MINUTES – MORRIS CITY
COUNCIL - REGULAR MEETING – MAY 8, 2018
The
regular meeting of the Morris City Council was called to order at 5:15 p.m.
this 8th day of May, 2018, 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
Wohlers, Solvie, Gullickson, Miller, and Mayor Giese. Also present was City
Manager Hill, Finance Director Raasch, Fire Chief Dybdal, Public Works Director
Dittbenner and Police Chief Tiegs.
ADDITION
TO AGENDA:
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Wohlers, to add to the agenda a
Temporary On-Sale Liquor License for the Morris Eagles and an Application for
Exempt Permit from the Morris Fire Department Relief Association. Motion
carried.
CITIZEN’S
COMMENTS:
Jeanne Ennen and Erin Koehntop of RUSC Kinship were present at the meeting.
Ennen thanked the city and council for their participation in the patio project
at Pomme de Terre. Ennen invited the council to a garden gala they are hosting
to dedicate the patio. Ennen indicated there are currently 21 kids matched
with adults or families from the community. Ennen and Koehntop thanked the
city for investing in the kids in Stevens County.
City
Manager Hill introduced Sydney Bauer, an intern who is doing work with energy
on the UMM campus.
PUBLIC
HEARINGS:
None
READING
AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 4/24/18 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes:
Council member Miller moved, seconded by Council member Gullickson, to approve
the 4/24/18 regular meeting minutes. Motion carried.
4/24/18
Condensed Version Minutes: Council member Wohlers moved, seconded by Mayor Giese,
to approve the 4/24/18 condensed version minutes. Motion carried.
CONSENT
AGENDA:
Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council member Miller, to approve the consent
agenda which included the following items:
A. Audit
of City Bills
B. Pay
Estimate #8 – Magney Construction
C. April
Transit Report
D. Gambling
Reports
E. Application
for Exempt Permit – Morris Fire Relief Association
F. Temporary
On Sale Liquor License – Morris Eagles
Motion
carried.
PETITIONS,
REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS: Fire Department DNR Grant Request
Council
member Miller moved, seconded by Solvie, to allow the fire department to apply
for a matching grant for the fire department. Fire Chief Dybdal stated the
funds would be used for personal protective equipment. Motion carried.
ORDINANCES
AND RESOLUTIONS:
Resolution Approving a Communications Policy and Internship: City
Manager Hill stated when looking at updating the access channel it led to a
discussion about how the city could utilize social media and the need for a
communications policy. Hill introduced Ruby DeBellis, an intern through UMM
that has been working on the communications policy for the City. DeBellis
stated she looked specifically at rural towns like Morris for examples and
combined the language and procedures and wrote a policy tailored to Morris.
Hill
reviewed some examples where the communications policy would apply. Hill
recommended that for the initial phase the city have an intern through the
Center for Small Towns at UMM. The initial position cost would be $1,500 for the
summer and be paid out of the additional franchise fees.
Gullickson
asked about an ongoing manager for the communications policy and noted the Tourism
Board has one. Hill indicated this would be a way of getting information to
the people of Morris, not information to others about Morris. Gullickson
pointed out some grammatical items that needed changing in the policy.
Council
member Solvie moved, seconded by Wohlers, to adopt Resolution #3557-5-18,
Resolution Approving a Communications Policy and Internship. Upon a roll call
vote taken and all present voting in favor, motion carried.
Discussion
took place as to how it would affect the library. Hill noted for most matters,
everything should be deferred to the department heads but the library is a
little different because it is run by the Library Board.
Resolution
Adopting Assessment for Current Services: Mayor Giese moved, seconded by Council
member Miller, to adopt Resolution #3558-5-18, Resolution Adopting Assessment
for Current Services. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in
favor, motion carried.
Resolution
Approving a Green River Area Planting Project with the Stevens County SWCD:
Hill
noted there has been some additional erosion taking place on the river. City
staff met with representatives from the DNR, the MN Board of Water and Soil
Resources and the Stevens County Soil and Water Conservation District. Hill
explained Matt Solemsaas from SWCD took the information and created a plan for
the area. Solemsaas suggested planting dogwood trees that would do very well
in that environment, along with native grasses and wildflowers. The plan is to
have the area between Columbia and Eleanor Avenue planted with dogwoods and
grasses and wildflowers. The area between Eleanor Avenue and the bypass would
be planted with grasses and wildflowers. The cost of the project is estimated
at $5,050. City staff would do the prep work of the ground and the SWCD would
plant and seed it. Hill noted there would not be any green grass but the area
would be mowed 2-3 times a year and up to the right of way.
Hill
pointed out there is still room for people to access the area behind their
properties.
Council
member Miller asked if any personal property was still on city land. Hill
stated for the most part everything was moved when letters were sent two years
ago. Hill indicated there might be a shed or garage that's a little over the
line. Miller asked if a garage or shed were on city
property for more than 7 years would the city lose the property. City Attorney
Jordan explained that if a letter was sent it restarted the timeline for
adverse possession.
Council
member Wohlers moved, seconded by Mayor Giese, to adopt Resolution #3559-5-18,
Resolution Approving a Green River Area Planting Project with the Stevens
County SWCD. Upon a roll call vote taken and all present voting in favor,
motion carried.
CITY
MANAGER'S REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS: City Manager Newsletter: This was
informational for the council.
Hill
stated the city and council members received a letter from the Secretary of
State that had to do with the closing of the campus polling place. Hill noted
he sent an email back to the Secretary to let him know exactly what the city
did and now they know and understand all the facts because they were not told
everything that went on. Hill stated the Secretary’s office does not have an
issue with what the city did.
OTHER
BUSINESS:
None
INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS:
MPD Media Reports: This was informational for the council.
HRA
Open House:
This was informational for the council.
ADJOURNMENT: There being no
further business, Mayor Giese adjourned the meeting at 6:13 p.m.
