City Council Minutes 02-08-1988MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Monday, February 8, 1988 - 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Arve Grimsmo, Fran Fair, Bill Fair, Dan Blonigen,
Warren Smith
Members Absent: None.
2. Approval of Minutes.
Motion was made by Bill Fair, seconded by Fran Fair, and unanimously
carried to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held January 25,
1988.
4. Consideration of Request by U.S. Cycling Federation to Hold a Time Trial
Event in Monticello.
Mr. Pete Zarembo, District Representative of the U.S. Cycling Federation,
appeared before the Council to request permission for the Association to
hold a State Time Trial Bicycle Championship in Monticello on June 11,
1988. The event would start at the Pinewood School at approximately
6:00 a.m. and consist of up to 300 bikers who would proceed along a
course from Pinewood on County Road 75 to Clearwater a distance of 12.4
miles and return. Mr. Zarembo noted that the School has agreed to rent
their facility to the Association, and the Association would provide
$1 million worth of liability insurance for the event.
Before the event can proceed, the Wright County Sheriff's Department and
Highway Department are required to issue a permit for the use of the
county road, and a number of concerns were raised by the Sheriff's
Department regarding traffic control and assignment of a deputy to
monitor the event. The Sheriff's Department suggested that at least one
deputy be assigned for the event that would be paid for by the
Association. Councilmember Fran Fair also recommended that as a
condition of the permit, the Association consider the posting of notices
along the route and within Monticello ahead of time that would indicate
when the event would take place.
After further discussions, motion was made by Fran Fair, seconded by Bill
Fair, and unanimously carried to grant approval to the issuance of the
permit for the event provided that .1) insurance coverage is provided in
the amount of $1 million with the City of Monticello as an additional
insured; 2) the Association pays for all costs associated with one deputy
to monitor the event; 3) the Association provide and post notices of the
event throughout the community and along the route.
5. Consideration of Resolution Ordering Improvement and Preparation of Plans
and Specifications on Streetscape Project.
At the January 11 Council meeting, a public hearing was held on the
proposed Downtown Streetscape Improvement Project; and it was the
Council's action at that meeting to table any action on the project
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and directed the Downtown Rehabilitation Committee and City staff to work
with the Planner in an effort to reduce the cost by approximately
one-third.
Mr. Geoff Martin of Dahlgren, Shardlow & Uban, Inc., the City's
Consulting Planner, presented to the Council the revised streetscape
proposal that had been reduced from an estimated cost of $640,000 down to
approximately $405,000, a 37 percent reduction. Mr. Martin noted that
the revised project included the elimination of Blocks 50 and 37 from the
project (Post Office block and Pump -n -Munch block) on the west and
replacing of sidewalks only where needed in Blocks B and D on the east
end. Major reductions in the public parking lots were also recommended
in Block 35, 34, and Block 52 by eliminating medians, some curbing, and
landscaping, etc. The revised plan also will be using exposed aggregate
along the sidewalks in areas that were previously planned to use
interlocking pavers in an effort to reduce the cost substantially.
After Mr. Martin's presentation, 011ie Koropchak, Economic Development
Director, reviewed with the Council the new project cost of $405,000 and
the proposed assessments to the benefiting property owners based on a
20 percent assessment ratio. The project would result in a typical
residential home valued at $62,000 having an increase in taxes of $1.80
per year.
Mayor Grimsmo noted that the two questions that the Council had to
consider were whether to proceed with the project; and if so, what the
assessment formula would be for benefiting property owners. The Council
did open up the meeting for public comment and questions, but asked that
it be limited to new information and not a rehash of the public hearing
comments January 11. Mayor Grimsmo noted that no improvements have taken
place in the downtown area in the past 15 years except for public parking
lot improvements and feels that all of Monticello will benefit from a
project such as this. Councilmember Blonigen felt that if the project
did proceed, a 20 percent assessment ratio was not high enough for the
sidewalk and landscaping improvements. Mr. Blonigen noted that the
City's ordinances currently require property owners to maintain and
replace sidewalks in front of their property and felt that if only
20 percent of the project is assessed to benefiting property owners in
the downtown area, the Council should seriously consider changing its
ordinance for the rest of the city. Based on the proposed assessment,
Mr. Blonigen was opposed to the project as presented. Councilmember Bill
Fair felt the image of the downtown area needed to be upgraded to prevent
further erosion of retail businesses. He noted that the main focus of a
community is normally its downtown area and that the facelift of the
streetscape project should encourage more private development to occur.
Councilmember Fran Fair also felt the project was much needed for
Monticello and that the project has been discussed and considered for a
number of years. Councilmember Warren Smith noted that he had received a
number of comments from the public both pro and con to the project, but
overall felt the project will improve the image of the City of Monticello
and therefore make all residents proud of the city. Mr. Smith noted that
the City has and always will use ad valorem taxes to pay for projects and
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services for the public and that not all people will benefit from each
tax dollar spent. Projects supported by taxes include such facilities as
softball fields, senior citizens centers, and other items that actually
benefit only a few people and that this project should be considered
likewise, a project that should be supported by all the citizens of
Monticello.
After the Council deliberations were completed, motion was made by Fran
Fair, seconded by Bill Fair, to adopt a resolution ordering the
improvement and preparation of plans and specifications on the revised
streetscape project and to propose that a 20 percent assessment formula
be used for benefiting property. Voting in favor was Arve Grimsmo, Fran
Fair, Bill Fair, and Warren Smith. Opposed was Dan Blonigen.
See Resolution 88-4.
6. Consideration of Change Order #1 on 88-1A Deep Well Project.
At the previous Council meeting, a contract was awarded to E.H. Renner
and Sons of Elk River, Minnesota, in the amount of $40,510 for the
construction of a new 14 -inch deep well. Because of the City's desire to
obtain at least 1,000 gallons per minute from the new well, the Public
Works Department had scheduled a gamma scan test of the well site which
would better determine whether the soil conditions could provide this
capacity. Based on the test completed by Minnesota Geophysical, it
appeared that the new well could produce in excess of 1,000 gallons per
minute with a 14 -inch high tech screen; but the currently designed
14 -inch casing would limit the size of the pump that could be installed
in the well. As a result, it was recommended by E.H. Renner, the low
bidder, that the City consider changing to an 18 -inch well with an outer
24 -inch casing that would allow a larger size well pump to be installed.
The additional cost would amount to $7,865 and would require a change
order on the project. The new bid total would amount to $48,375, still
lower than the second bidder on the project.
Motion was made by Bill Fair, seconded by Dan Blonigen, and unanimously
carried to approve Change Order #1 in the amount of $7,865 with E.H.
Renner and Sons enlarging the 14 -inch casing to an 18 -inch well.
7. Consideration of Policy Approval on Survey Requirements.
Section 3-2-C of the Zoning Ordinance pertaining to platted and unplatted
property currently states that any person desiring to improve property
shall submit to the Building Inspector a survey of the property and
information on the location and dimensions of existing and proposed
buildings, location of easements crossing the property, encroachments,
and other information that may be necessary to ensure conformance to city
ordinances. In an effort to clarify for all individuals obtaining a
building permit, the City staff has researched requirements of other
communities and prepared a policy that outlines the requirements that
each certificate of survey must provide.
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It was noted by the City staff that the requirement would not be new,
only a clarification in policy form of the actual requirements. Council
members discussed whether the requirement of a certificate of survey for
a residential building permit would be cost prohibitive; and it was noted
that in most cases a new home builder usually is required to present a
survey for mortgage requirements and that the estimated cost of a typical
certificate of survey would be in the $100 to $200 range. The staff also
noted that a certificate of survey would have eliminated a number of
problems in the past if they had been submitted.
Motion was made by Blonigen, seconded by Bill Fair, and unanimously
carried to approve the policy statement outlining certificate of survey
requirements.
8. Update on East County Road 39 Improvement Project.
Public Works Director, John Simola, informed the Council that the City
staff has been negotiating with Mr. Robert Krautbauer for the purchase of
necessary property for the location of a lift station as part of the East
County Road 39 project. It was the Council consensus to authorize the
City staff to proceed with acquiring the necessary property .for the lift
station in accordance with the design specifications.
Rick Wolfstell
City Administ ator
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