City Council Minutes 07-26-1993MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Monday, July 26, 1993 - 7 p.m.
Members Present: Ken Maus Shirley Anderson, Clint Herbst, Brad Fyle, Patty Olsen
2. Consideration of approval of minutes of the regular meeting held
July 12, 1993.
After correction of a spelling error noted by Councilmember Anderson, a
motion was made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Brad Fyle and
unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the regular meeting held
July 12, 1993 as presented.
3. Citizens comments/petitions, request, and complaints.
The City Council was presented with petitions requesting that the City conduct
an in-house feasibility and cost analysis for possible improvements of the alleys
within the Blocks 34, 35, and 52 in the downtown area. It was noted by the
Public Works Department that the City may have to obtain additional
easements for the alleys if the City was to conduct any improvements outside
of the alley surface but a low cost feasibility study could be prepared outlining
any deficiencies within the alleys and also to cover possible storm sewer
improvements if needed.
Motion was made by Brad Fyle and seconded by Patty Olsen and unaninously
carried to authorize City staff to complete an in-house feasibility study and
cost analysis concerning potential improvements to the alleys within Blocks 34,
35, and 52.
4. Consideration of allowing temporary display of a United Way sign on the
exterior wall of the Chamber of Commerce building.
Mr. Larry Nolan, representing the United Way campaign, requested a permit
to allow the United Way to display a sign on the exterior wall of the Chamber
of Commerce building located on the corner of Highway 25 and Broadway.
Mr. Nolan noted that the sign would be a professionally designed sign and
would be updated to show the level of contributions received from their fund
raising activities.
Motion was made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Clint Herbst and
unanimously carried to grant a permit allowing the display of a temporary
United Way sign to the nonprofit organization on the exterior wall of the
Chamber building for a period of up to 30 days.
Council Minutes - 7/26/93
5. Consideration of renewing 1994 contract for City Assessor.
For the 1993 assessment year, the City hired Mr. Jerry Kramber of Montrose,
Minnesota as the City's Assessor. For the 1994 assessment year, Mr. Kramber
has requested an increase in the compensation from the present $5.25/parcel
to $5.75/parcel. Mr. Kramber requested the additional increase to cover recent
changes in the assessing law which may create additional record keeping
responsibilities for the Assessor and to compensate for the additional time and
labor required to update a second set of field cards and records for the City
files.
In regard to the assessing duties, Councilmembers questioned the number of
parcels that are actually viewed by the City Assessor on an annual basis and
whether the parcels are viewed internally or just from the exterior. Building
Inspector Gary Anderson suggested that the Assessor be required to provide
monthly reports and supply the Certificates of Real Estate Value on a monthly
basis from the County Assessor's office. It was noted by the Administrator
that he did not feel obtaining the Certificates of Real Estate Value would be
a problem and that he has been presented with various reports in the past and
could obtain. monthly reports if desired. In addition, councilmembers felt the
contract for services should require a report on the actual properties inspected
internally compared to the total parcels examined in an assessment year.
After further discussion, a motion was made by Clint Herbst and seconded by
Brad Fyle and unanimously carried to approve renewing an assessing contract
with Mr. Jerry Kramber of Kramber and Associates as the City Assessor for
the year 1994 provided the contract was amended to require: monthly reports
as determined by the Administrator, monthly Certificates of Real Estate Value
provided to the City, and the inclusion of an annual report which would outline
the parcels actually inspected and the number of properties were an internal
inspection was completed.
6. Consideration of adopting resolution approvinga plans and specifications and
authorizing advertisement for bids --Hart Boulevard Storm Sewer.
City Engineer Bret Weiss reviewed with the Council the recently prepared
plans and specifications for construction of a storm sewer outlet from Hart
Boulevard to the Mississippi River. Mr. Weiss noted that the storm sewer
project is now being planned in conjunction with the expansion of the hospital/
clinic facility as the storm sewer would be constructed within the proposed
parking lot expansion for the clinic.
Administrator Wolfsteller noted that the City staff would be investigating
options for financing this improvement and will provide suggestions on
developing a policy that could be applied to this project and other storm. sewer
Page 2
Council Minutes - 7/26/93
projects in regard to assessment for improvements of this nature. A public
hearing will be scheduled for August 23, 1993, for the Hart Boulevard storm
sewer project and a potential cost estimate and assessment role would be
available at that time.
After further review of the plans and specifications, a motion was made by
Brad Fyle and seconded Shirley Anderson and unanimously carried to adopt
a resolution approving the plans and specifications and authorizing
advertisement for bids for the Hart Boulevard storm sewer project.
SEE RESOLUTION 93-25.
7. Review of bids for refurbishment or replacement of second stage digester cover
at the wastewater treatment plant and consideration of award of contract.
Bids for the replacement and/or replacement of the second stage digester cover
were received on Friday, July 23, 1993, as follows:
CONTRACTOR
Moorhead Const.
Robert L. Carr
Lysne Const.
Gridor Const.
NEW COVER BID
$228,432
$189,300
$210,000
$168,600
REFURBISH BID
no bid
no bid
no bid
$169,400
Mr. John Peterson, Project Manager for the City Engineer, reviewed with the
Council the bids that were received and noted that Gridor Construction would
be the low bidder for both the new cover replacement and the refurbishment
of the existing cover. It was noted that although the City could possibly save
$30,000 - $40,000 by refurbishing the existing cover, a new cover would
probably last longer and provide better service to the City in the future and as
such recommended the City consider the new cover. The low bidder, Gridor
Construction, also would deduct $5,000 from their base bid of $173,600 if they
were allowed until June 1, 1994, to complete the project. The reduction would
mainly be due to lower cost for painting the cover during nicer weather.
After further discussion on the bids, a motion was made by Clint Herbst and
seconded by Shirley Anderson and unanimously carried to award the contract
for the digester cover replacement to Gridor Construction Company of
Plymouth in the amount of $168,600 which included a $5,000 deduction for
allowing completion extension until June 1, 1994.
8. Consideration of approval of annual evaluation and planning survey for the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency regarding the sanitary sewer collection
system and wastewater treatment facility.
The City of Monticello along with PSG, Operator of the Wastewater Treatment
Page 3
Council Minutes - 7/26/93
Plant, recently took part in the MPGA planning process for an annual
evaluation and survey. The City and PSG were asked to be part of a pilot
program that the PCA was using to help develop the survey that will become
a requirement for all communities next year. The main purpose of the surveys
in the future will be to hopefully open up communication between the
wastewater treatment plants, city councils, and the MPGA and should
facilitate planning for future needs of wastewater treatment plants.
Public Works Director John Simola reviewed with the Council the annual
report the City and PSG had completed and noted that the PCA was asking for
approval by the City Council to acknowledge that the report had been
reviewed.
Motion was made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Patty Olsen and
unanimously carried to adopt the annual evaluation and planning survey as
drafted and authorize the submittal of the pilot evaluation to the MPGA.
SEE RESOLUTION 93-24.
9. Consideration of advertising in Fall Parade of Homes booklet --Suburban
Northwest Builders Association.
The City was recently contacted by the Elk River Star News which produces
the Suburban Northwest Builders Association Parade of Homes magazine
requesting that the City consider advertising in the magazine. It was the
Council consensus that most of the model homes included in the fall Parade of
Homes would probably be in the Elk River area. They did not see any reason
why the City should at this time consider advertising or promoting the City of
Monticello as a location for new home building.
A motion was made by Clint Herbst and seconded by Shirley Anderson and
was unanimously carried to not authorize advertisement in the fall Parade of
Homes booklet at this time.
10. Approval of bills.
A motion was made by Brad Fyle and seconded by Shirley Anderson and was
unanimously carried to approve the bills for the month of July as presented.
There being no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned.
f -
Rick Wolfsteller
City Administrat r
Page 4