Special Meeting - June 28, 2006

Osakis City Council
Regular Meeting
September 5, 2006
7:00 PM 
Minutes now offered in PDF format to download
September 5, 2006 PDF

Present: Astleford, Pederson, Timmerman, Hagemann
Absent: Emerson

Mayor Astleford called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM

The pledge of Allegiance was spoken.

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Hagemann to approve adding the Industrial Park Street Improvement Grant to the agenda. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Timmerman to approve August 7, 2006, August 16, 2006 and August 21, 2006 minutes. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Motion by Timmerman, seconded by Pederson to approve the city bills in the amount of $289,399.53. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Motion by Timmerman, seconded by Hagemann to approve the Fire Department bills in the amount of $1,020.64. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #380: TIF - Downtown

Tracy Ryan was not in attendance. Tabled until the next meeting.

Project #19: Wellhead Protection

Aaron Meyer was in attendance to answer questions regarding the Wellhead Protection Plan.

Council received a copy of the Wellhead Protection Plan.

Mayor Astleford asked Aaron for clarification on the underground tanks that were removed. Aaron stated that all tanks were removed that were not in use and either dirt was removed or monitoring wells put in.

Aaron also stated there is money available to pay half the cost of capping a well through the County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Motion by Hagemann, seconded by Timmerman to adopt Part II of the Wellhead Protection Plan. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #73: First Responders

Jason Schultz, President of the First Responders was in attendance.

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The First Responders have not had very many people interested. They need some volunteers or we might not have a First Responder unit. Low numbers of volunteers means hirer no shows.

Council will try to get the word out they need more help.

Gretta will put an ad in the paper for more volunteers.

Put information on the bank sign for volunteers needed for First Responders.

Project #130: Docks on Public Property

Council received the letter from the Attorney on how the city can proceed.

The Clerk talked to the County Assessor and he stated that a 50 foot lot will increase the property value by $20,000 (this is a rough guess and many factors may change the price).

The Clerk will ask the attorney to clarify leasing the property to Wegener on the end of 4th Avenue, and the liability of leasing and not owning the property.

If the city maintains a 66 Foot Road there is not much land left for individual to have.

City needs to agree with the land owner prior to going to court.

Property owners will get an attorney to start proceedings.

Project #381: Vacate 7th Avenue West

Lance Spychalla was in attendance.

The Clerk talked to Tom Klemenhagen and he stated there is a storm drain that runs on the East side of the easement and it would be very costly to move it and it could not be built over. He also stated there are telephone lines that run through the easement.

Lance will call Gopher State One Call to locate the lines. Back on the 13th agenda after lines are located and will stake out garage.

The Clerk will check to see if he can build over the storm line.

Project #384: Boring under road

Steve Miller (owner of the property at 1942 Lake Street East) was in attendance to ask the council if he could sign a waiver that would not hold the city liable, and he can get permission to bore under Lake Street.

Need a permit to bore under the road.



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Have Attorney draft a waiver of liability. Miller stated that they would pay for the cost to draft the waiver.

Tabled until the September 13th meeting.

Project #385: Petition - VFW

No one from the VFW was in attendance.

Council will have to call for a feasibility study if they want to pursue.

VFW will check on the cost for directional boring and the cost for water. They will get back to the city with this information.

Project #249: Planning and Zoning

Council received the minutes from the August 17, 2006 meeting.

A motion by Pederson, seconded by Timmerman to approve the August 17, 2006 minutes. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #69: Information to the Council

Laura Backes wanted to invite all council members to attend a meeting for the 150th celebration of Osakis. It will be held on September 13th at 7:00 p.m. If you can not attend please let her know if there are any items you would like to see happen at the celebration.

Project #325: Ordinance Book

We received 3 proposals:

1. Municipal Development Group (Karin Tank) for updating, reviewing and changing the Planning and Zoning, and Subdivision Ordinance (this is going through the zoning and subdivision ordinance section by section and adding new districts with mapping).
$10,050.00

2. League of Minnesota Cities for Codifying and Legal Review of the City Code,
Planning and Zoning, Subdivision, and Shoreline Ordinance.

$10,975.00

3. Municipal Code Corporation for Codifying the City Code, Planning and Zoning,
Subdivision, and Shoreline Ordinance. Price does not include legal review and is an additional $1,900.00.
$7,825.00


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The Clerk talked with many different cities for each company, and the consensus was that they all liked the League of Minnesota Cities. Half like the Municipal Code Corporation. All like the Municipal Developmental Group.

All Companies estimated it to be a year process.

A motion by Pederson, seconded by Timmerman to approve to have the Municipal Developmental Group do updates for the Planning and Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance, and to have The League of Minnesota Cities do the City Codes. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #84: Budget

Council received the final budget for 2007.

Must be certified by September 15th to the County.

A motion by Pederson, seconded by Astleford to approve to adopt the 2007 Budget in the amounts of - Revenues $1,140,586.00 and Expenditures $1,139,513.20. All Ayes. Emerson Absent

Project #69: Employee Hiring

Council received one more application for the Water/Waste Water Superintendent.

Continue this meeting on September 6, 2006 at 4:30 p.m. to pick the top five candidates for the Equipment Operator and Superintendent positions.

Project #192: Truth in Taxation

The 2007 City Certified Proposed levy needs to be sent to the County Auditor by September 15, 2006.

Last year we certified 313,200 and we are certifying the same amount this year. State law states we do not have to hold a Truth in Taxation meeting in December if we are not
changing our levy, however in the past we have held one every year regardless.

Do we want to hold a public hearing for Truth in Taxation? If so, we will have to have a special meeting or a continuation meeting on December 5th (Tuesday). We must also set up a continuation date on the 12th if all things are not accomplished at the first meeting.

A motion by Timmerman, seconded by Pederson to approve to set up a public hearing for Truth in Taxation for December 5th at 6:00 p.m. and a continuation meeting on December 12th at 6:00 p.m. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #170: Osakis Chamber of Commerce

Council received the following:

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August 10, 2006 Balance Sheet
Budget vs. Actual
August 16, 2006 Agenda
August 16, 2006 Minutes

Project #233: Sauk River Watershed

Council received the following:

August 1, 2006 Minutes
August 15, 2006 Staff Report
August 15, 2006 Agenda
August 15, 2006 Minutes

Project #321: Osakis Visitor and Heritage Center

Council received the August 15, 2006 meeting minutes.

Mayor Astleford wants Ralph Laven to clarify the purchase agreement does not state funds would go to OEDC. City has put in a handicap bathroom and gutters on the building and rents it for $1.00 a year.

Ralph Laven stated he would produce what information he has on the sale of the building.

Timmerman wants the statement clarified to LORA - Do not know if there are any other organizations that have paid their full year commitment and were told they should turn in the keys. Should not be kicked out because they choose to pull out with the Resort Association and the web site.

Project 312: Osakis Onward

Council received the August 10, 2006 meeting minutes.

Ralph Laven was in attendance to discuss the four sided clock.

The city was awarded a trail grant of $30,000.00 from Douglas County.

The clock cost is $10,000.00 plus shipping. Discount of $3,000.00 for a marketing tool.

$14,700.00 is left for the trail fund.

County recognized the city had invested the money already and time so there is no need to match funds for the grant.

The council would like to know who is responsible for it, insurance for it, and who pays for the maintenance for the clock.

How would it effect the snow removal on the corner and electricity to the clock.

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Planning and Zoning would need to approve a sign permit.

If Osakis Onward is no longer there, who is responsible?

Ralph also stated the county has money for parks and trails available for cities.

Project #360: Employee

The Clerk contacted MAPE about raising Darrin's salary until there is a replacement, and the Union has no problem with this.

Council will consider and discuss at the September 13th meeting.

Project #382: City Union Contract

Council will be meeting for Union Negotiations on September 13, 2006 at 6:00 p.m.

Council received a list of changes the union is requesting.

Project #363: Industrial Park Grant

Clerk Jacobson explained that Jason Murray stopped in with the full application for the grant. In August we were asked to prepare a full application by DEED.

We will find out in November if we receive the grant.

A resolution was presented by Timmerman, seconded by Pederson to submit the grant to DEED for the infrastructure grant. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

Project #196: Fee Schedule

Council received the letter from Ken Weber on sewer rates.

Our current base rate is $12.00 for water and $4.04 for sewer with a $6.50 user fee for people with sewer.

Timmerman had a question about Landteams initial amount of $71,000, now is $187,000 - $347,000.

Council would like to see us use the irrigate system instead of the ponds.

Tabled until October. Landteam will be here on their sanitary sewer study results.

Motion by Hagemann, seconded by Timmerman to suspend the meeting and continue at 4:30 p.m. on September 6, 2006. All Ayes. Emerson Absent.

_________________________ _________________________
Mayor - Gary L. Astleford City Clerk - Angela A. Jacobson

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