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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] Minutes August 1, 2013 Page 1 of 6 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the St. Joseph City Council met in regular session on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the St. Joseph City hall, opening the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Members Present: Mayor Richard Schultz, Councilors Dale Wick, Renee Symanietz, Steve Frank and City Administrator Judy Weyrens City Representatives Present: Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Police Chief Peter Jansky/Joel Klein, City Engineer Randy Sabart, and Public Works Director Terry Thene Others Present: Frank Osendorf, Paul Walgren, Loretta Steckelberg, John Steckelberg Oath of Office: The Oath of Office was given by Weyrens to Police Chief Joel Klein. Klein thanked the Council and City. PUBLIC COMMENTS th Frank Osendorf, 615 7 Ave NE, approached the council stating that he thought the coversheet was very informative. He wondered whether anyone had contacted the Sheriff’s office for their input on CR 13 in Melrose. He does support the ordinance. He and Tom will be meeting with the county commissioners to work out the county roads issues. Paul Walgren, 1007 Callaway St, approached the Council regarding the upgrade to the asphalt. He was told, can’t remember by whom, that his neighbor who has his asphalt tailored down to the street, was grandfathered in. He was curious as to how it is decided who is grandfathered in and who is not. th Loretta Steckelberg, 301 11 Ave SE, approached the Council asking when a response will be given regarding the homeowners who are questioning the compliance with the ordinance regarding parking pad and easements. Her concern was regarding class 5 gravel and whether the homeowners who have class 5 gravel will be grandfathered in or not. Her second concern was regarding the digital billboard off of 75 heading east towards St. Cloud. She was traveling towards St. Cloud around 10 PM on 7/30/13 and is concerned that will cause accidents because it is too bright. There are multiple flashes of lights as you drive through and she thought that there was an accident. She questions the height of the billboard; stating that the billboard is very low to the ground. She states that in St. Cloud they have digital boards as well but they are elevated above. She adds that it is in the middle of darkness as there are no city lights around. She believes the billboard is within the city limits of St. Joe. th John Steckelberg, 301 11 Ave SE, approached the Council regarding a letter he received about weeds being too big for their lawn. He would like to point out that by the stop sign as you come in across from Coborns, there is trimming that needs to be addressed. He is present to hear about the ordinances, but also states that there seems to be inconsistencies surrounding the enforcement of the laws. Responses to Public Comments: Regarding CR13 in Melrose, Weyrens did contact the sheriff’s office because the Highway Department is responsible for granting variances or deviations. She also contacted the County Engineer regarding the golf carts and found that there have been no permissions granted. Frank questions the Council regarding the ordinance and the time limit of 8:00PM on the ordinance. He added that codes and ordinances change all the time. Wick made a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Approval of the Agenda: Schultz with the following revisions; seconded by Symanietz  Schultz moved to have the general budget discussion moved to the end.  Weyrens added 6(c). Park Terrace and 6(d). The Wastewater Plant Upgrade Frank made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows. The motion was Consent Agenda: seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously . a. Minutes – Approved the minutes of June 17 and July 9, 2013 b. Bills payable – Approved check numbers 046823 - 046867 and payroll EFT #000829 - 000833 August 1, 2013 Page 2 of 6 st c. Road Closure – Approved the closure of a portion of MN Street between 1 Ave E/W and College Avenue N on September 29, 2013 for the Millstream Arts Festival. City Engineer/Public Works Director Reports Agency Agreement: Sabart presented the Council with a MnDOT Agency Agreement that must be executed for use of federal funds. The City was recently awarded funding for phase II of the western trail extension along West Minnesota Street. The funding will not be available until 2015; however MnDOT is Symanietz made a motion authorizing the Mayor and requesting execution of the agency agreement. Administrator to execute resolution 2013-030 providing for execution of the MnDOT Agency Agreement. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. 2013 Crack Filling: Thene reported that staff is recommending expending $30,000.00 out of the $40,000.00 CIP for crack filling throughout the city. It would cover north of 75, Northland Heights, through th the south end of 4. Frank asked whether the project will be done before the cold weather. Thene stated that as soon as the project is approved by the council, the project would be started. Wick made a motion to authorize the 2013 Crack Filling with a budget of $ 30,000. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Discussion: Schultz questioned if the repairs will be catching the city up on street repairs. Thene stated that although the plan looks sporadic, the repairs are part of a plan in place to catch up the City on street repairs. 2014 Park Terrace Improvement: Sabart followed up on previous discussions regarding updating the feasibility report on the Park Terrace project. Since the original feasibility report for the proposed improvements was completed in 2011, the report should be updated before the Council considers Loso made a motionauthorizing the Mayor and Administrator to conducting a public hearing. execute resolution 2013-029, Ordering Preparation of Report on Improvement for the proposed Park Terrace Improvements. The motion was seconded by Frank. Wastewater Plant Update: Weyrens reported on the financing and rate structure of the wastewater plant project. The increases in utility rates will cover the lift station project and the St. Cloud costs as well. The next step would be approval of ordering plans which would be needed to continue the 2013 Bond Issue. It is anticipated that the sewer project will be reduced to 1.8 M. Frank commented on paving most of the road leading up to the lift station. Frank also commented on the bypass pump and whether it was necessary being there is a pump readily available in Waite Park at no charge. Thene stated the pump would provide backup in case there is a generator failure which would pump it into the existing tanks, preventing a spill. He stated that he could work out a deal with C&L to see if the City can have their pump on standby. Weyrens asked whether the RV dump site was being used. Thene stated that he has not seen many people out there but had talked to other who said that people were using it, particularly after festivals and concerts. Wick asked if the new site is easily accessible in regards to the amount of slope present. Sabart stated that there is the option of creating more room for vehicles and RVs to turn around. This would create a more level area. Frank suggested taking out that part of the project as it would save money, and there is another dump site in Waite Park. Sabart suggested treating it as a separate bid item to gain more information on usage. That way the council can take it out based on additional information or a high bid price. There was discussion on whether parts of the project could be started before winter. Sabart stated that the lowest risk would be Frank made a motion ordering the preparation of plans for the 2014 making it a spring project. Wastewater Improvements, including developing alternatives for bidding purposes. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. August 1, 2013 Page 3 of 6 Committee Reports Park Board – 5K Update: Weyrens presented the Council with a request form the Park Board to fund a 5K run using Park Development Funds. Since the funds in Park Development have been budgeted for projects Weyrens suggested utilizing the gambling funds that have been donated to the City. The current fund has less than $ 4,000 but the 5 K should make money and revenue from registrations can be placed Loso made a motion to approve the use of money from back into the gambling funds for future use. the gambling fund in support of the 5K. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. EDA: Wick reported that during the EDA meeting Patty Garland from the St. Cloud Greater Development Corporation who spoke on membership. The EDA has budget funds available for the membership to include the remaining months in 2013 and 2014. The EDA recommends joining for the remaining of this year at a prorated rate. Loso disagreed with rejoining the St. Cloud Greater Development Corporation as he questioned the benefits, especially since the leadership is changing. Frank stated that in the past, he was opposed to rejoining. Now, he feels that it would be beneficial to rejoin. The price of joining is based on the City’s population. Frank supports giving the membership a try due to those factors and the ability to drop out of the agreement at any time. Symanietz asked what the cost of joining would be. Wick stated that the cost for the remainder of the year would be $1,250. For a full year it would be around $5,000.00. He felt that it would be more cost-effective to join in with the region rather than continuing on their own. Weyrens clarified that since this is a EDA Administrator Reports Sign Removal: Weyrens stated that she has received quote from Honer Excavating in the amount of $ 1,500 to remove the electronic sign on CR 2 and 75. Schultz questioned if the City could replace the sign at some point in the future. Weyrens stated that the property is owned by Stearns County and she could verify before the sign is demolished. The Council requested that Weyrens secure approval from the Stearns County Engineer that the City would have the ability to reconstruct a sign in the present location Loso made a motion to demolish the sign at CR 2 and 75, at some point in the future if so desired. accepting the quote from Honer Excavating at a cost of $ 1,500, provided the City receives written approval from the Stearns County Engineer that the sign could be re-constructed in the future. The motion was seconded by Frank and passed unanimously. Frank commented on the digital billboard on 75 stating that it was very bright. Weyrens stated that because the sign is outside of city limits that the Stearns County Environmental Services will be handling the matter. Golf Cart Ordinance 90: Weyrens presented the Council with the revised Golf Cart Ordinance. a change made regarding the ordinance. The ordinance has been updated to include the use of a golf cart after sunset provided the equipment includes headlights and taillights. Wick also questioned why the speed limit was limited to 15mph and suggested changing it to match the posted speed limit to which the Council concurred. Wick made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2013-033 revoking Ordinance 88 Snowmobile and Ordinance 90 (ATV) in its entirety and enacting Ordinance 90 entitled Regulation of Golf Carts, Neighborhood Friendly Vehicles and All-Terrain Vehicles, to include the revisions stated above. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. Discussion: Wick asked whether the permits for the remainder of the year are going to be prorated, or will they combine with next year making it a 1 ½ year permit. Loso and Wick agreed to have the permit fee start at the beginning of the year with the regular fee schedule. August 1, 2013 Page 4 of 6 Wick made a motion to authorize the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2013-034 authoring summary publication of Ordinance 90. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. 2014 General Fund Budget: Weyrens presented the Council with the draft 2014 General Fund Budget. The presentation included the following information:  Capital Projects – Impact to 2014 Budget: During the preparation of the 2013 budget the Council agreed to move forward with the improvements to the main wastewater lift station, initiating the improvement process for the Park Terrace Improvements and a street improvement. The financial impact from the 2013 projects is an increase in the tax levy between $ 20 - $ 25K.  Capital Projects – Planned for 2014 with 2015 budget impact: The proposed budget includes repair maintenance to the water tower and Park Terrace. The financial impact from the improvement will not be realized until 2015 and it will create a spike in the levy.  Capital Projects – Planned for 2015: Proposed project include street improvements to Northland Drive and Clinton Village and an equipment certificate. In 2015 some levies drop off, so the financial impact should not be as significant for 2016.  Tax Impact – Based on the draft budget, the tax capacity rate would increase approximately 1%. Both labor contracts expire at the end of 2013 and the City will also have to manage the implementation of provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act. Frank stated he is interested in the financial impacts of the Affordable Health Care Act. Loso questioned the wage increase that was included in the budget to which Weyrens stated 3%.  Budget Totals: The proposed budget presented for 2014 is $ 2,614,000 with the approved 2013 budget at $ 2,400,000. The budget was also illustrated in three categories, personnel, operating costs and capital.  Budget changes: The administration budget has been increased to add study money for either a comprehensive plan update planned for 2015 or other project. After the presentation of the budget the Council discussed the following:  Schultz questioned the $4000.00 increase in the computer budget. The increase would be from $11,000.00 to $15,000.00. Schultz believed the increase was a bit excessive due to the costs of a desktop computer being relatively cheap. Schultz suggested that software/servers should be listed in a different category as they tend to be more expensive. Schultz asked if leasing would be an option. Weyrens stated they have looked into leasing for the software/servers, but not for the work stations. Schultz suggested looking into a total lease package for all the computers that includes, maintenance and software updates. Frank asked if there were maintenance fees for the current software on the computers. Schultz asked whether the copier machine is a big ticket item. Weyrens stated that it is, but they are looking into leasing it.  Frank stated that he has found that in certain cities and counties they are moving to higher grade election software. Weyrens stated that the last update to the machines was county wide and if it needs to happen again it would filter down through the county.  Schultz asked how often the police department replaces their computers. Jansky stated that all their computers go through the same process as administration. The squad car computers are looked at every four years which is one year after the warranty is up. Jansky stated that the old squad car 701 has been sold and the new 701 is on the road. Weyrens stated that with the budget there would be enough money trade in of the current vehicle to purchase a new one on a four year cycle with 1 new squad car a year.  Symanietz quested whether the AED defibrillator budget was for future defibrillators or to replace the current ones. Jansky stated that they just updated the AEDs for both the Police and Fire Departments. August 1, 2013 Page 5 of 6  Frank asked whether the police cameras delayed response time has been fixed. Weyrens stated that the computer has been updated, and the new software will be downloaded. It is a short-term fix, but it was the cheapest.  Frank stressed his concerns regarding large trucks driving through the area and whether their weight is too heavy for the road. Jansky stated that the roads the trucks are driving on, they can drive on. Having scales on the roads would be too expensive. Jansky stated that if there is an issue they have contacted the DOT who have portable scales in their trucks. He added that if residents have issues, they should contact the City.  Frank made a suggestion regarding the maintenance/equipment piece of the budget asking to have a list of the major pieces of equipment along with the age of the equipment for a better picture of the inventory. Loso added it would be nice to have the mileage and hours of the equipment to better prioritize what needs the most attention.  Symanietz asked if the sign replacement mandate was for the street signs. Thene confirmed that it was.  Schultz stated that St. Cloud is under the same mandate with the sign replacement as St. Joseph and they are waiting until they receive money. He questions why the City is not doing the same thing. Frank stated that whether the mandates are funded or not, they are something that should be done as it can affect the city in the long run. He thought the combination of having a stop sign on one side and a street name sign on the other was a good idea. Thene stated that there are a large number of signs that have no reflectivity that need to be replaced.  Frank asked whether the city can lease the hot patch equipment from Waite Park. Thene stated that the cities typically use the same equipment at the same time, so it would be difficult to work out an arrangement with another city.  Weyrens questioned the $20,000.00 allocated to retaining wall and turn back out at Millstream. Thene stated that money could be reallocated.  Wick questioned the Park Board Budget and suggested that the future revenues listed for the Feld Farm and Herges be removed as they are not viable projects at this time. Schultz discussed the Park Project for Klinefelter Park and suggested the board consider an enclosed shelter and partnering with the local service groups.  Loso stated that he is disappointed that the budget increased rather than decreased. He would like to see cushions for projects such as street improvements and putting more money towards the city. Symanietz stated that she liked seeing the impact of the increases on the households by value.  Schultz asked about the $25,000.00 allocated to Memorial Park Grading in the Public Works budget. Thene stated that the money could be lumped in with the Park Terrace project if the council approved. If it is something the council does not want to do, then it can be taken out of the budget. Weyrens stated that they can take the $25,000.00 out of the general fund and leave the Memorial Park project with Park Terrace. Weyrens stated the budget will be revised and brought back to the Council with the additional information requested at the next meeting. Mayor Reports Updates: Schultz mentioned that Doug Carlson from the Lion’s Club will be attending the council meeting th on August 15. Schultz met with the new superintendent and they discussed the facilities in the area. August 1, 2013 Page 6 of 6 Schultz invited him to come out and meet the Council once he becomes more accustomed to the area. Schultz stated that he be hosting a Meet and Greet on Saturday at the Local Blend from 9-10AM. Council Reports Symanietz: stated that she attended the intergovernmental meeting in Waite Park, whom she thanked for hosting it. The meeting was very productive in that a lot of suggestions were brought up regarding the joint project resulting from the sales tax increase. Wick: stated that the individuals running the brainstorming sessions were spending more time discussing why a suggestion wouldn’t work rather than writing down all ideas. Loso: Questioned when the council would be paperless. Weyrens stated it depends if the Council wanted an IPAD 5 for a Retina. The IPAD 5 is being released in September. The Council agreed to move forward with the current technology that is available. Frank: Frank noted that he got a letter regarding the history of the City of St. Joseph and whether there is an interest to write a pictorial book on the history of St. Joseph. Weyrens stated that there is a book and videos of the history of St. Joseph readily available. Adjourn: Wick made a motion to adjourn at 9:10 PM; seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Judy Weyrens City Administrator August 15, 2013 Page 1 of 8 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the St. Joseph City Council met in regular session on Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the St. Joseph City hall, opening the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Members Present: Mayor Richard Schultz, Councilors Dale Wick, Renee Symanietz, Steve Frank and City Administrator Judy Weyrens City Representatives Present: Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Police Chief Joel Klein, City Engineer Randy Sabart, and Public Works Director Terry Thene Others Present: Loretta Steckelberg, Monte Estvold, Doug Carlson, Rod Bemis, Joe Klein, Mark Ostendorf, Tom Klein, Pete Jansky Oath of Office: Given by Weyrens to Police Officer Travis Manderscheid. Office Mandersheid then introduced himself to those present. PUBLIC COMMENTS th Loretta Steckelberg, 301 11 Ave SE, approached the Council thanking them for the letter she received today from the City regarding discussions had about the parking pad ordinance as it clarifies the position of the City. She has concerns for new members of the city who may not read the ordinances, who could be in violation of these ordinances. She recommends making items like this more clear to members of the city. She states that there are inconsistences with the ways information is inseminated to homeowners regarding whether they are in violation or not. She states that many individuals in the community are very busy and may not have time to read the newsletter. Frank made a motion to approve the agenda pulling items deleting 5(a) Approval of the Agenda: minutes and adding 12(a) updates and removing for discussion items 5(d) Donations and 5(e) Gambling. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. Loso made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows; seconded by Consent Agenda: Schultz and passed unanimously. Removed from discussion a. Deleted b. Bills Payable – Approved check numbers 046868 – 046911 and payroll EFT #00834- 00838 and accounts payable EFT #001624-001625 c. Treasure Report – Accepted the July 2013 Treasurer Report d. Removed for discussion e. Removed for discussion Donations and Gambling: Frank thanked those who donated to the Archery Range and Disc Golf. He would like to see to total in donations at the end of the year. Frank asked Weyrens to provide more clarification regarding the donation of $250.00 from Stearns Electric to Cloverdale Park. Weyrens stated that with the renovations to the park, there needed to be an outlet in the park which would have cost over $600.00. She contacted Stearns Electric and they agreed to donate $ 250 towards the project. Frank addressed the gambling reports stating that he noticed a declined in proceeds when it came to pull- tab gambling. He recognized the donations made to the City of St. Joseph from the Legion for $3600.00, the St. Joseph Lion’s Club $11,652.00, and St. Joseph Jaycee $12,360.00. He also recognized the non- monetary donation made by Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center to train the first responders and A motion was made by Loso to approve the police. He thanked all the groups for their donations. nd donations for their stated purposes and to accept the 2 Quarter Gambling reports as presented. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. 2013 Bond Issue, Monte Estvold – Northland Securities: Monte Estvold approached the Council to address the issuance of bonds that the city is contemplating. He stated that the seeking funding for the following projects: 1) $265,000 for the Equipment certificates; 2) $1,875,000.00 for the sewer project; 3) August 15, 2013 Page 2 of 8 $405,000 for the street project for a total of $2,545,000.00. The second item he highlighted was the reoffering premium. Estvold then discussed the interest rates in future. In 2014 interest rates start out at 2% and slowly increase to 3.7% by 2028 for an average rate of 2.88%. He stated that the interest rates have been going up since about May of this year and that he sees them being higher next summer than they are now. Frank stated he has noticed how the increase of interest rates and higher bidding has caused cities to hold off on projects. Estvold thinks that rates will level off at this point of the year but will continue to increase. He explained the third page of the handout, a summary of the reoffering premium. He explained that the coupon rate is the rate the city will pay on the bonding issue and the yield is the actual market rate that is available in the market place today. For the first 5 years, the city will pay more than what the market rates are because bonds cannot be sold at half of a percent. The result of this is $26,496.00 extra that the city will pay over time for a premium bond. This money will be paid to the city by Northland Securities up front which will go into the city’s construction fund relating to the projects. The money given will help offset the tax levy that will be due. Estvold discussed the costs related to the issuance of the bonds. There is a $10,000 bond council fee, and a rating agency fee of $8,500.00. He stated that the city has an A+ rating whereas other cities that have been rated have been downgraded. The rating agency noted the strong financial policies and management for keeping the rating at A+. Loso questioned the 838 yield statistics specifically, the $20 million dollar figure and how that relates to the City debt. Estvold stated that they enter the numbers into their computer and the formula computes the bond year, bond yield and interest rates. He stated that he would not be concerned with the $20 million figure because it is simply a way of computing bond years. Frank made a motion authoring the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2013-035 motioned for the authorized execution of resolution of 2013-035 accepting the proposal and rewarding the sale of $2.545 million gold refunding bond series 2013. The motion was seconded by Symanietz. Discussion: Frank explained for those present that the bonds are for street improvements, sewer improvements and various equipment certificates. Wick questioned what equipment these certificates are for. He asked if the front-end loader and new gator are new, or if they are replacing something. Weyrens stated that the loader was new and the gator was used but new to the City. Frank made a motion authorizing execution of resolution 2013-035 Resolution Providing for the Issuance and Sale of $ 2,545,000 General Obligation Bonds, Series 2013A, Pledging for the Security thereof Special Assessments and Net Revenues and Levying a Tax for the Payment therefore. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Loso made a motion authoring the execution of an agreement between the City of St. Jsopeh and Northland Security to purchase the GO Series 2013A Bond Issue in the amount of $ 2,545,000. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. Doug Carlson, St. Joseph Lions: Doug Carlson of the St. Joseph Lions approached the Council to discuss the community outreach efforts of the Lions. Carlson stated there are currently 47 members and they have raised $966,000.00 in the last 49 1/2 years with the money coming from service projects. He noted that they have completed many projects to better the appearance of St. Joseph; including shelters th in many of the parks in town. The club will be celebrating the 50 anniversary in spring 2014. Schultz stated the Lion’s Club is a valuable partner for the City of St. Joseph and on behalf of the community of St. Joseph he thanks the Lions for the commitment and service to St. Joseph. . Weyrens made note of a donation just received from the Lion’s Club in the amount of $2,100.00 for barricades for the parade. August 15, 2013 Page 3 of 8 Frank suggested having a more formal way of recognizing groups that contribute to the city such as recognizing them on the city webpage, or on the cable network. Weyrens stated that the City has recently received a donation in the amount of $ 2,010 for the purchase of barricades for the July 3 and 4 Schultz moved to accept the donation of $2,010.00 from the lion’s club for the celebration. barricades. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. Xcel Energy [Power lines on MN Street]: Mark Ostendorf, community relations manager, approached the Council and introduced himself to the Council and also introduced Rod Bemis, Electrical designer and Joe Klein. Ostendorf stated that he is following up with the Council on the request to consider relocating stnd the overhead power lines on Minnesota Street between 1 Ave East and 2 Ave West. Excel staff has reviewed the request and have determined that the lines could be moved north to the east west alley. However, even if the lines are moved, they would have to maintain three overhead crossing which would ndst be located at the following street locations: 1) 2 Avenue NW, which is currently in place; 2) 1 Avenue st which serves the expansion that St. Ben’s completed; and 3) 1 Avenue E and Minnesota. Bemis stated that if the City would like to move forward to design the proposed relocation, a $ 5,000 deposit would be required and if the project moves forward the $ 5,000 is deducted from the construction costs. Joe Klein stated that the City could anticipate a design period of three to four months depending on scheduling. Schultz stated that he would like to have community feedback on the proposal and suggested this matter could be placed on the ballot to see if residents are willing to pay the cost to relocate the service. Bemis stated that the estimated construction cost is from $175,000.00 to $225,000.00. He went on to say that there would be additional costs in having residents re-wire their electricity from Minnesota Street, to run out the back of their homes. Klein, representative from Xcel, explained the estimate is solely for the work done by Xcel. It doesn’t include the cost of residents having to move their meter box from one side of the house to the other. Klein stated their estimate excludes other services or providers that may be tied to the electrical poles such as Charter. Schultz presented the question to the Council regarding whether to proceed with the $5,000.00. Symanietz asked whether new poles will need to be used or if they move the existing poles to the new locations. Ostendorf stated that they will need to use new poles because the old ones will need to continue to produce energy as they are working on the new route. Loso made a motion to table the discussion in order to get more details to include an estimated cost of the additional fees that residents would incur and to determine what other utility companies may be impacted by the relocation such as Charter or Century Link. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Discussion: Frank suggested having a more detailed question on the ballot, giving residents a specific idea of the impact this will have on them financially. Wick asked whether the city would pay to have these businesses relocate their electrical wiring. Weyrens stated that she would follow up and see if that would be a possibility. Klein stated the Cities of Albany and Richmond have gone through the project and the cities have paid for the relocation of services. Weyrens asked to have a month to gather information and estimates on costs of relocation of services. Frank questioned Xcel regarding the burying of lines and where they see that going in the future. Ostendorf commented that burying lines would be more expensive then leaving the wiring overhead with the cost being 4-8 times more. He added that outages would be prolonged because it would take longer to find the issue. At this time he stated that Xcel is not looking to bury any more lines. City Engineer Reports 2013 Street Improvement Update: Sabart stated that he is still waiting to receive a schedule from the contractor as to when they will start the project. He advised that the contractor that the project must be th completed no later than September 30. August 15, 2013 Page 4 of 8 County Road 2 Re-alignment: Sabart reported that the Stearns County Highway Department has initiated the process to determine if the new intersections warrant intersection traffic controls. As he hears more he will forward the information to the Council. Loso questioned if the spoil pile near the new road will be moved or if they are looking for a place to dispose of the material. Sabart stated that he would check with Stearns County. Parking on Minnesota Street: Sabart stated that previously the Council had discussed the possibility addressed diagonal parking along Minnesota Street between and Weyrens requested that he provide some potential impacts for changing the parking. Therefore, he presented four different alternatives when considering angle parking. When designing angle parking they are either designed with a 45 or 60 degree angle and each type utilizes a different amount of pavement width. He also clarified that all parking must meet the design standards for state aid roads as Minnesota Street West will be on the City State Aid route. Sabart stated that his comments are based on traffic counts before the re-alignment of CR 2 when the average trips per day was 6,000 cars, increasing as it got closer to the College. Sabart presented the following different scenarios for the parking 1. The first exhibit would eliminate the parallel parking and have two 16 foot wide lanes, reducing the parking spots from 32 to 24. 2. The second exhibit would keep the parallel parking but reduce the lane width to 12 feet. There would be 41 stalls rather than the current 32. 3. The last two exhibits displayed 60 degree parking. Sabart noted the difference between the 45 degree and the 60 degree parking is the reaction distance. The 60 degree parking would need additional real estate as more space is needed to allow for the increase in reaction distance. The third exhibit would create 31 parking stalls if the parallel parking was eliminated on the south side. 4. The last exhibit would require the boulevard to be removed. Sabart noted that if the traffic exceeds 3,000 cars per day then there would need to be a 19 foot reaction distance rather than the 7 feet. Sabart thought the city would exceed the 3,000 cars per day. Schultz provided a recap of Sabart’s presentation and the exhibits that were presented and action was not taken. Committee Reports PLANNING COMMISSION PUD Amendment S&H: Weyrens stated that the planning commission met and considered a public hearing for an Amendment to the PUD for S& H Partnership. The property is adjacent to Graceview Apartments. Weyrens stated that proposed development is governed in part by a mediated settlement agreement that was executed at the time the Graceview Apartments were constructed. The agreement allows the property owner to construct 10 townhomes with two (2) four unit and two (2), two unit patio homes. The developer at this time is requesting to change the plan to (2) three unit homes and two (2) two unit homes and constructing one road in the middle rather than on each side. The agreement clarifies that if the traffic circulation changes, a public hearing is required. Weyrens clarified that the number of units has not changed, just the configuration. Tom Klein, S&H Properties Representative approached the Council regarding the new plan proposed for the road going down the center of the townhomes. He stated that it would create more green space for the townhomes with lights only on the street and not in the back yards. Loso motioned to accept the preliminary concept plan by S&H Properties. The motion was seconded by Wick with questions; passing unanimously after discussion. Discussion: Wick questioned the legal ramifications of accepting a concept plan. Frank asked what the start date was for the project. He was also concerned with the nature and sensitivity of the area and would like all to remain cautious. Klein stated that the groundbreaking would begin this fall. August 15, 2013 Page 5 of 8 Frank questioned what the size of the berms would be around the townhomes to which Klein responded between 2 and 3 feet. There would be alternate maple and spruce trees planted, creating a good barrier. He stated the lighting would be along the street only. Frank asked Thene and Sabart if there would be any issues with plowing snow and maintenance. Thene stated that because it is an association, that the association is responsible for all of those potential issues. Sabart stated that he would need to look at the parking conditions and whether there is enough room for parking and guest parking. He noted that the center street would be considered a private street. Symanietz asked whether guest parking was part of the initial concept plan. Klein stated that it was not and that would need to be added. Sabart proposed to have available parking on the apartment side of the site. : Ordinance Amendments Weyrens stated the Planning Commission is still working on Ordinance Amendments with a number of the amendment related to adding a provision allowing the City to whithold a permit or license if the applicant has an outstanding obligation to the City. Another amendment being considered by the Planning Commission is whether or not expansions to existing facilities in the Industrial and Highway Business Zoning districts require the property owner to meet the adornment requirements on the entire facility or just the addition. The Planning Commission is considering not allowing the adornment if the addition is less than a specified percentage. The proposed change would help reduce the construction costs in those zoning districts. Weyrens addressed the R4 ordinance. R4 allows rental by ordinance if it’s owner occupied, unless 55 or older. The request proposed is to change the ordinance to allow non-owner occupied in an R4. The Planning Commission had a discussion regarding the intent of R4. Schultz stated that R4 is more complicated than the other ordinances. He adds that if R4 is opened to non-occupied then why does R1 have a two-year permit requirement. Loso added that if dilution of the zones keeps occurring then there would eventually be no need for zones. Fire Board: Loso stated that the Fire Board met and approved the May minutes, financial report, purchase of boots and gloves, accepted the donation of two TV’s donated by CMS and approved a preliminary Wick motioned to accept the donation of the two TVs from CMS for use in the St. Joseph budget. Community Fire Hall. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Discussion: Frank asked whether there is difficulty keeping the volunteer Fire Department fully staffed. Loso and Weyrens stated that there have been no issues with hiring and that there have been an abundance of applications. 2014 General Fund – Preliminary Budget: Weyrens presented the revised 2014 preliminary general fund budget summarizing the following changes since the last budget meeting:  Weyrens summarized changes made to the budget since the last meeting. The budget information provided in August showed an increase in tax rate. The updated budget showed a decrease in tax capacity rate of 1%. Weyrens stated the numbers are based upon a 4% levy increase with no growth. Year 2015 would be the worst year, with numbers dropping again in 2016 due to the levies being dropped.  Weyrens discussed leasing versus purchasing a copy machine. Marco is offering to lease a copy machine for $112.00/month. Frank asked what is in the maintenance agreement of the copier. Weyrens stated that the agreement includes all toner and only the paper needed to be purchased. Therefore the budget could be reduced. Symanietz motioned to authorizing the Administrator to execute a lease agreement with Marco for the use of a copy machine for the City Offices. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously.  Weyrens stated that they are proposing to shift the money from the crime control investigation which was for medical family funding for the two new officers to offset one time capital purchases for the police department. August 15, 2013 Page 6 of 8  Weyrens stated the funding for the street lights for the signal lights should go to the utility fund.  Page 7 highlights a shift with money that was set aside for turn back from Millstream Park and CR3 and was reallocated over to the seal coating fund.  The $4-5K allocated to the street sweeper was taken out of the budget. The $7,500.00 taken from the maintenance shop area is being reallocated to the sewer improvement.  The money left from the copier machine was moved to offset the cost of the street maintenance plan. Loso motioned to adopt the preliminary budget as of now subject to future discussion. The motion failed for lack of a second. Wick questioned the approval of the preliminary budget as a deadline for further approval does not need th to be reached until September 15. Frank stated that he is concerned with whether inspections are getting done and if they are getting done correctly. Specifically he discussed bars in town and if they are at their capacity limits. He asked whether the police department has gone down to the bars to check limits. Weyrens stated that it is the Fire Marshall’s responsibility to check capacity limits in bars. Wick questioned the differences in the budgets of 2013 to that of 2014, specifically the snow removal fund. Thene stated that the increase is due to the amount of snowfall this past winter and that the city needs additional salt. Loso motioned to authorize the Mayor and Administrator to execute resolution 2013-037 Adopting proposed 2013 Tax Levy, Collectible in 2014, approving a general fund budget of $ 2,551,215, setting the truth and taxation hearing for December 5, 2013 at 7:00 PM and declaring a budget savings for 2014 in the amount of $ 27,000 as a result of the elimination of sales tax. The motion was seconded by Frank. Discussion: Schultz stated it appears that the City is reducing certain areas of the capital plan. He is concerned about the City not having enough money allocated to buy things it will need down the road. Schultz noted that Facilities and Planning show zeros across the board on the budget. Weyrens stated that the money being used is for the design service is from the Recreation Center Fund as previously authorized by the City Council. Frank stated that in every category, the residents’ taxes will be decreased slightly. He then asked about if the intern for the EDA Department was factored into the budget. He noted that in the past he has seen $4,000.00 allocated to having an intern. He felt that was a bit high. Weyrens stated that the fund for the EDA is part of the general city fund. Ayes: Schultz, Symanietz, Loso, Frank Nays: Wick Motion Carried 4:1 Administrator Reports: Weyrens reported that 75 applications had been received for the Secretary position. Interviews will be starting shortly after scoring of the application is complete. There was the application and a supplementary questionnaire. Those that did not complete the entire application were eliminated. Mayor Reports: Schultz reported on the following: there were no-shows at the Meet the Mayor event, the APO Executive Committee met last week and St. Cloud has proposed to change the full board meeting schedule to three times yearly. It will be talked about more in the first full board meeting in October. The Community Center Group met and the members are Jody Terhaar, Dean Liedholt, Bobby Jo Schmidt, Derek Larson, and Jackie Hartman. He noted that it is a great group of residents with great questions. The information from the meeting will be published and provided to the Council next month. Council Reports Symanietz: Thanked the fireman for putting out signs when they conducted the controlled fire. Wick: The next meeting of the EDA is Wednesday, August 28 at 5:00 PM. Loso: No Report August 15, 2013 Page 7 of 8 Frank: Reported that the EDA has been discussing whether or not the EDA should commission a study to determine the viability of a hotel in St. Joseph. Some reports have indicated that the hotel business has a tight margin and may not be feasible. He questions the role the EDA/City should have in the study process. Police Chief Reports: Pete Jansky thanked the Council for allowing him to become part of the community as the Police Chief for the past 12 years. Jansky stated that he is proud of the current police department and of the new Police Chief. He thanked Thene, Bartlett, and Weyrens for all of their help throughout his employment with the City. Adjourn: Schultz made a motion to adjourn at 9:20 PM; seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. Judy Weyrens Administrator