MINUTES –
MORRIS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING – JUNE 22, 2010
The regular meeting of the
Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m. this 22nd day of June, 2010, 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 members
Webster and Carrington were absent.
Also present was City Manager Hill and City Attorney Glasrud. Police Chief Beauregard arrived at 5:40
p.m.
CITIZEN’S COMMENTS: Elizabeth Wefel from the Coalition of
Greater MN Cities was present at the meeting to give the council an update on the
activities of the coalition. Wefel
stated the budget has been the biggest challenge and trying to deal with LGA
cuts.
Wefel reviewed the
timeline of the state's budget crisis and what has happened since the beginning
of 2009 and the future of LGA.
Wefel noted without LGA Morris would have to increase it's levy 188% to
maintain its current spending.
Wefel encouraged council members to talk with their legislators and the candidates
for the upcoming election as they come to town. Wefel noted 2011 is a critical year for the future of
LGA.
Wefel covered other areas
the coalition has been working on, which include economic development,
transportation, annexation and land use, CGMC advocacy, and public outreach.
PUBLIC HEARINGS: None
READING AND APPROVAL OF
MINUTES: 6/8/10 Regular
Meeting Minutes: Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Storck, to approve the 6/8/10 regular meeting
minutes. Motion carried.
6/22/10 Condensed
Version Minutes: Council
member Storck moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to approve the 6/22/10 condensed
version minutes. Motion carried.
CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Giese removed the Audit of City
bills from the consent agenda.
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to authorize
payment of the City bills dated June 22, 2010. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor
and Council member Storck abstaining, motion carried.
Mayor Giese moved,
seconded by Council member Storck, to approve the consent agenda, which
included the following items:
A.
SCMC Administrative
Report
B.
Gambling Report
C.
Application for
Exempt Permit – St. Mary's School
D.
Application for
Exempt Permit – Humane Society
E.
Rental Housing
Commission Minutes, 5/27/10
F.
Revenue &
Expenditure Report
Motion carried.
PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND
COMMUNICATIONS: Gambling
Report – American Legion:
Council member Storck moved, seconded by Miller, 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.
ORDINANCES AND
RESOLUTIONS: Resolution
Condemning a House at 103 East 1st Street and Ordering it Removed:
Hill explained the county obtained the property at 103 East 1st
Street because of a tax forfeiture. Hill stated the county inspected the home
and would like to see it torn down.
Hill recommended that the council pass a resolution condemning the
property and ordering it removed.
Hill added that if the county were to sell the property it should be sold
with that condition.
Council member Storck
moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to adopt Resolution #2929-610, Resolution
Condemning a House at 103 East 1st and Ordering it Removed. Upon a roll call vote taken and all
present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution Approving a
Professional Services Agreement for the Airport Sealcoating Project.: Hill noted the seal coating project
scheduled for the Morris airport is funded with FAA funds. The local cost share is $4,000 and is part
of the annual capital improvement plan for the airport that has to be approved
by the MN DOT aviation office.
Council member Miller
moved, seconded by Storck, to adopt Resolution #2930-6-10, Resolution Approving
a Professional Services Agreement with TKDA for the Airport Sealcoating
Project. Upon a roll call vote
taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Resolution Establishing the East 8th, 9th and Arizona
Avenue Improvement Project and Ordering Studies to be Prepared: Hill explained this is the next item on
the capital improvement plan. Hill
noted whether or not the city does a project next year will depend on the study
because there has been some thought to just doing a project every other year. Hill indicated this is a smaller project
so it may work into next year’s budget.
Miller
asked about the time frame on a proposed project to run a new sewer line behind
the fire hall. Hill indicated that
project wasn't on the five year plan, as the plan is based on where there are
actual problems. Hill stated it
could be looked at when the five year plan is reviewed.
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to adopt Resolution #2931-6-10,
Resolution Establishing the East 8th, 9th and Arizona
Avenue Improvement Project and Ordering Engineering and Financing Feasibility
Studies to be Prepared. Upon a
roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Firefighter Training
and Education Grant: Hill
stated the MN Board of Firefighter Training and Education has a reimbursement
program that will pay for firefighter training. The Fire Department is required to train its firefighters
and this program would reimburse the city for part of the cost.
Mayor Giese moved,
seconded by Council member Stock, to allow the fire department to apply for a
firefighter training grant from the MN Board of Firefighter Training and
Education. Motion carried.
Rain Garden Cost – Soil
Conservation Office: Hill
pointed out the city has asked for assistance from the Soil and Water
Conservation office to put in the rain gardens at PDT Park and Highland
Drive. The contract for PDT Park
needs to be amended to reflect a different plan and the Highland Drive contract
needs to be approved.
Council member Miller moved,
seconded by Storck, to authorize a cost-share assistance contract for the
Highland Drive rain garden and an amendment to the cost-share assistance
contract for PDT Park. Motion
carried.
Joint Powers Meeting: Hill informed the council that the
school board would like to have a joint powers meeting on July 19th.
City Manager Report: This was informational for the council.
Discussion was held on
sidewalk repair. The question was
raised as to whether or not a homeowner could use the city’s contractor and get
work done at the same time.
Council member Storck
asked if City Manager Hill could add to his newsletter what the city crew has
been working on each week.
Hill stated the city really
needs to look at where money is being spent. Hill noted the spray park is maintenance heavy and questioned
if that could continue or if it needed to be traded for trimming trees or other
things that need to be done.
NEW BUSINESS: Appointment of Planning Commission
Member: Mayor Giese appointed
Dale Livingston to the Planning Commission.
OLD BUSINESS: None
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: None
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Mayor
Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:14 p.m.
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