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City Council Minutes 11-12-2002 SpecialMINUTES SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 5:30 p.m. Members Present: Roger Belsaas, Roger Carlson, Clint Herbst, Brian Stumpf and Bruce Thielen. Members Absent: None. 1. Call to Order. Mayor Belsaas called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Canvass of 2002 Election. The Council canvassed the results of the 2002 municipal election. Based on the election results, Bruce Thielen was elected to the position of Mayor, a two year term, and Brian Stumpf and Glen Posusta were elected to the Council for a four year term. BRUCE THIELEN MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2002-71 CANVASSING THE ELECTION RESULTS OF NOVEMBER 5, 2002 AND DECLARING BRUCE THIELEN TO BE ELECTED AS MAYOR AND BRIAN STUMPF AND GLEN POSUSTA TO BE ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. CLINT HERBST SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m. Recording Secretary 1 MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL November 12, 2002 - 5:45 p.m. Members Present: Roger Belsaas, Roger Carlson, Clint Herbst, Brian Stumpf and Bruce Thielen. Members Absent: None. I. Call to Order. Mayor Belsaas called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m. and declared a quorum present. 2. Review of 2003 budget and tax levy. City Administrator, Rick Wolfsteller provided the background information on the proposed 2003 budget. At a previous budget workshop, the Council asked that staff investigate the cost of leasing equipment or contracting the work out instead of purchasing the equipment. Public Works Director, John Simola submitted costs for leasing equipment. His preliminary findings indicated that if the City was replacing a piece of equipment then it was more cost effective to purchase rather than lease. Bruce Thielen stated he didn't have a problem with the purchase of a new loader. He was more concerned about the City keeping the old loader. He felt the old loader should be traded in. John Simola felt the trade in value on the loader would be approximately $30,000. Bruce Thielen stated he had reservations about adding an additional vehicle to the fleet and questioned how much use the old loader would see. John Simola responded that the City will have to haul snow off CSAH 75 and they would be utilizing the loader for that. John Simola felt the old loader should be kept for a full season to see how much it is used. After that point a determination could be made whether the piece of equipment should be kept or traded in. There was some discussion on the trade in amount and whether the levy should be reduced by the trade in amount or if the $30,000 should remain in the budget. Then if it was necessary to lease equipment or contract work out the $30,000 could be used for that. The consensus of the Council was to acquire the new loader, keep the old loader for this season and leave the $30,000 estimated trade in amount in the 2003 budget. Public Works was also proposing to acquire a bucket truck. Again the cost of leasing the equipment was checked into. John Simola stated that it would be more expensive leasing this equipment because the City would have to send two people to pick up the equipment. Bruce Thielen questioned the 600 hours of estimated use for the bucket truck. John Simola stated that presently the bucket truck is also used every day as a vehicle. The current bucket truck is an used vehicle and the City is looking to get another used one at an estimated cost of $24,000. Rick Wolfsteller reconfirmed with the Council that the proposed 2003 tax levy will be $6,782,018 which is $283,939 more dollars than last year or approximately a 4.37% increase. The amount being proposed is the maximum amount the City may levy. ( Special Meeting Minutes - 11 / 12/02 Rick Wolfsteller pointed out that the City is looking at a number of infrastructure needs such as the Fallon Avenue Bridge, the CR 18 interchange and 7"' Street extension. While these projects have been discussed no money has been set aside for them and the Council should consider how they propose to fund these projects. Roger Belsaas questioned whether there would be some state and federal money available for these projects in addition to the portion of the cost the City could assess. There is approximately $1.1 million in the street reconstruction fund and it was discussed whether any of these funds should be utilized for any projects other than the core streets. Bruce Thielen questioned why the cost estimates for the reconstruction of the core streets were so high since the City is basically looking at repaving of existing streets and not extensive utility work. John Simola informed the Council that there is approximately 30 miles of streets and the normal life of a street is 20-25 years. Bruce Thielen talked about some of the improvements in paving techniques and felt that utilizing these techniques might result in lower costs for the City. John Simola pointed out that the cost per street will vary depending on whether the City has to widen the street and add curb and gutter or if just resurfacing the street. He added that on many of the streets the catch basins need to be replaced and probably about 20% of the curb and gutter will need replacing. The first phase of the street reconstruction project will begin in 2003 although it has not been determined yet which streets will be reconstructed. Bruce Thielen also raised the question of establishing a storm water utility. John Simola stated the storm sewer system is getting old and the City is facing new requirements for storm water runoff that will be more costly for the City. It was noted that the League of Minnesota Cities had suggested a storm water utility has a possible funding mechanism for the storm water improvements. The Council discussed the Deputy Registrar's office and whether the space should be expanded. At the present time the building is occupied by the Deputy Registrar's office, the food shelf and the Christian Social Services has a portion for clothing. The main concern is that the lobby space for the Deputy Registrar's space is small and there have been occasions when people have had to stand outside because there was insufficient space in the lobby. Clint Herbst asked about the Teen Center at the MCC and how extensively that space was used. Kitty Baltos informed the Council that at peak times it runs between 500-600 a month and at slower times it is 350-400 users a month. In addition that space is also used rental space. If the space was utilized for the Deputy Registrar the MCC would be losing rental revenue. Clint Herbst felt that it would be practical for the Deputy Registrar to be located in the City Hall. Rick Wolfsteller stated that no serious study has been done as far as cost estimates for expansion at the existing facility nor had the Christian Social Services been contacted regarding their future needs for space. Clint Herbst suggested that the City, since they had to look at the library site anyway, might want to consider including the Deputy Registrar's office at that site. Clint Herbst felt that before the $25,000 budgeted for the Deputy Registrar's office was spent on expanding at their present site, some of those funds should be used to study the library site and whether it could be utilized for the Deputy Registrar's office as well. There was some discussion on the condition of the building housing the Deputy Registrar's office. John Simola informed the Council that the Lions had volunteered to paint the building at one time but because 2 (� Special Meeting Minutes - 11/12/02 there were repairs needed to the block work, the painting was not done. John Simola had gotten a cost estimate for the block work repair which was $12,000 and $10,000 for an elastic coat similar to that on the Public Works building. Rick Wolfsteller indicated that he would like to do further study on what it would cost to expand the existing site an additional 10 feet and what other options are available. The Council determined to leave the $25,000 in the budget. The Council discussed the $1,000 budgeted for employee social events. The Council stated that the funding for these social events were part of the overall employee benefits package and the Council was agreeable to the amount budgeted. John Simola reported that the Public Works Department had opened bids for the sale of the 1985 International plow truck. The high bid was submitted by the City of Maple Lake for $14,995. Since this was part of the budget, John Simola asked for the Council's direction. The consensus of the Council was that the truck be sold to the City of Maple Lake. Rick Wolfsteller reminded the Council that the Truth in Taxation hearing is scheduled for December 4, 2002 at 5 p.m. He pointed out that even if the City had a plan for financing the CR 18 interchange, Fallon Avenue bridge and other infrastructure needs, the City could not levy any more than what they are proposing. It was also pointed out that the proposed levy amount did include costs for an upcoming bond sale. 3. Adjourn. The budget workshop adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Recording Secretary