MINUTES– MORRIS CITY COUNCIL– REGULAR
MEETING – JANUARY 27, 2009
The regular meeting of the
Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m. this 27th day
of January, 2009, 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, Fleet Manager
Searle, and City Attorney Glasrud.
CITIZEN’S COMMENTS:
None
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None
READING AND APPROVAL OF
MINUTES: 1/13/09 Regular Meeting Minutes: Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Storck, to approve the 1/13/09 regular meeting minutes.
Motion carried.
1/13/09 Condensed
Version Minutes: Council member Webster moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to
approve the 1/13/09 condensed version minutes. Motion carried.
CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor
Giese asked that the gambling report from the American Legion be removed from
the consent agenda. Council member Carrington moved, seconded by Miller, to
accept the gambling report from the American Legion. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all voting in favor and Mayor Giese abstaining, motion carried.
Council member Webster
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to approve the consent agenda, which included
the following items:
A.
Approval of the city bills dated
January 27, 2009.
B.
Acceptance of the December
administrative report from SCMC.
C.
Acceptance of the gambling
reports from the Morris Hockey Association and West Central Trailblazers.
D.
Acceptance of the 12/16/08
Planning Commission Minutes
The following items from
the bill list were discussed: Qwest charges for Chizek Field, transfer of
equipment from Impala to Tahoe, police department stationery (the council would
prefer if it was bought locally) and the contribution to Community Ed.
PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS: Appointments to Boards and Commissions: Mayor
Giese reappointed Cheryl Rempel to the HRA Board and Marie Hansen to the Park
Board.
ORDINANCES AND
RESOLUTIONS: Resolution Approving Plans and Specifications and
Authorizing Advertising for Bids for the Highland Homes Addition Improvement
Project: Hill stated City Engineer Fier was able to review the information
for this project before he left. Hill noted a few things have changed since
the public hearing for this project
Resolution Approving
Plans and Specifications and Authorizing Advertising for Bids for the Highland
Homes Addition Improvement Project: (continued)
last fall. Hill explained
the land to the north would be used for a storm water holding pond, which is a
huge plus for that neighborhood. The pond will hold the storm water back until
it gets a chance to get into the system the right way. Council member Storck
asked if there would be a fence around the pond. Hill explained it would not
be a pond but more of a nice, gradual swail that would be sized big enough to
service Highland Homes and the land to the north, once it is developed. Hill
stated after the snow melts this spring there will be an indication as to where
the water sits in the neighborhood.
Hill pointed out another
thing that has been identified is that Key Row does not get its water from this
neighborhood. The water line comes in from 11th Street so that will
make a difference on the water assessments because units were originally calculated
as if Key Row was a part of the project.
Hill indicated another issue
is making sure the specifications include a cut off of 7:00 p.m. for work to be
done so contractors can open up the roadways. Hill noted the project would be
phased in so the whole thing isn’t torn up at once.
Hill stated the obvious
question is whether or not the city should go forward with the project. Hill
suggested the city get bids and see what the contractors offer because the
problems in this area are not going to go away. Hill explained it would cost the
city approximately $100,000 to $125,000 a year in tax levy to pay back the
bonds on this particular project. Hill stated people in the city need to
understand they are getting a nice deal because the city is picking up a bigger
share of these neighborhood projects than other cities. Hill noted other
towns see assessments between $25,000 and $30,000 per project.
The resolution provides for
bids to be opened on March 2, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Mayor Giese pointed out the
council is not voting to proceed with the project, only to advertise for bids.
Hill stated the original estimate for the project is $2.6 million. Mayor Giese
asked if federal funding was still a possibility. Hill stated it is hard to
know because the governor has indicated he may try and balance the state budget
with federal stimulus.
Council member Miller asked
if there was state aid money for Pacific Avenue. Hill stated there has been
talk about it and Jeff Kuhn from WSN has been to a couple of meetings to see
where the money may come from.
Council member Webster
moved, seconded by Miller, to adopt Resolution #2852-1-09, Resolution
Approving Plans and Specifications and Authorizing Advertising for Bids for the
Highland Homes Addition Improvement Project. Upon a roll call vote taken and
all voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution Approving an
Agreement with Info-Link Wireless for Antenna Space on the Morris Water Tower:
Hill stated the deal that the owner of Info-Link had to sell the business fell
through so he is still the owner. Hill noted this agreement increases the rent
by $10 a year for each of the three years. Hill pointed out the city does get
more money from the cell phone companies for having antennas on the tower, but
this company is just for internet. Council member Webster stated he thinks it
is a fair deal.
Hill explained the only
thing he changed was the automatic renewal clause because it is a good idea to
review the agreement.
Mayor Giese moved, seconded
by Council member Webster, to adopt Resolution #2853-1-09, Resolution Approving
an Agreement with Info-Link Wireless for Antenna Space on the Morris Water
Tower. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion
carried.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORTS
& RECOMMENDATIONS: City Manager Report: Hill noted that city
staff would be meeting with the MPCA on the city’s ponds to see what can be done
differently with the system to make sure it’s running right. Dittbenner stated
the main issue is algae problems and the level of the ponds. Dittbenner
indicated the MPCA thinks the city may have a leakage problem.
Hill also gave the council
some updated information on what happened with the governor’s budget proposal.
The city is looking at losing $172,000 this year and $385,000 next year in
local government aids. Hill stated for 2010, that amount is 11% of the city’s current
budget. Hill indicated staff is starting to work on the budget according to
these figures.
Hill noted the state is only
cutting their spending by 2% but are asking the city to cut 11% for next year.
Hill stated there will have to be services cut out that the city provides. Hill
stated the Coalition suggested the city start a citizens group to get people
informed so they can contact their local legislators to make sure our area is taken
care of.
Hill indicated the governor
recommended wages be frozen, but labor contracts are in place for another year.
Hill stated the wage increase for the city is typically 3% but in the
metropolitan areas 3½% to 4% is standard because they have a bigger tax
base and don’t need the aid provided by the state.
NEW BUSINESS: None
OLD BUSINESS: None
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
None
ADJOURNMENT: There
being no further business, Mayor Giese adjourned the meeting at 5:54 p.m.
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