Present: Gulbranson, Anderson, Emerson

Absent: Pederson, Olson

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

Pledge of Allegiance was spoken.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Gulbranson, to approve the agenda with the addition of Kathy Edenloff – Scenic Road, Semi-Truck parking in the Industrial Park. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Gulbranson, to approve consent items, including May City bills in the amount of $205,386.11, meeting minutes from May 4, 2009 and May 20, 2009. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

Pete Erickson was in attendance.

Mark Pomerleau was in attendance.

Pomerleau informed the Council about the accident with the fire truck. Elrosa and Brandon are interested in purchasing the truck. Both will have sealed bids. The sealed bids will include figures for the truck as is or with repairs.

Pomerleau informed the Council regarding the FEMA Grant. The grant was a partnership with Douglas County for new radios.

Mark Gilson was in attendance.

Council received the May Police report.

Gilson informed the Council that crime was up for the month of May. The increase was 8.5% from 2008 and 15% from 2007.

The Police Department will be running a promotion for safe bicycle riding. Certificates will be given to Tip Top Dairy Bar for a free ice cream cone.

The $500 grant for seatbelt safety was used last week.

The grant from Centerpoint Energy was presented for traffic vests.

Mike McLaughlin was in attendance from CenterPoint Energy to award the city with a $1,000 grant for vests for the Police and Fire Departments.

This is a community partnership grant to purchase safety equipment.

McLaughlin presented the $1,000 Safety Traffic Grant to Police Chief Mark Gilson and Fire Chief Mark Pomerleau.

Ron Kleinschmidt was in attendance.

Council received the May Public Works report.

At the May meeting, the Council wanted to see a cost breakdown for the Liquor Store’s revenue and expenses.

Council received a spreadsheet regarding Liquor Store sales. The first shows the total revenue and expense for both the off and on sale for the last three years. The Council will receive at the July Council meeting, a spreadsheet that shows the breakdown of the costs associated with on sale versus off sale to see where the revenue has been coming from for the last three years.

Joe Ketelboeter will review the spreadsheets.

Brian Hiles was in attendance to update the Council regarding the water plant feasibility study. Rural Development will receive the plans next week to see about funding they will contribute. This report will be presented to the Council at the July meeting.

Brian Hiles updated the Council on the progress of the project.

Mark Lee Excavating cut out areas that were breaking up on 1st Avenue East. This was caused because the class 5 was rutted, and there was less than two inches of asphalt. Hiles stated that the school project should not have a big effect on the road. Most heavy hauling will be done before the final wear course.

Arlene from the Trailblazers Saddle Club was in attendance to discuss the assessment for this property. The total assessments are $12,932.58.

Council received a section from the Special Assessment Guide from the League of MN Cities regarding undeveloped property.

Council also received a special assessment policy from West Concord. The last page references the deferred assessment for unimproved properties. Two guidelines regarding an assessment to be differed are as follows:

1. Special assessment must be greater than $3,000.
2. Land is unimproved property, five acres or more.

Council must define unimproved property.

Other questions regarding this issue included:

1. How does this affect other empty lots that have been assessed?
2. Should there also be an income requirement?

Council received a copy of an email that Clerk Jacobson received from the Clerk of the City of Cohasset regarding deferring assessments and her caution on deferring the assessments.

The property in question is 1.67 acres, and the 2009 assessments payable are $1,437.00. The property taxes are $367.00 for 2009.

Clerk Jacobson will check into the wordage to add undeveloped property to the assessment policy.

Dave Carlson was in attendance regarding the parking lot and road behind the Galeon.

Carlson stated the Galeon has 140 employees. He would like to have class 5 hauled into the parking lot to improve the conditions for the employees.

Russ Sandbakken and Ron Kleinschmidt will look at the road.

Council met on May 20, 2009, to discuss moving the clerks to the information center. Council received the meeting minutes from May 20, 2009.

Council stated they would like to see the costs associated with the move and also to set up time for the whole council and city staff to go look at the center to see if it will work to move to the information center location.

Phil Reed was in attendance. Reed informed the Council that L.O.R.A. will give $1,500 for staffing the information center. Ashley Schultz has been working in the center. Schultz works from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 7 days a week. She is tracking the people that come into the information center and the purpose for their visit.

Clerk Jacobson will check on the space for all the city employees to move to the information center. Clerk Jacobson will have this information for the July Council meeting.

Clean Up Day was held on May 16, 2009.

Thank you to the Lions, STS, and Council members for making it a success.

Total money collected was $1,685.00. Expenses included pop and cookies for $40.83, and city staff time of $220.20. This brings the total to $1,423.97.

Council received a letter from West Central Sanitation regarding the amount of garbage dumped for Clean Up Day:

Refuse – 18.8 tons

Yard waste – 6.88 tons

TV/Computers – 33

Tires – 17

4 – 50 yard rolloffs of metal

Council received a list of transfers.

$52,150.00 from 900 fund to 100 fund $1,000.00 from 100 fund to 800 fund

$5,195.00 from 400 fund to 100 fund

$5,500.00 from 800 fund to 100 fund

$2,000.00 from 320 fund to 100 fund

$2,000.00 form 450 fund to 100 fund

Total is $66,845.00

Motion by Emerson, seconded by Anderson, to approve the transfers of the items as indicated above. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

The Immaculate Conception Church is requesting a one day gambling license for September 8, 2009.

A Resolution was presented by Anderson, seconded by Emerson, to approve the one day gambling license for the Immaculate Conception Church for September 8, 2009. When put to a vote, the Resolution passed unanimously. Absent: Pederson, Olson

Clerk Jacobson reported that we currently have $2,900.00 for fireworks. $5,000.00 will be need for the cost of the fireworks.

The VFW raffle for the fireworks is going well. The drawing will be on June 26, 2009, for the prizes.

The Osakis Country Club has been sent the lease agreement to sign.

Council received the minutes from the May 21, 2009 Planning and Zoning meeting.

Carol Marthaler had her property surveyed by the Lion’s Park and the pine trees and parking lot are over her property line and the bath house is on the property line. Marthaler would like to trade this land with the City to resolve this issue.

The cost to write up a new legal description will be $700 to $900.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Emerson, to approve the May 21, 2009 minutes. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Gulbranson, to approve the trade of land with Carol Marthaler and that the City will cover the cost for the survey and legal description changes. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

At the May Council meeting the Council discussed having a workshop with Traci Ryan regarding where the City is financially and if they can afford the water plant and other future projects. After the May Council meeting, Ryan indicated that the cost of this workshop would be $1,500.00.

Council agreed to see how the feasibility of the water plant is and will see if they want to have the workshop with Ryan.

OWA is asking the Council’s permission to allow camping in Park Osagi for the festival weekend of June 26, 2009, and June 27, 2009. OWA is also asking to block Lake Street from 6th Avenue East to 7th Avenue East for the evening for the waterfights.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Emerson, to approve to allow camping in Park Osagi for the weekend of June 26, 2009 and June 27, 2009, and to block Lake Street for the waterfights. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

Kathy Edenloff was in attendance asking the Council to approve the Scenic Road route for Osakis.

Edenloff presented the Council with a map of the route.

The scenic road would start at Cty Rd 3 & Hwy 127, go down Cty Rd 3 to Hwy 27, then turn left on Hwy 27 to Central Avenue, then turn right on Central Avenue to Lake Street, then turn right on Lake Street all the way to the city limits.

Motion by Emerson, seconded by Anderson, to approve the map for the Scenic Road route for Osakis. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

There are some concerns regarding where to park semi trailers. It was brought up that the semi trailers could park in the Industrial Park. Gilson does not have a problem with this.

Lodging Tax – Request from L.O.R.A. what the lodging tax that the City collects is used for. What can Lodging Tax be allowed to be spent on?

Council received a letter from FEMA regarding a flood insurance map for Douglas County.

Council received a brochure from the League of MN Cities regarding the annual conference in June.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Gulbranson, to adjourn at 8:35 p.m. All Ayes. Absent: Pederson, Olson

_______________________                         ____________________________

Mayor – Keith Emerson                                  City Clerk – Angela A. Jacobson