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City Council Minutes 12-13-1999MINUTES REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL Monday, December 13, ] 999 - 7 p.m. Members Present: Roger Carlson, Roger Belsaas, Clint Herbst, Brian Stumpf and Bruce Thielen. Members Absent: None Mayor Belsaas called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and declared a quorum present. ZA. Anuroval of minutes oif the regular meeting of November 22, 1999. GLINT HERBST MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 22, 1999 AS PRESENTED. BRIAN STUMPF SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED WITH ROGER BELSAAS ABSTAINING. __ -~ .. of minutes of the special meeting held,on_December $, 1999. 2B. Annro~ al_-._._ _.. -- -- _-._ ._--- ROGER CARLSON MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF DECEMBER 8, 1999 AS PRESENTED. GLINT HERBST SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED WITH BRIAN STUMFF ABSTAINING. 3. Consideration of adding items to the agenda. Clint Herbst requested that the skating rink at Hillcrest Park be added to the agenda. Rick Wolfsteller requested that the Council discuss setting a meeting date with NSP. 4. Citizens comments/petitions, requests and complaints. None. 5. Consent A enda. A. Consideration of fiend transfers for 1999. Recommendation: Approve the fund transfers for 1999 according to City Administrator's list. B. Consideration of resolution calling for redemption of outstanding G.O. Bonds, Series 1990C, dated 11-1-90. Recommendation: Approve resolution calling for redemption of the outstanding bonds, 1990C Series. C. Consideration of approving final payment on 1998 County Road 118 Utility Improvements Project 98-23C. Recommendation: Approve final payment to C.W. Houle, Inc. in the amount of $9,194.50 on Project 98-23C, 1998 County Road 118 Utility Improvements. 1 Council Minutes - 12/13/99 D. Consideration of authorizing purchase of wheel park fixtures, ramps, jumps, etc. Recommendation: Accept the quotes and award the contract to True Aide Inc. from Duluth in the amount of $24,926.95 for the purpose of constructing and installing wheel park fixtures. E. Review of proposals for emergency generator for Bridge Park Lift Station. Recommendation: Approve the quote submitted by Ziegler Power systems in the amount of $27,421.00 excluding sales tax. F. Consideration of a request for an amendment to a planned Ltnit development within the B-3 Zoning District to allow for an off-site auto sales/storage lot. Applicant: Dave Peterson's Monticello Ford. Recommendation: Approve an amendment to the sign portion of the planned unit development to allow for expansion of the reader board area from 26 square feet to 70 square feet along with a reduction in other sign area square footage by 44 square feet. G. Consideration of granting a special home occupation permit that requires equipment other than customarily found in the home. Applicant: Wayne Weber dba N &W Assembly. Recommendation: Approve Special Home Occupation subject to removal of any exterior storage. H. Consideration of renewing contract with Hoglund Transportation as Monticello Heartland Express service provider. Recommendation: Approve the extension of the contract for Heartland Express bus service with Hoglund Transportation at $29.11 per hour for the year 2000. Consideration of an amendment to the R-1 and R-2 side yard setbacks to permit a six foot setback on the garage side. Applicant: Harold Shermer. Recommendation: To leave the provisions of the zoning code as is regarding side yard setbacks.. Consideration of a request for an amended plat for Parkside to allow the elimination of a pathway in the side yard. Applicant: Harold Shermer. Recommendation: Approve the plat amendment for Parkside eliminating the pathway in the side yard based on the finding that the benefits of the pathway in this location do not outweigh the problems associated with narrow side yard pathways as previously designed. BRIAN STUMPF MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS #SA-#SJ. GLINT HERBST SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 6. Consideration of items removed from the consent a enda for discussion. None 7. Ado tion Hearin -Consideration of resolution ado tin 2000 bud et and tax lev . Rick Wolfsteller explained that this is the second of the required hearings for the 2000 budget and tax levy. The changes that were made after the December 8, 1999 public hearing were Council. Minutes - 12/13/99 reviewed. These changes included the reinstatement of funds for the YMCA and the Community Education funding. Rick Wolfsteller also pointed out a correction to the proposed budget relating to the amount of HACA. Instead of $270,039 the HACA amount should be $272,277. Rick Wolfsteller asked whether the Council wanted to leave the difference in or lower the levy by the difference ($2,738). The consensus of the Council was to leave it in. Mayor Belsaas then opened the public hearing. There was no one present to speak nn the proposed budget and tax levy for the year 2000. Mayor Belsaas then closed the public hearing. GLINT HERBST MOVED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AND THE TAX LEVY FOR THE YEAR 2000 1N THE AMOUNT OF $4,739,325. BRUCE THIELEN SECONDED THE MUTTON. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. (RES. 99-72) 8. Consideration of amendments to employee benefits policy regarding vacation schedules. City Administrator, Rick Wolfsteller explained the purpose of this agenda item. Candidates with work experience are reluctant to start with such low amount of vacation time. The Council discussed this problem and how it could be addressed. Mayor Belsaas suggested that this issue could be dealt with better when the Council had a chance to receive and review the complete employee benefits package. The Council discussed setting up a Personnel Committee to work on this prior to it coming before the Council. Tt was suggested that this matter be tabled but to allow the City Administrator to deal with this on an individual basis until such time as the Council has approved a complete package. Brian Stumpf cautioned that whatever was done should be legally sound. BRUCE "I'I-HELEN MOVED TO TABLE THIS ITEM TO ALLaOW INFORMATION ON EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TO BE COMPILED AND REVIEWED BY A PERSONNEL COMMITTEE WHICH WOULD INCLUDE BRUCE THIELEN AND ROGER BELSAAS AND BRING IT BACK AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING. GLINT T~IERBST SECONDED THE MOTION. MO'T'ION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 9. Consideration of salary schedule adjustments for 2000. The Council felt that this item was also something the Personnel Committee should look at as far as adding the 7`" step and comparisons with salaries in other communities. The Council at this time would deal only with the cost of living adjustments for the pay scale for the year 2000. ROGER CARLSON MOVED TO USE THE CIP INDEX ADJUSTED TO 3% FOR THE SALARY INCREASES FOR THE YEAR 2000 AND HAVE THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE ADDRESS THE OTHER RELATED ISSUES INCLUDING ADDING A SEVENTH STEP TO THE CURRENT GRADE SYSTEM. GLINT HERBST SECONDED 1'HE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3 Council Minutes - 12/13/99 10. Consideration of adopting a membership benefit packawe for community center emplo, The Council discussed a proposal for benefits for the Community Center employees. The benefit package proposed was discussed in the Small Group. Clint Herbst felt it was acceptable that the Community Center employees receive the free pass for the Community Center but he did not feel any benefit should be extended to the employee's family. 1-Ie felt the Council needed to be aware how the public would perceive this. Kitty Baltas explained how other community centers handled it and summarized the discussions the Small Group had on this benefit package. Clint I~erbst indicated that there are residents who can't afford a membership and yet the City is offering this free to employees which he didn't feel was fair. The Council discussed the merits of having employees present at the facility in their non-working hours. .Bruce Thielen suggested that City consider paying 50% of the family rate for the Community Center employees. Kitty Baltos indicated that there may be up to 40 employees at the Community Center. BRUCE THIELEN MOVED THAT ONLY THE FULL-TIME COMMUNITY CENTER EMPLOYEES WOULD RECEIVE THE INDIVIDUAL FREE PASS AND 50% OFF THE FAMILY MEMBERSHIP. BRIAN S`T'L7MPF SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED WITH GLINT HERBST VOTING IN OPPOSITION BECAUSE HE DID NOT FEEL THIS EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SHOULD EXTEND TO THE EMPLOYEE'S FAMILY ESPECIALLY WHEN RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY COULD NO"I' AFFORD THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING A MEMBERSHIP AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. 11. Consideration of adopting an agreement between the City and Ocello, LLC_regarding_ mitigation pond and land exchange. Bret Weiss explained the proposed agreement between the City and Ocello regarding the land exchange. The City is praposing to exchange land the city owns adjacent to the future right-of--way of Chelsea Road. In exchange the City would receive land that is needed for wetland mitigation. Clint Herbst asked about the proposed extension of Chelsea Road and the pond construction and how that would impact the Olson property. Bret Weiss indicated the majority of~the storm water storage would be in the area of wetland mitigation rather than in pond by the Olson property. As far as street access for the Olson property a number of options are being looked at and will be presented in the feasibility report that will be coming before the Council late in .Ianuary. The proposed storage area of the car dealership was also discussed. Bret Weiss indicated the City had met with the County regarding acquisition of approximately a one acre parcel ofright-of--way. Roger Carlson asked about the pond elevation and how it impacted the lots adjacent to the pond. Bret Weiss indicated that the Tats extend to the highwater elevation of the pond. The area between the highwater elevation ar-rd the pand would be left in a natural state. BRUCE ~I`I~IIELEN MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGREEMENT REGARDING THE MITIGATION POND AND LAND EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE CITY OF MONTICELLO AND OCELLO, LLC, CONTINGENT UPON COMPLETION OF AGREEMENT EXHIBITS AND CONTINGENT ON FINAL REVIEW BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY ENGINEER AND STAFF. BRIAN STUMPF SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4 Council Minutes - 12/13/99 r Clint Herbst asked why the skating rink at Hillcrest Park was no longer being flooded. The staff was not aware that it was not being flooded. Bruce "hhielen indicated that it had not been flooded for about three years and he seemed to believe that because rink received limited usage was the reason that it was not flooded. It was felt that it would be better to have fewer rinks and maintain them well rather than having a larger number of rinks. It was suggested that maybe the rink area at Hillcrest Park could be made smaller but at least be flooded. Jeff O'Neill will make this suggestion to the Park Commission. Northern States Power Company has contacted both the Mayor and City Administrator about setting up a meeting sometime in January concerning the personal property tax. While the Council felt somewhat uncomfortable in providing NSF a platform to lobby for their tax position they did feel that this would be an informational opportunity. It was suggested that the City also extend an invitation to the Coalition of Utility Cities. The City Administrator was directed to contact the City of Red Wing regarding their discussions with the utility company. A workshop meeting will be set for 6 p.m. on January 10, ?000. Clint Herbst requested that prior to the appointments being made in January, the staff should contact other area communities as to what various commission members are paid. The Mayor extended holiday greetings to the City staff on behalf of the Mayor and the Council. BRUCE THIELEN MOVED TO PAY THE BILLS FOR DECEMBER. GLINT HERBST SECONDED THE MUTIUN. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. BRt1CE THIELEN MOVED TO ADJOtJRN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING IN THE OLD CITY HALL AT 8:10 P.M. BRIAN STLJMPF SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION CARRIED tNANIMOUSLY. ~~ L_J Recording Secretary