Meeting Minutes for June 01, 1998
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Mitchell Brunfelt with the following members present: Carolyn Olsen, Stephen Skogman, Joe Matanich, Curt Piri, and Mayor Mitchell Brunfelt. Also present were: Craig J. Wainio, City Administrator; Jill M. Forseen, Deputy Clerk; Don Kleinschmidt, Director of Public Works; Larry Nanti, Recreation Director; and Nick Dragisich, City Engineer.
It was moved by Matanich and supported by Skogman that the consent agenda be approved as follows:
1. Approve the minutes of the May 18, 1998, regular meeting as submitted.
2. Approve the minutes of the May 26, 1998, Committee-of-the-Whole meeting as submitted.
3. That the communications be accepted, placed on file, and those requiring further action by the Council be acted upon during their proper sequence on the agenda.
4. Authorize the payment of the bills and payroll for the period May 16-31, 1998, totaling $149,319.82, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
5. Acknowledge the receipts for the period May 16-31, 1998, totaling $77,936.61, (a list is attached and made a part of these minutes).
The motion to adopt the consent agenda carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
At 6:32, Gary Giroux, City Auditor, entered the meeting.
During the public forum, John Rappuchi was present and the Mayor gave an update regarding the truck route in the Westgate area. The Director of Public Works explained that there are nine options that are being looked into. The Director said that some options are feasible and some are not. He said that information regarding the options should be available for the next regular meeting. The Mayor asked that a copy of the options and estimates be sent to Mr. Rappuchi.
Also during the public forum, Ed Roskoski was present and said that there were questions regarding the figures that he had received from the City Administrator of Buhl. He said that the figures were only for improvements for ADA compliance work. He said that the City of Buhl spent $23,000 in the City Hall and $199,100 in the Library for ADA compliance. The Mayor advised Mr. Roskoski that his comments were noted for the record.
Gary Giroux, City Auditor, reviewed the 1997 audit report.
It was moved by Brunfelt and supported by Skogman to accept the 1997 audit report as submitted. The motion carried.
The City Engineer updated the Council on the following projects:
Eighth Street South Utility Extension-the plans were sent to the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for permitting. The Engineer said that the Council could call for bids on the project and hold the bids until the permits are formally approved.
Centennial Avenue Culvert Project-the permit application from the Department of Natural Resources and the protected water permit for the Army Corps of Engineers have been completed and should be submitted this week.
16th Avenue Project-he was not able to get out to the site to review the project, but he has had no complaints from the inspector.
The Director of Public Works updated the Council on the patching work completed in the Costin area. He said the City Crews have patched most of the major holes in the Costin area. Councilor Olsen asked if the City could overlay half of the road this year from the bridge, west to the corner in Costin Addition. The Director of Public Works said that he would have the committee look into Councilor Olsen’s request.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Piri to approve the Hiring Procedure, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Mayor Brunfelt abstaining.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Olsen to approve the Labor Position Analysis, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried with Mayor Brunfelt abstaining.
It was moved by Brunfelt and supported by Olsen to appoint Councilor Matanich, Mayor Brunfelt, the City Administrator, the Director of Public Works, and the City Engineer to the Street Maintenance Committee. The motion carried.
It was moved by Piri and supported by Matanich to approve the 1998 Seasonal Employees Handbook, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried.
It was moved by Brunfelt and supported by Matanich to accept the recommendation of City Staff and approve the Community Center Architectural Contract with Architectural Resources, Incorporated, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes), to take over and complete the community center project. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
It was moved by Skogman and supported by Brunfelt to approve Resolution #25-98, Approving Plans and Specifications and Ordering Advertisement for Bids, (a copy is attached and made a part of these minutes). The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote.
The Council reviewed the list of communications.
The Council discussed the invitation from the St. Louis County Fair Board for the workshop on June 3, 1998. It was the consensus of the Council to have the City Administrator, the Recreation Director, Councilor Olsen, and Councilor Matanich attend the meeting.
The Council reviewed the tabulation of the Transportation Survey.
During the open discussion, the Council discussed the City Hall issue. The following issues were brought up:
1) Councilor Skogman-Eighth Street becoming the Main Street of the City. He suggested approaching the Minnesota Department of Transportation to get the intersection by Merritt Elementary School opened for public use. It was the consensus of the Council to have this item on the agenda for the next regular meeting. He also suggested seeking funding through the legislature for new construction of city hall and look for a use for the present building to follow a five-year plan.
2) Ozzie Rudlong-suggested that the Council make a decision regarding updating the City Hall for ADA compliance.
3) Mayor Brunfelt said that the City Council should spend the taxpayers’ money wisely and construct a new City Hall. He also said that the proposal to move City staff to other buildings was just a band aid approach to the situation. He said that a handicapped restroom would still have to be constructed and office space will be lost. He said that the City is growing and it’s possible that another clerical person could be added in the future and there would not be sufficient room to have another office. He said that all of the administrative staff should be located in the same building.
4) Craig J. Wainio said that estimated costs for the city hall construction project would be $450,000-$500,000 and the funds would be available to construct a new City Hall. He said that the City Council has designated $100,000 for city hall improvements and $250,000 would come from the utility funds, (electric and garbage), and the remaining $150,000 would come from next year’s capital improvement fund.
5) Councilor Matanich said that the Council has to make a decision to remodel the present city hall or build a new city hall. Surrounding communities have all of their city facilities together in one building and that seems to work well.
6) Councilor Piri said that an elevator would not have to be installed in the present City Hall if the use of the second floor was eliminated by locating the Recreation Director in the Community Building and the Director of Public Works in the City Garage.
7) Councilor Olsen said that with the new Community Center being constructed that will take away a lot of activity from the Senior Center. She suggested joining the Senior Center with the City Hall and using that building for office space for the City offices. She said that the Senior Citizens and the AEOA nutrition site could be moved to the new Community Center.
It was moved by Brunfelt and supported by Skogman to set a meeting with the Community Center Committee on Tuesday, June 9, 1998, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall, Council Chambers, with the agenda item being the discussion of the City Council moving forward with plans to relocate City Hall by adding it on to the Community Center as the Community Center is being constructed. The motion carried.
The Engineer offered their services to help the City with the fairground proposal by supplying maps or other needed materials that the engineering office would have available.
At 7:52 p.m., it was moved by Piri and supported by Brunfelt that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried.
