City Council Minutes 02-23-1998
1
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Monday, February 23, 1998 - ? p.m.
Members Present: Bill Fair, Brian Stumpf, Roger Carlson, Bruce Thielen
Members Absent: Clint Herbst
Mayor Bill Fair announced that the City Council met in a closed session at 5:30 to
discuss annexation issues with the City Attorney, after which the meeting was
reopened and the City Engineer presented information an area transportation
improvements.
City Administrator Rick Wolfsteller also noted that the audio equipment was not
working; therefore, the meeting could not be recorded.
2. A r 1 fmin f h r 1 rm in h 1 F r 1
A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRUCE THIELEN AND SECONDED BY ROGER
CARLSON TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD
FEBRUARY 9, 199$, AS WRITTEN. Motion carried unanimously with Clint
Herbst absent.
3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda.
A. Update on small group discussion regarding community center - no
action taken.
4. 'i n cmmn itin r t n ml int.
None.
5. Consent agenda.
Councilmember Bruce Thielen requested that item 5D be removed from the
consent agenda for discussion.
u
A. i r f Li n 1 m lin li n r n k' B
and Joyner Lanes. Recommendation: Adopt a resolution approving
the Lions Club application for gambling license renewal at Joyner
Lanes and Hawk's Sports Bar. SEE RESOLUTION 98-5.
Page 1
Council Minutes - 2/23/98
B. Consider t~ ion of renewing membershi~_in_ conomic Develonmen~
Partnership of Wright County. Recommendation: Approve
continued membership in the Economic Development Partnership of
Wright County at a cost of $1,004.50 as invoiced with the Chamber of
Commerce responsible for the $500 balance of the membership dues.
C. i r r m n
and authorize adYer~ising for Parks Superintendent.
Recommendation: Approve the reorganization of the public works
department by splitting the park and street departments and
authorize advertising for the position of Parks Superintendent.
D. Consideration of approving creation of Gom~y Development
Administrative .~~s$tant ~ i i n. Removed from the consent agenda
for discussion.
E. r li ili limi f r
renewals. Recommendation: Formally indicate that the City of
Monticello does not waive the monetary limits on tort liability
established by Minnesota Statute ~~
F. i fr n 1B r f i
Wright County Assessor. Recommendation: Confirm the Board of
Review date as May 6, 1998, at 7 p.m.
G. i r n M n i 11 liz i n F
(DMRF) Guidelines. Recommendation: Approve modifications
I and II of the Downtown Monticello Revitalization Fund Guidelines as
recommended by the EDA.
H, i i n f r 'n m lip i n --
County Ducks Unlimited. Recommendation: Adapt a resolution
approving the gambling license application for the Wright County
Ducks Unlimited. SEE RESOLUTION 98-6.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY ROGER CARLSON AND SECONDED BY BRIAN
STUMPF TO APPROVE ITEMS 5A, 5B, 5C, 5E, 5F, 5G, AND 5H OF THE CONSENT
AGENDA AS RECOMMENDED. Motion carried unanimously with Clint Herbst
absent.
~~
Page 2
Council Minutes - 2/23/98
6. ni i frm h n fr '
5D. ni r in f r in f mm D 1 mn
Administrative As~istam~p i iQn.
Councilmember Bruce Thielen requested information on how the new
position would fit into the current organizational structure.
City Administrator Rick Wolfsteller reported that the responsibilities
of the Development Services Technician had expanded, and staff felt it
was appropriate to retitle the position to Community Development
Administrative Assistant. Although many of the same duties would
remain with the Administrative Assistant, this position would also be
responsible for city participation in special projects and community
events and would be more heavily involved in the Parks Commission.
Therefore, some of the current DST duties would be assigned to a new
position entitled Community Development Secretary.
Councilmember Bruce Thielen suggested that the City form a
personnel committee to address personnel and organizational
structure issues.
AFTER DISCUSSION, A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRUCE THIELEN AND
SECONDED BY ROGER CARLSON TO AUTHORIZE THE CREATION OF
THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
POSITION AS PROPOSED. Voting in favor: Bruce Thielen, Roger
Carlson, Bill Fair. Opposed: Brian Stumpf. Absent: Clint Herbst.
Motion carried.
A MOTTON WAS MADE BY BRUCE THIELEN TO ESTABLISH A
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE TNPUT ON PERFORMANCE
APPRAISALS, ORGANTZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AND OTHER ITEMS
DEEMED NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE BY STAFF. Motion died for
lack of a second.
No other action was taken at this time.
7. n I n fill x - Al D
Mr. Al Deruyter updated the Council on the status of the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency and County Board actions to date regarding the
proposed expansion of the Superior Landfill and requested that Council
consider voicing their opposition to the Wright County Commissioners.
Page 3
Council Minutes - 2/23/98
Public Works Director Jahn Simola also noted his concern regarding the size
of the proposed expansion and recommended that the Council ask the County
Commissioners to oppose such a large expansion.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to direct staff to draft a
letter specifying the City's concerns regarding the landfill expansion for
review at the special meeting scheduled for Monday, March 2, at 7 p.m.
8. Consideration of revieYving School Boulevard traffi~_st~zdy.
Mr. Chuck Rickert of WSB & Associates briefly reviewed the School
Boulevard Traffic Study, which included School Boulevard from Highway 25
to County Road 118. The purpose of the study was to determine the
operational characteristics of the roadway, including what recommendations
and/or improvements were required to safely and efficiently accommodate
vehicular and pedestrian traffic on School Boulevard. The study included
review of existing conditions, development of future year traffic projections,
and roadway and traffic control analyses.
City Administrator Rick Wolfsteller added that the Police Commission
reviewed the traffic study and recommended that it be forwarded to the
Council for consideration. He noted that, although there was still mixed
opinion as to the conclusions presented in the report regarding stop signs
along School Boulevard, the Police Commission did support the
recommendations as noted with the understanding that traffic patterns
would be reviewed in five years to see if the new high school traffic
warranted any other improvements.
AFTER DISCUSSION, A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRUCE THIELEN AND
SECONDED BY ROGER CARLSON TO ACCEPT THE SCHOOL BOULEVARD
TRAFFIC STUDY AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS FOLLOWS:
REVISE THE INTERSECTION TRAFFIC CONTROL AT OAKWOOD DRIVE
TO STOP OAKWOOD DRIVE, ALLOWING SCHOOL BOULEVARD TO BE
THE THROUGH STREET.
2. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL POLICE ENFORCEMENT DURING SCHOOL
START AND END TIMES TO HELP REDUCE THE SPEED DURING THESE
TIMES.
3. RAISE THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING SIGN AT THE MID-BLOCK
CROSSWALK TO MEET THE 7-FT MINIMUM HEIGHT REQUIREMENT.
4. ADD AN ADDITIONAL CROSSWALK AT AMID-BLOCK LOCATION
BETWEEN EIDER LANE AND PELICAN LANE IF NEEDED.
Page 4
Council Minutes - 2/23/98
5. ADD "STOP AHEAD" SIGNS APPROACHING COUNTY ROAD 11$.
6. REVIEW THE INTERSECTION OPERATION IN THE NEXT FNE YEARS
TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL LANES MAY BE NEEDED AT THE
INTERSECTION OF OAKWOOD DRIVE AND FALCON AVENUE.
MOTION ALSO INCLUDED DIRECTING STAFF TO FORWARD A COPY OF THE
STUDY TO THE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WITH THE
REQUEST THAT THEY REVIEW THE TRAFFIC COUNTS ON COUNTY ROAD 117
FOR POSSIBLE CHANGING OF STOP SIGNS AT COUNTY ROAD 117 AND
SCHOOL BQULEVARD. Voting in favor: Bruce Thielen, Roger Carlson, Bill
Fair. Absent: Clint Herbst. Opposed: Brian Stumpf. It was
Councilmember Stumpf's view that the stop signs at County Road 117 and
School Boulevard should be reviewed at the time the Oakwood Drive cul-de-
sac is completed. Motion carried.
9. n i r i n f r n win n r wi h rior f r r i
~~•
Public Works Director John Simola reported that Superior Services has
requested that the curbside recycling contract be renewed for two years
rather than three years, which would result in the contract expiring at the
same time as the garbage hauling contract with Superior Services. If the
two-year contract is approved, the contract would increase 5% for both
individual and apartment pickup.
Simola also noted that Superior was concerned about the scanners the
recyclers must use to account for recycling credits and would prefer to use a
route sheet similar to that used for garbage pickup. Staff has worked with
Superior Services to establish a route sheet with bar codes that could be
scanned in the office rather than with hand-held scanners in the field. He
reported that if the new in-office scanning system could not be accomplished
by June 1, 1998, Superior Services would raise their price For individual
homes to $2 per month, which would increase the contract by $8,568 per
year.
AFTER DISCUSSION, A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRIAN STUMPF AND
SECONDED BY ROGER CARLSON TO APPROVE A NEW TWO-YEAR CONTRACT
WITH SUPERIOR SERVICES BASED UPON A 5% INCREASE ON BOTH
APARTMENTS AND SINGLE FAMILY, AND AN INCREASE IN SINGLE FAMILY
TO $2 PER MQNTH IF IN-OFFICE SCANNING IS NOT COMPLETED BY JUNE 1,
1998. Motion carried unanimously with Clint Herbst absent.
Page 5
Council Minutes - 2/23/98
10. i r i fln- 1 f li f In n l m f
irx~gation system.
Public Works Director John Simola reported that the current irrigation
system at the biosolids site (Bohanon farm) would need to be upgraded in the
near future, which was estimated to cost $35,000. In addition, the well
upgrade would cost an additional $6,000 to $8,000. The current renter,
Ewing Farms, proposed to upgrade the irrigatian system to astate-of--the-art
irrigation unit valued at $53,169 and increase the rent paid from $1DD per
acre to $140 per acre for a total of eight years, during which time the City
would receive approximately $99,000 in rent and at the end of the lease
would own the irrigation equipment.
AFTER DISCUSSION, A MOTION WAS MADE BY BILL FAIR AND SECONDED
BY ROGER CARLSON TO ENTER INTO AN 8-YEAR LEASE WITH EWING
FARMS, UPGRADE THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, INCREASE THE RENT TO $140
PER ACRE, AND UPGRADE THE WELL. Motion carried unanimously with
Clint Herbst absent.
11, n i n r n h Y r- DA Fin m n
A ivi rt n 1 Pr B t.
Economic Development Director Ollie Koropchak reported that the EDA
approved the year-end reports and budget at their annual meeting on
February 17, and all Greater Monticello Enterprise Fund (GMEF) loan
paybacks are current. She also noted that the EDA met their objective of
becoming self-supporting in 1997 and 1998.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY ROGER CARLSON AND SECONDED BY BRIAN
STUMPF TO ACCEPT THE EDA BALANCE SHEET; STATEMENT OF REVENUES,
EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE; 1998 CASH FLOW
PROJECTIONS; AND ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT AS PRESENTED. Motion
carried unanimously with Clint Herbst absent.
12. i r i f ill r h l h 1 fF r 1
A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRIAN STUMPF AND SECONDED BY ROGER
CARLSON TO APPROVE THE BILLS FOR THE LAST HALF OF FEBRUARY 199$
AS PRESENTED. Motion carried unanimously with Clint Herbst absent.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY BRIAN STUMPF AND SECONDED BY ROGER CARLSON TO
ADJOURN THE MEETING. Motion carried unanimously with Clint Herbst absent.
~~
G
Karen oty
Office Manager
Page 6