City Council Minutes 10-23-1989MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Monday, October 23, 1989 - 7:00 p.m.
Members Present: Fran Fair, Warren Smith, Ken Maus, Shirley Anderson,
Dan Blonigen
Members Absent: None
2. Approval of minutes.
Motion was made by Shirley Anderson, seconded by Warren Smith to approve
the meeting minutes of October 10, 1989, as presented. Motion carried
unanimously.
3. Citizens coimnents/petitions, requests, and complaints.
Brad and Cindy Fyle requested that Council consider granting them a
conditional use permit that would allow them to operate a tri-plex in an
R-2 zone. After discussion, it was determined that the matter should be
referred to the Planning Comnission for review via the conditional use
permitting process.
Council reviewed a petition submitted by property owners near the Plaza
Car Wash along South Highway 25 requesting the installation of a street
light at the intersection of their private access approach to
Highway 25. Councilmember Blonigen suggested that the City develop a
policy regarding street light installation and that consideration of this
matter should wait until the general City policy is adopted.
Motion made by Dan Blonigen to table issue pending outcome of further
study. Motion seconded by Shirley Anderson. Motion carried unanimously.
Council was informed that the Evergreens subdivision has not proceeded
because the developer had been unable to obtain necessary financing. The
developer requests that the City consider installing a portion or all of
the necessary improvements in assessing the costs back to the developer.
Dan Blonigen noted that this method of financing the development of
residential lots has backfired in the past. Mayor Maus agreed that the
City should not get involved in this project without considerable money
from the developer provided up front, thereby reducing the per lot
assessment which would mitigate the financial risk to the City.
After discussion, motion was made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Dan
Blonigen to table this matter pending development of a specific proposal
for using the assessment process to assist the development of the
Evergreen subdivision. Motion carried unanimously.
4. Public Hearing - Consideration of sanitary sewer extension on Oakwood
s Drive between Chelsea Road and Dundas Road.
t
Mayor Maus opened the public hearing. John Simola explained that the
project was initiated at an earlier Council ineeting at the request of
Lee Parks, who is the owner of the old auction house on the west side of
Oakwood Drive. Simola recomended that upon favorable support from those
1
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
benefiting property owners, the City Council could authorize the City
Engineer to prepare plans and specifications but withhold advertisement
for bids until the project can be incorporated with another utility
project as an alternative to achieve the lowest possible cost. If,
however, an urgent need is present for extension of the sewer utilities,
then Council inay wish to go ahead with the project and not incorporate it
with another City project. This would result in a slightly higher
project cost. Members of the Council noted that one of the benefiting
property owners (Stuart Hoglund) was not present for the public hearing
and were, therefore, concerned that this individual did not support this
project. Fran Fair noted that Council should get Mr. Hoglund's input
prior to making a decision on this matter.
After discussion, motion made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Dan
Blonigen to continue the public hearing and strive to get input from
Stuart Hoglund regarding his level of support for the sanitary sewer
extension on Oakwood Drive between Chelsea Road and Dundas Road. Motion
carried unanimously.
5. Consideration of ordinance amendment to establish garbage/refuse service
charge in accordance with recycling plan.
John Simola explained that the ordinance amendment allows the City to
follow its recycling plan and allows the City full flexibility in
modifying or changing either the rates or the plan without having to
modify the ordinance.
Simola went on to note that the anti-scavaging portion of the ordinance
is necessary to declare legal ownership of the recyclables once they are
placed on the curb. The value of these recyclables offsets the recycling
cost and once set at the curbside becomes the property of the City. Once
they are picked up they become the property of our contractor. This has
not been a significant problem for the City of Monticello, but it has
occurred and Sheriff's deputies have been stymied by no appropriate place
in the ordinance under which they could take action. Typically, the new
ordinance provides for first offense as a petty misdemeanor and repeated
offenses as a misdemeanor.
After discussion, motion made by Fran Fair and seconded by Warren Smith
to adopt the ordinance amendment and to adopt the garbage processing fee
as presented. Motion carried unanimously. SEE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT #182.
6. Consideration of purchase of audio video equipment.
Assistant Administrator O'Neill requested authorization to purchase a
variety of audio video equipment utilized in the Council and Planning
Comission decision making process.
O'Neill outlined the quotes received from Aubols T.V. & Appliance.
7.
0
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
After discussion, motion made by Fran Fair and seconded by Warren Smith
to purchase a VCR, caincorder, equipment table, and inike stand from
Flicker's T.V. & Appliance. Staff to purchase tape recorder from
Flicker's T.V. & Appliance contingent on additional research. Motion
carried unanimously.
Consideration of authorizing purchase of a telephone system for City Hall
and the Maintenance Building.
Administrator Wolfsteller explained that the major purpose for
considering purchasing our telephone system is that currently the City is
spending approximately $100 per month to lease equipment and telephones
within City Hall. By owning our own system, the City should be able to
save approximately this amount of money per month and apply it toward the
purchase of our new state of the art electronic telephone system. In
addition, many features are available with new electronic phone systems
that could benefit City Hall, including options to allow off-site
locations such as the maintenance building the ability to use our metro
phone line and thus save some labor and add efficiency by not having the
public works employees come to City Hall to use the phone. It also
appears that with the new phone system we may be able to eliminate one or
two telephone lines at City Hall by being able to combine phone numbers
and uses and save additional monthly charges for these lines of
approximately $40 per month per line. The potential $140 savings per
month would be sufficient to cover the cost of purchasing our own
equipment if the new system costs $7,500 and is amortized over a five
year life. It is expected that a new phone system would last longer than
5 years when one considers that our present phone system has been in City
Hall for 11 years already. Administrator Wolfsteller requested that
Council authorize staff to acquire systematic cost not to exceed $7,500
to allow installation of an additional metro line estimated at a cost of
$175 per month.
Mayor Maus noted that the features included in the state of the art phone
systems can be utilized to achieve the maximum capacity of the metro
phone line, thereby forestalling the need to install a second metro phone
line. Warren Smith supported continued research on this matter but
suggested that Council decision regarding purchase of this equipment be
delayed until staff has prepared its final recomendation on which system
to purchase.
It was the consensus of Council to table this matter pending development
of a final staff recoiNnendation on which system will suit the City's
needs in the most cost efficient manner.
Consideration of abatement of dangerous buildings.
Building Inspector Gary Anderson noted that there are two residential
structures in the city that are vacant and in an extreme state of
disrepair.
3
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
One property is located on Elin Street across froin the Legion Club. The
other structure is located near the site of the proposed addition to the
Monticello Mall. Both properties have windows and doors that are broken
out and are, of course, accessible to children and rodents. In light of
the recent inurder in the city of Monticello and the inanhunt that
followed, the Wright County Sheriff's Department recommended that at a
minimum the windows and doors should be boarded up. Gary Anderson noted,
however, that the structures are beyond repair. It, therefore, may make
sense to demolish the blighted structures.
Administrator Wolfsteller noted that the City staff will work with the
property owners cooperatively in an effort to get the owners to remove
the structures. Wolfsteller asked Council if staff should take action if
the property owners are unwilling to demolish the structures.
After discussion, motion made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Dan
Blonigen to require that the subject structures be closed by boarding up
the windows and doors; this to be done within the next two weeks.
Furthermore, said structures should be removed by December 1, 1989.
Motion carried unanimously.
9. Consideration of ordering four booster puinp control valves for the water
reservoir.
John Simola explained that the existing check valves in the booster pumps
at the reservoir on Chelsea Road open immediately upon pump start and
slain closed upon pump stop. This causes extreme water hammer and
pressure fluctuation in and about the reservoir, which ultimately could
affect the pressure throughout the city, as well as cause damage. Simola
noted that the City needs to replace these valves with electronically
controlled, hydraulically operated slow opening and slow closing check
valves. In preparation for this purchase, the City requested that OSM
include in the electronic control package for the water system mechanisms
to operate these four new valves at the reservoir. Simola noted that we
have obtained a quote for these units for costs of $2,441 per valve, for
a total cost of $9,764, plus freight.
After discussion, inotion made by Dan Blonigen, seconded by Warren Smith,
to authorize purchase of the four Claval check valves from Northwestern
Power and Equipment Company in St. Paul at a cost of $9,764, plus
freight. Motion carried unanimously.
10. Consideration of approving amendment to labor agreement for additional
groundskeeper maintenance position.
Administrator Wolfsteller explained that during May of 1988, Tom
Schumacher, the City's part-time permanent groundskeeper/building
maintenance person, filed an application to be part of the union
membership for the Local 49. Wolfsteller noted that although the City
staff could not see benefit for this position being added to the labor
agreement, the City has no choice in the matter since the Bureau of
Mediation Services has determined that this position can be part of
4
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
our present labor agreement. Ironically, even if Mr. Shumacher now did
not want to join the union, it is too late and the Local 49 would have to
agree to eliminate this position from the bargaining unit, which would
never happen. The labor agreement proposed is not detrimental to the
City at this point and actually results in a cost savings to the City
even with the addition of extra benefits such as the vacation and
holidays. From staff standpoint, there does not appear to be any benefit
to not approving the labor agreement and returning to the negotiating
table, as it does not appear that we could end up with a better contract
than what is being proposed. Ken Maus noted the need to develop a
non-union workers policy which would allow employees to be under one
personnel policy umbrella. Dan Blonigen noted that, in his view, the
public works employees now part of the union would be better off if the
union had not been established in Monticello.
After discussion, motion made by Fran Fair and seconded by Warren Smith
to approve the proposed amendment to the labor agreement including the
groundskeeper/maintenance position as part of the union. Motion carried
unanimously.
11. Review of engineering data related to the recent overlay project in
Oakwood Industrial Park.
Administrator Wolfsteller explained that at the recent public hearing
concerning the assessment procedures used in the Oakwood Industrial Park
overlay project, some property owners were contending that the City's
intent of assessing half of the overlay was inappropriate because the
project was initially designed as a 9 ton road, and that it was an
engineering problem and should not have been assessed at all. In
response to this position, City Engineer John Badalich prepared a letter
which outlines the events that took place in 1977 and confirms that the
road design originally placed within the Oakwood Industrial Park was
meant to be a 7 ton design and not a 9 ton design. The original
feasibility study for the Oakwood Industrial Park proposed sewer and
water improvements along with storin sewer improvements and a permanent
9 ton road design with curb and gutter. Due to the high cost of the curb
and gutter and storm sewer project, the bituminous paving was originally
eliminated from the project and was intended to only have a gravel road
along Chelsea Road and Thomas Park Drive. After the utility work was
bid, the Council later authorized a change order which did include paving
Chelsea Road to the reservoir site from County Road 117 and a portion of
Thomas Park Drive. This change order was designed as a 7 ton project, as
was the balance of any street construction done within the Oakwood
Industrial Park.
Wolfsteller went on to state that although this inforination is now
presented after the assessment hearing, the Council did request that this
information be researched and provided for review. Although the
assessment roll has been adopted for the project, the Council always has
the option to hold a reassessinent hearing should it find new information
or costs that should have been assessed. Wolfsteller explained that
although Council may have felt that they were treating Mississippi Drive
5
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
residents equal with Oakwood Industrial Park in that both received a 20%
assessinent for their work, it actually turns out now that the Oakwood
properties are paying $1.75 per front foot, whereas Mississippi Drive
residents were charged $4.91 per foot. As you may recall, in discussing
how the Mississippi Drive project should have been assessed, it was
decided that the under drain system and the major street construction
that was necessary should have been placed on ad valorem taxes and that
we can now only charge Mississippi Drive for typical overlay costs. When
this cost turned out to be less than 20% of the project cost, it was
determined that the assessment had to be at least 200. Basically, by
lowering the Oakwood Industrial Park assessment from 50o to 200, Council
in effect has charged for the Industrial Park overlay at less than half
of what the overlay was charged to the Mississippi Drive residents.
Based on the information supplied by John Badalich, there is even
rationale for charging 1000 of the overlay in Oakwood Industrial Park, as
they technically never paid for a 9 ton road and this could have been
considered an improvement rather than an overlay. Finally, Wolfsteller
noted that staff is a little uncomfortable with the policy used in
assessing the overlay for the Industrial Park and that Council will be
looking at an overall assessment policy in the near future. In light of
this, we wanted to make Council aware of the current inequity that
resulted from lowering the Oakwood assessment to 20o and that they now
are paying quite a bit less than Mississippi Drive residents.
Dan Blonigen noted that the original road was designed for 7 ton capacity
and that it was his recollection that when the project was undertaken,
the affected property owners wanted the original 9 ton road reduced to
the 7 ton.
Fran Fair asked Dan Blonigen if he was sure that he had his facts
straight.
Dan Blonigen said "Yes.".
Warren Smith asked "Why do the streets strengths vary in that area?" OSM
Engineer, Dan Kling, noted that the street strength depends on the
thickness of the asphalt combined with the quality of the road base.
Both components of a street may vary throughout the length of the
street. In this situation, portions of the roadway exceed the 7 ton
specification.
Dan Blonigen noted that there is a big difference between the downtown
property owners and the industrial owners in terms of direct benefit
created by improvement projects. It was his view that road improvements
provide a greater direct benefit to industrial users than coimnercial
users and, therefore, roads unproved in the industrial areas should be
financed to a greater degree by the property owners. Blonigen reiterated
that he is opposed to the previously adopted assessment roll which called
for a 20/80 split of the industrial park overlay.
Warren Smith noted that he would like to see efforts made to establish a
policy for street assessments.
0
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
After discussion, motion made by Dan Blonigen and seconded by Shirley
Anderson to call for a reassessment hearing to correct the assessment
formula for Oakwood Industrial Park street construction and to return to
the 50/50 split of project costs as originally agreed upon at the outset
of the project. Voting in favor: Dan Blonigen, Shirley Anderson, Ken
Maus. Opposed: Warren Smith, Fran Fair. SEE RESOLUTION 89-33.
12. Consideration of assigning costs to study feasibility of extending public
improvements to the Marvin Road Highland Heights area and consider
authorizing study contingent on financial contribution by developer.
Assistant Administrator O'Neill explained that George Rivera requested
that City Council direct the City Engineer to complete a feasibility
study which would outline the costs of providing public service to the
properties located along Marvin Road. O'Neill asked Council to review
the feasibility study cost estimate and determine what portion of the
cost should be paid by Rivera and what portion should be paid by the City
based on relative benefit of any improvements in the area. O'Neill
reported that staff recommends that a feasibility study be conducted for
costs not to exceed $3,000 contingent on the developer paying 75% of
initial cost, or $2,250.
After discussion, motion made by Fran Fair and seconded by Shirley
Anderson to direct OSM to complete a service area update and utility
feasibility study for the subject area at a cost not to exceed $3,000
contingent on the developer paying 750 of initial costs, or $2,250.
Motion carried unanimously.
13. Consideration of bills for the month of October.
Motion made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Dan Blonigen to pay the
bills as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
14. Other matters.
Assistant Administrator O'Neill informed Council that the City has been
invited to participate in the Tram 250 Ride Across Minnesota. The
Multiple Sclerosis Society is sponsoring the event in conjunction with
the Celebrate Minnesota Program. It is expected that 1,500 bike riders
from the Upper Midwest will participate in the event. Monticello
participation to consist of providing food, entertainment, and overnight
facilities for the cyclists.
After discussion, motion made by Shirley Anderson and seconded by Warren
Smith to participate in the Tram 250 Ride Across Minnesota and to direct
staff to work with the Chamber of Commerce on this matter. Motion
carried unanimously.
Assistant Administrator O'Neill requested that Council adopt the official
name of the transit system that will begin December 1, 1989. The name
suggested by the Monticello Transportation Advisory Committee is
"Monticello Heartland Express." Council adopted this naive by consensus.
7
Council Minutes - 10/23/89
Administrator Wolfsteller requested that Council establish a date for a
budget workshop and public hearing.
As a result of the discussion, the budget workshop was scheduled for
7:00 p.m., December 4, with the public hearing on the budget scheduled
for 8:00 p.m., December 4.
There being no further discussion, ineeting was adjourned.
Jeff O'Neill
Assistant Administrator
,-1