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MINUTES–MORRIS
CITY COUNCIL–REGULAR MEETING–DECEMBER 23, 2008
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 23rd day of December, 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, City
Engineer/Surveyor/Inspector Fier, Police Chief Beauregard and City Attorney
Glasrud.
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 12/9/08
Regular Meeting Minutes:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to approve the 12/9/08
regular meeting minutes. Motion
carried.
12/9/08
Condensed Version: Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to approve the 12/9/08
condensed version minutes. Motion
carried.
AUDIT
OF CITY BILLS: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Storck, to authorize payment of the City bills dated December
23, 2008. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Pay
Estimate #12 – West 4th & 8th Streets: Council member Storck moved, seconded
by Miller, to authorize payment of $52,305.15 to Riley Bros. Construction for
work on West 4th and 8th Streets & alley main trunk
sewer. Motion carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS: Presentation of
Human Rights Award: Christine
Gibson, Chairperson, and other members of the Human Rights Commission were at
the meeting to present Bill Eckersen with the Human Rights Commission award for
his work with the mentally ill.
Snow
Alert Discussion: Arnie
Sharstrom, representing Morris Auto Wrecking and Triple T Towing, was present
at the meeting. Sharstrom stated
they feel that something needs to change with the snow alert system because
people are getting fed up with their cars getting towed when the street has
already been plowed. Sharstrom
indicated they don’t want or need that type of towing. Sharstrom stated he canvassed the west
side of town and there were only four cars that needed to be moved.
Council
member Storck commended the city crew for doing a good job and stated it is a
hard decision for the Public Works Director as to when to call a snow
alert. Storck stated he does not
want to change the rules and this is a battle the city has been fighting for the
last 45 years. Stock suggested
having no parking on any city streets from November 1st to April 1st
like many other towns do. Storck
stated the elderly taxpayers in town shouldn’t have to pay for the dead beats
that don’t move their cars, which results in the city needing to go out and
plow again where cars aren’t moved.
City
Manager Hill stated the confusion comes in when the streets are plowed before
the ticketing and towing starts.
Hill indicated once it starts snowing the snow may have to be left until
the snow alert takes effect, instead of going out twice in a 24-hour
period.
Public
Works Director Dittbenner stated going out at night gives the crew the
opportunity to get things cleaned up when no one is out and about.
Sharstrom
stated it makes them look stupid when they go out to tow a car on a street that
has already been plowed from curb to curb. City Attorney Glasrud asked if a car could just be ticketed
and not towed if the street has in fact already been plowed. Beauregard noted it does not work just
to put tickets on the cars because a $15 ticket will not do the job.
Fleet
Manager Searle questioned how the tow truck would even be able to hook up to
the cars on the street if the city didn’t plow some of the snow first. Dittbenner pointed out if a snow starts
right away in the morning, the alleys need to be done for the garbage trucks
and for the people whose only access to their homes and garages is through the
alley.
Glasrud questioned
if the city was towing cars where they didn’t need to be. Sharstrom stated he feels they
are. Storck stated he feels the
city is doing it the right way and should not back down. Hill pointed out the city doesn’t want
to do a second plowing unless it’s absolutely necessary but people need to be
aware that towing and ticketing will take place if a snow alert is called.
Mayor
Giese stated it boils down to how much snow is expected to fall. Council member Miller stated the city
streets look great and would like them to stay that way and feels the snow
alert procedure needs to remain the same.
Hill
suggested Sharstrom direct the people he is getting complaints from to call him
or one of the council members at home.
Hill stated on the plus side the new impound area at the fairgrounds is
working out very well. Miller
stated nobody enjoys this process but the streets need to get cleaned.
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: SCMC
Administrative Report: Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to accept the November
administrative report from SCMC.
Motion carried.
Gambling
Reports: Council member Carrington
moved, seconded by Miller, to accept the gambling reports from the West Central
Trailblazers and Morris Hockey Association. Motion carried.
Raffle
License Report: Council member
Storck moved, seconded by Miller, to accept the raffle license report from the
Morris Senior Center. Motion
carried.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Approving Proposed 2008 Tax Levy, Collectible in 2009 and Resolution Accepting
the 2009 Budget for the City of Morris: Council member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt
Resolution #2842-12-08, Resolution Approving Proposed 2008 Tax Levy,
Collectible in 2009. Upon a roll
call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Accepting the 2009 Budget for the City of Morris: Hill stated the City will have its state aid cut by
approximately $127,000 due to the governor’s proposal to help offset the
state’s current budget shortfall.
Hill indicated the city needs to implement provisions to spend only what
is absolutely necessary. Hill
suggested the council ask legislators to come meet with the city to let them
know how these cuts are affecting our area.
Carrington
asked what would happen with the Highland Homes project. Hill stated the big issue is whether or
not the city can borrow the money and pull the new debt onto the tax rolls
without raising taxes too much.
Hill pointed out the city should finish the plans and specs, advertise
and bid the project out. The city
may end up seeing a very good bid and if a local contractor were to get it that
could put a lot of people in the community to work. Giese noted there is also the possibility of federal funding
for this project.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2843-12-08,
Resolution Accepting the 2009 Budget for the City of Morris. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Authorizing Fund Transfers:
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to adopt
Resolution #2844-12-08, Resolution Authorizing Fund Transfers which would
transfer $102,212.86 from the capital improvement fund to the West 8th
Street project fund. Upon a roll
call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Setting Transit Fares: Finance
Director Krosschell stated the city proposed to raise fares as part of the
grant application to the state.
Krosschell indicated the state pays 80% of operating costs and the city
tries to make up the remaining 20% with fares. The last increase in fares was in 2001. Krosschell noted the increase is being
suggested because it is almost getting to the point where the operation needs
to be subsidized with the tax levy.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Carrington, to adopt Resolution #2845-12-08,
Resolution Setting Transit Fares, increasing the fares from $1.00 per ride
scheduled and $2.00 per ride unscheduled to $1.25 per ride scheduled and $2.50
per ride unscheduled. Upon a roll
call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving a Special Assessment Deferral for Edell Swanson: Swanson has submitted a written request
for a deferral of her special assessment for 4 Circle Pines, legally described
as Lot 4, Circle Pines Addition until such time as the property is sold.
The amount
of the assessment is $1,002.00 for curb & gutter, $214.09 for storm sewer,
$3,614.96 for water, $2,887.49 for sewer, totaling $7,718.54.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to adopt Resolution
#2846-12-08, Resolution Approving a Special Assessment Deferral for Edell
Swanson. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Renewing Lease Agreement Between the City and Gerhard Jacobson: This proposed lease between the city and
Gerhard Jacobson is for another three-year period, beginning January 1, 2009. Council member Storck noted that $30 per
acre to farm the airport land is very cheap. Hill agreed, but noted there are certain restrictions that
need to be taken into consideration to farm the land around the airport. Hill also noted Jacobson is paying
taxes on the land. Storck
requested that once the proposed lease with Jacobson expires, the use of the
land be put out for bids.
Council
member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2847-12-08,
Resolution Renewing Lease Agreement Between the City and Gerhard Jacobson. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Authorizing Advertising for Proposals for Leak Site Investigation at the Old
Elementary School: Hill
explained after removal of an underground tank at the old elementary school
there was a soil sample taken that had fuel in it. Hill recommended that due to MPCA and PETRO fund rules the
council authorize advertising for proposals to do a site investigation. Hill noted the city needs to do this in
order to be eligible for PETRO fund reimbursement for qualified expenses.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Carrington, to adopt Resolution #2848-12-08,
Resolution Authorizing Advertising for Proposals for Leak Site Investigation at
the Old Elementary School. Upon a
roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Lodging
Tax Ordinance: Hill stated
this ordinance would establish a lodging tax of 3% on the gross receipts of the
local motels. The money would be
distributed by a Tourism Board appointed by the City Council. Hill indicated this lodging tax could
be used to offset the city’s contribution to the chamber to assist them with
promoting the city and its businesses.
Hill stated he has talked with the two bigger motels and they are not in
favor of it because they feel it will drive away business and they don’t think
they get anything out of the chamber.
Hill
stated the Minnesota Legislature has looked at this issue and agreed it was a
good practice to collect a local lodging tax to generate funds to promote
cities. The legislature has passed
a law allowing local authorities to implement a tax.
The
council noted the city campground should not be included as part of the lodging
tax.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Storck, to accept this as the first
reading of Ordinance No. 82, An Ordinance Amending the Morris City Code to
Enact a Lodging Tax Ordinance in the City of Morris, and set the public hearing
and second reading for 5:30 p.m. on January 13, 2009. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor,
motion carried.
Utility
Rate Ordinance: Hill stated he
is recommending a 3% increase in utility rates, which are currently only able
to be changed by ordinance. Hill
suggested the ordinance be changed to allow rates to be set via resolution. Hill stated with regard to the increase
in rates he would rather make minor adjustments along the way rather than major
ones all at once.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to accept this as the first reading of
Ordinance No. 83, An Ordinance Allowing Utility Rates to be Set by Resolution,
and set the public hearing and second reading for 5:35 p.m. on January 13,
2009. Upon a roll call vote taken
and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
CITY
MANAGER’S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: Five Year Capital Improvement Plan: The council discussed the proposed five
year capital improvement plan.
City Engineer Fier stated it is the council’s judgment if they want any
of these projects moved up in the plan.
Miller pointed out the order of the plan will depend on if the proposed
2009 work gets done. Giese noted
it is good that the city is starting to address the extension of utilities out
into the annexed areas.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to approve the Five Year Capital
Improvement Plan as presented.
Motion carried.
Stevens
County Conditional Use Permit Recommendation: Hill stated the Planning Commission is recommending approval
of this conditional use permit which would allow the county to build a
government building in a Residential zone. The Planning Commission placed four conditions on the
project which included dark sky compliant full cut off lighting, review and
approval of a landscape plan by the city, review of parking lot entrances on
East 4th Street and review and approval of a storm water removal
plan.
Carrington
asked how much pull the city has to grant the permit. Hill noted there are criteria established as to when an
application can be denied. Hill
stated the first issue with the jail is economical, which is the county
commissioners’ responsibility. The
second is the code and permitting process which the city is in charge of.
Discussion
was held on the storm sewer and parking conditions. Storck stated he didn’t like the idea of a flat roof because
they don’t seem to work in Minnesota.
Carrington
asked if there was anything the city could do to prevent the jail from being
built. Glasrud indicated that not
that long ago the council was quite vocal about the jail being built in Morris
rather than Cyrus. Storck pointed
out at that time there was not the recession there is now. Miller stated he felt it is not the council’s
decision whether or not the jail should be built.
Mayor
Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to accept the recommendation
from the Planning Commission and approve the conditional use permit for Stevens
County. Upon a roll call vote taken
and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Planning
Commission Minutes, 11/18/08:
Council member Carrington moved, seconded by Storck, to accept the
11/18/08 planning commission minutes.
Motion carried.
City
Manager Report: This was
informational for the council.
Authorization
to Close City Offices at Noon on Christmas Eve: Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to
close city offices at noon on Christmas Eve. Motion carried.
NEW
BUSINESS: Council member
Storck asked if cable rates could be increased without the cable companies
coming before the city council.
Glasrud stated it seemed to him that they used to come to the council
and let them know when that would be happening.
OLD
BUSINESS: Storck asked about
the house on East 4th Street.
Glasrud indicated he is still waiting to hear about the decision from
the bankruptcy court.
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS: Library
Mission/Vision Statement: This
was informational for the council.
Revenue
& Expenditure Report: This
was informational for the council.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 7:10 p.m.
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