Present: Anderson, Pederson, Emerson, Olson

Absent: Gulbranson

Others Present: Angela Jacobson, Chub Hensley, Jim Tholen, Craig Dropik, Mark Pomerleau, Ron Kleinschmidt, Gretta Petrich, Mark Gilson, Lil Ortendahl, and Roger Davis

Mayor Emerson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance was spoken.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Olson, to approve the agenda. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Anderson, to approve consent items, including October city bills in the amount of $239,222.51, and October 5, 2009 meeting minutes. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

Joe Ketelboeter was not in attendance.

Craig Dropik was in attendance. Council received the October run report.

Dropik inform the Council that the First Responder rig needs some repairs soon.

Mark Pomerleau was in attendance. Pomerleau informed the Council that he along with the other chiefs attended the MN State Fire Chiefs Convention in October.

Mark Gilson was in attendance. Council received the October police report.

Ron Kleinschmidt was in attendance. Council received the October Public Works report.

Kleinschmidt informed the Council that all gravel roads have been graded.

Jim Tholen informed the Council that leaves have been blowing onto his land from the city beach. Tholen feels the city has not been a good neighbor in cleaning up the leaves. Kleinschmidt said this has been a wet year and the leaves fell at one time. Tholen suggest that the city purchase a vacuum mower. Cost may be about $15,000.00.

Kleinschmidt will get prices on a vacuum unit attachment for the next council meeting.

Kleinschmidt informed the Council that there has been no news regarding the water plant.

Chub Hensley was in attendance to discuss the Storm Water Ponds with the Council. Hensley informed the Council that the OEDC gave money to buy the land and build the sediment pond. The city, in a sense speaking, owns the pond, but the Sauk River Watershed District has the pond listed as an asset in the amount of $89,000.00. Hensley said that the city bought and paid for the JD2 pond and the city should own it. The original cost was about $200,000.00 and now is well over $770,000.00.

The city should write a letter to the Sauk River Watershed District and request ownership.

Olson brought up the question that if the city owns it can the Sauk River Watershed District tell the city when it has to be cleaned?

Hensley doesn’t think the Sauk River Watershed District has a say anymore when it is to be cleaned. It would be up to the city.

Hensley informed the Council that the president of the Sauk River Watershed District and Lake Association were the same person. This was a conflict of interest.

Hensley is requesting that the pond be listed as a city asset not a Sauk River Watershed District asset.

Council will discuss this issue at their next meeting.

Roger Davis was in attendance regarding making the alley that connects Nestor Street and Osage Street a one way street.

Davis lives on Osage Street on the corner and feels there is not enough room when two cars meet. Requesting the Council make this a one way street from Nestor Street to Osage Street.

Council wants a letter mailed out to those residents that live in the area stating the city will have a hearing to discuss a one way street from Nestor Street to Osage Street at the December Council meeting.

Clerk Jacobson informed the Council that the city has a negative balance in the West Side Pond fund, from installing the pond on the west side of town in conjunction with the state.

Money will need to be transferred from the general fund to balance this fund and close the account. The amount is $2,831.62.

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Emerson, to approve to transfer $2,831.62 from the general fund to the West Side Pond fund to close the account. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

At the October Council meeting, a proposal was received from Larson Allen for audit services. At that time the Council voted to utilize KDV.

Clerk Jacobson talked with KDV regarding the bids the city had received and they said they would match the bid for $13,950.00 with a 3% increase each year if we do a 3 year contract. Clerk Jacobson agreed to the contract for three years.

The costs for the three years are: 2009 - $13,950.00

2010 - $14,370.00

2011 - $14,800.00

The Council thanked Clerk Jacobson for pursuing this and saving the city money.

The city’s garbage contract will renew in March 2010. Does the Council want to renew the contract with West Central Sanitation or go out for requests for garbage service?

Council will review the Request for Proposal (RFP) at their December meeting.

Council received a list of the 2009 delinquent bills for Todd County.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Olson, to approve to send the delinquent bill list for 2009 to Todd County to be put on the 2010 taxes. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

At the October meeting the Council set a special meeting for November 18, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. to meet with the following organizations regarding the Information Center.

LORA

Chamber

OEDC

VFW

EDA

City

Heritage Center

Council also asked for an estimated cost to move city hall and the police department to the Visitor’s Center. Clerk Jacobson and Chief Gilson will get this information together.

Clerk Jacobson has sent letters to the organizations above regarding the meeting.

The VFW will be renewing their 2 a.m. closing license.

Council discussed adding a fee to the city fee schedule for the 2 a.m. closing license.

Motion by Olson, seconded by Emerson, to approve the 2 A.M. Closing License for the VFW. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

The MN Secretary of State office is offering a grant through the Election Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Grant Program.

This grant can be used for polling places to make them more handicap assessable. The Community Center currently holds three separate voting precincts. Clerk Jacobson will be applying for this grant.

The grant will be for installing of handicap buttons at the Community Center. The total estimated cost is $5,150.00. Clerk Jacobson is hoping the grant covers the total amount, but if it does not, the townships have been informed and the city would ask for their help with the remaining cost because they use the Community Center for a polling place also.

A Resolution was presented by Anderson, seconded by Pederson, to approve the Resolution #2009-18 for support and executing the grant from the MN Secretary of State for new door operators. When put to a vote, the Resolution passed unanimously. Absent: Gulbranson

Council received a letter from Charter for their channel price changes.

It is time again to order soap and bags for the Community Center. In the past, the city has split the cost with the Nutrition Center. The cost of the soap is $148.28 and the garbage bags would be $18.91.

Motion by Olson, seconded by Emerson, to approve to order garbage bags and soap for the Community Center. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

Clerk Jacobson suggested the Council consider if they want the supervisors to attend the council meetings. It would save the city money to not have them in attendance unless the Council needs them.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Olson, to adjourn at 8:25 p.m. All Ayes Absent: Gulbranson

_______________________         ____________________________

Mayor – Keith Emerson                  City Clerk – Angela A. Jacobson