City Council Minutes 03-11-1985MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
March 11, 1985 - 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Mayor Arve Grimsmo, Fran Fair, Bill Fair,
Jack Maxwell, Dan Blonigen.
1. Call to Order.
2. Approval of Minutes.
Motion was made by Blonigen, seconded by Maxwell, and unanimously
carried to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held February 25,
1985.
4. Consideration of Amending Ordinance No. 10, Chapter 18, Section 5,
(Flood Plain Management).
According to the existing provisions of our ordinance, a residential
basement may be constructed below Regulatory Flood Protection
Elevation as a conditional use if and only if such basements
are flood proofed in accordance with the State Building Code
regulations. The City was recently informed by the Department
of Natural Resources that the Federal Emergency Management Agency
issued new rules this past fall instructing that flood proofed
basements are no longer allowed at all within a flood fringe
area. It was recommended by the DNR that the City amend its
ordinance deleting the conditional use provisions allowing flood
proofed basements below Regulatory Flood Protection Elevations.
If the ordinance was not deleted, the City could be held liable
for any flood damage to the individual's home if it allowed
a basement to be built, and also the City could be cut off from
all disaster relief funds from the federal government.
As a result, motion was made by Bill Fair, seconded by Blonigen,
and unanimously carried to adopt an ordinance amendment deleting
Subdivision 2 from Title 10, Chapter 18, Section 5, of the City's
Zoning Ordinance. See Ordinance Amendment No. 144.
5. Consideration of an Amendment to the Cable Communications Franchise
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At the last regular meeting of the SWC4, Rite Cable Company
submitted a request to increase the a la carte rate of the remote
control device. In the fees established under the original
franchise agreement, Rite Cable listed the charge for a remote
control device to be $2.50 per month. When they put together
cable packages featuring various levels of services, they would
like to use the free remote control as an incentive; and to
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make the package more marketable, they requested that the $2.50
monthly fee be increased to $5.95. This, from a marketing standpoint,
tends to tell the subscriber that he is getting a larger free
service when he enrolls in a package.
Recent federal legislation has deregulated local control of
cable fees on ancillary equipment; and as a result, the local
communities or Cable Commission cannot prohibit Rite Cable from
increasing their rates on such items as the remote control device.
The Cable Commission's attorney recommended that each city do
an ordinance amendment for house cleaning purposes. If all
ten communities in the Cable Commission do not agree to amend
their ordinance, the rate increase requested by Rite Cable cannot
be implemented, but Rite Cable can force the issue under the
Federal Deregulation Legislation.
Councilman Blonigen felt the rate increase was inappropriate
at this time since their initial franchise agreement did indicate
no increases would be allowed for the first 18 months.
After further discussion, a motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded
by Bill Fair, to adopt an ordinance amendment allowing Rite
Cable to increase the remote control monthly fee from $2.50
to $5.95. Voting in favor was Grimsmo, Fran Fair, Bill Fair,
Maxwell. Voting in the opposition: Blonigen. See Ordinance
Amendment No. 145.
6. Consideration of Constructing a Portion of the Sanitary Interceptor
Sewer from Highway 25 to Cedar Street.
City Engineer, John Badalich, reviewed with the City Council
the proposed interceptor sewer alignment that would connect
the existing interceptor sewer at Washington Street with the
City's sewer system at Elm Street. The proposal presented a
couple of alternative routes that could be used west of Highway 25
to Elm Street, but the alignment from Highway 25 easterly to
Washington Street would have to primarily follow the railroad
tracks.
The interceptor sewer proposal was presented primarily at this
time to consider authorizing the City Engineer to prepare plans
and specifications for construction of a portion of the interceptor
sewer near Highway 25 prior to the planned 1986 Highway 25 upgrading.
The first phase recommended by the Engineer would be the construction
of the sewer underneath Highway 25 easterly one block to Cedar
Street. The estimated cost was $100,000.00, and the City could
save approximately $14,000.00 in jacking cost by open cutting
Highway 25 now prior to the highway department's improvements
in 1986.
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Discussion by the Council centered on whether the City should
just install the sewer underneath Highway 25 now and wait until
later to install the sewer underneath Cedar Street and the railroad
tracks. It appeared that additional savings would probably
not be realized by installing the sewer under the railroad tracks
at the present time, and it would be just as cost effective
to include the Cedar Street crossing when the rest of the project
is completed in future years.
As a result of the discussions, motion was made by Blonigen,
seconded by Maxwell, and unanimously carried to authorize the
City Engineer to prepare final plans and specifications for
the construction of the interceptor sewer under Highway 25 only
at this time.
The Engineer noted that plans and specifications should be available
for the next Council meeting for approval and bids are estimated
to be received on Wednesday, April 17, at 2:00 P.M., with the
Council awarding the contract on April 22, 1985.
Since it was determined that the routing of the interceptor
sewer between Washington Street and Highway 25 has been established,
a motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Maxwell, and unanimously
carried to authorize the staff to negotiate easements from property
owners for the interceptor sewer line from approximately Cedar
Street to Washington Street adjacent to the railroad tracks.
7. Consideration of Adoption of Two Resolutions Establishing Deferred
Compensation Plans for Monticello Employees.
At the previous Council meeting, a general consensus of the
Council was given to the establishment of two deferred compensation
plans that would be made available to all City employees to
provide for additional retirement benefits. The deferred compensation
plans would be funded solely from each individual employee's
contributions with no municipal contribution required.
Upon review of the resolutions needed to establish deferred
compensation plans, motion was made by Bill Fair, seconded by
Fran Fair, and unanimously carried to adopt two resolutions
establishing deferred compensation plans through the ICMA Retirement
Trust and Safeco Life Insurance Company. See Resolutions 1985
#3 and 1985 #4.
8. Acknowledgement of Receipt of the Reimbursement Check from the
Sherburne Wright Counties Cable Communications Commission.
At the time the Sherburne Wright Counties Cable Communications
Commission was formally established, every city in the Commission
contributed a proportional share of monies to the Commission
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in order to conduct the franchising process. At the time the
Commission was initiated, each city was guaranteed that they
would receive a reimbursement covering the investment they made
to the Commission and also any City staff time allocated to
the Commission operations.
The City of Monticello initially contributed $2,000.00 to establish
the Cable Commission and Cable Commission Chairman, Tom Eidem,
presented to the Council a reimbursement check from Rite Cable
Company, the successful franchise operator, a check for $4,061.39
representing all of the City's initial investment plus reimbursement
for City staff time.
9. Consideration of Setting a Date for the 1985 Board of Review.
Motion was made by Maxwell, seconded by Bill Fair, and unanimously
carried to set Thursday, May 23, 1985, at 7:00 P.M., as the
date for the Monticello City Board of Review.
10. Consideration of Setting a Public Hearing for Establishing Tax
Increment Finance District.
Construction 5, Inc., is currently in the process of replatting
and developing their property at the east end of Lauring Lane
and Washington Street. The property in question will require
substantial improvements in order to construct a street with
curb and gutter along with City sewer and water services because
of the topographic conditions of the property. The City Engineer
has estimated improvements to cost approximately $390,000.002
which would result in excessively high assessments and make
the project unfeasible.
The HRA has been reviewing this subdivision and recommended
that this area be included in a Tax Increment Financing District
to enable the City to help defray a portion of the improvements
to all affected property owners concerned. The establishment
of a Tax Increment District could reduce the cost of improvements
to the property owners to a more reasonable level, thus allowing
the development to occur.
Motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Maxwell, and unanimously
carried to set March 25, 1985, as the date for a public hearing
to consider the Tax Increment Financing Plan for this area.
11. Miscellaneous.
City Administrator, Tom Eidem, informed the Council that Mr.
Jack Reeves has resigned from the Housing and Redevelopment
Authority. It was noted that the Council will have to officially
appoint a replacement in the near future.
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The City Council was informed that a Fire Department Committee
has been searching for a used equipment van. The Fire Department
indicated that they have found a used Chevrolet Van from the
North Branch, Minnesota Fire Department for $6,000.00 that they
feel would be very acceptable for their needs. As part of the
bond issue for the new Fire Hall, approximately $15,000.00 was
included in the bond sale for the purchase of an equipment van
and related equipment.
Motion was made by Maxwell, seconded by Fran Fair, authorizing
the Fire Department to purchase the used Chevrolet Van from
the North Branch Fire Department contingent upon the vehicle
being thoroughly inspected by a local mechanic prior to purchase.
Voting in favor was Grimsmo, Fran Fair, Bill Fair, Jack Maxwell.
Voting in the opposition: Blonigen.
L/
Rick Wolfstell
Assistant Administrator
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