stated he would like
to see the alley run all the way through, especially for bigger vehicles trying
to get through.
Thoreen
suggested the conditional use permit process be started as soon as
possible. Thoreen noted almost
everything the Planning Commission had originally talked about was taken into
consideration with the proposed plan.
Webster
stated the footprint of the building is far less ominous than he thought it was
going to be. Thoreen noted the
question has been asked many times of why the county is building a jail. Thoreen stated it is state law that
every county shall provide and maintain a jail and Stevens County has not
complied with that law since 1994.
Schneider
explained the security measures that are in place for the jail. Thoreen stated the police department
has been involved in the planning as far as what they feel they need. Thoreen stated he was aware the council
would be meeting in a budget worksession following the meeting to talk about
what the city could afford for the new jail. Schneider informed the council that currently the police
department has about 2,000 square feet of space and the new facility would give
them 3,159 square feet.
Hill
stated it would be logical to have the conditional use request for the December
meeting of the Planning Commission.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Authorizing the Submission of a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant Application
to MN DOT: Hill stated
there is a committee that has been working to develop a safe route to school
for children to walk and ride their bikes. A list of priorities to establish the route has been
developed and a grant application has been completed to apply for funding. The amount of the grant is $175,000 and
does not require a local match.
Hill
explained the first five priorities on the list are what they hope to have
funded. These include: 1)To
install/provide safe access points to Morris Area Public School property to
pedestrians; 2)Improve pedestrian facilities on elementary school property
(main entrance side); 3)Provide adequate sidewalk along South Street (Columbia
Avenue to Colorado Avenue) and Colorado Avenue (South Street to 5th
Street); 4)Construct bike path behind school connecting rear entrances to Green
River Road and access to sports complexes; 5)Provide adequate sidewalk along
South Street (Colorado Avenue to Atlantic Avenue) and Colorado Avenue (5th
Street to 7th Street).
At some point they hope to have a sidewalk along Green River Road. Mayor Giese pointed out the sidewalk by
the school bus garage is one of the lower priorities. Hill explained the area around the school is the main
priority but the city could still look at doing that project ourselves.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Council member Webster, to adopt
Resolution #2835-11-08, Resolution Authorizing the Submission of a Safe Routes
to School (SRTS) Grant Application to MN DOT. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor,
motion carried.
Resolution
Authorizing a Loan Processing Agreement with the Stevens County Economic
Improvement Commission: Hill
explained the city has two economic development loan pools and the SCEIC also
has its own loan pool. Hill stated
it makes sense to coordinate efforts and have a one stop shop. Hill noted it would be more efficient
and ensure that potential business loans are done appropriately. Michael Haynes of the SCEIC stated that
the source of the loans would be the same and the city council has the final
authority on whether or not to approve the loan. Haynes asked the city to provide a hold harmless agreement.
Council
member Webster moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2836-11-08,
Resolution Authorizing a Loan Processing Agreement with the SCEIC, with the
resolution to include a mutual hold harmless agreement. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
voting in favor, motion carried.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Pizza Ranch – Adjacent Parking Lot: Hill informed the council that based on
a review of the code by the City Attorney it appears there is language that
prohibits the trailers in the parking lot between Pizza Ranch and Don’s Café
because they are not an allowed use in the Central Business District. Hill asked for authorization from the
council to give notice to the owner of the parking lot to move his
trailers. Hill noted he also
strongly encouraged the owner of the Pizza Ranch to work out a deal with the
owner because the best thing is to get that lot opened up and utilized.
Storck
stated he still thinks the used tires across from the Legion need to be dealt
with but agreed that it’s time this matter be taken care of. Storck indicated he doesn’t want the
city to get involved with the purchase of the lot. Mayor Giese stated he did not see a problem with sending the
notice. Miller stated he is dead
set against the city buying anything.
Miller suggested that the person who just purchased a lot from the city
a year ago and improved it for parking would probably not be happy if the city were
to buy a lot for someone else.
Webster asked if the owner would be within the code if he put up a 5’
fence. Hill stated he would have
to take a look at the code.
Webster stated he would still like to see the city own the lot. It was the consensus of the council to
authorize City Manager Hill to send a letter to the parking lot owner.
City
Manager Report: Hill noted
there was a massive clean up of a property on Lake Crystal. Hill stated many loads were hauled away
from the outside of the property and Public Health would be following up on
cleaning the inside.
NEW
BUSINESS: None
OLD
BUSINESS: None
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS: October Transit
Report: This was informational
for the council.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:59 p.m.
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