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1994-01-18 CC Minutes . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 18, 1994 Albertville City Hall 7:30 PM PRESENT: Mayor Mike Potter, Councilmembers Duane Bernina, Sharon Anderson, Albert Barthel and John Vetsch, City Clerk Lin a Houghton, City Engineers Thore Meyer and Norm Gartner Mayor Potter called the regular meeting of the Albertville City Council to order. The agenda was amended as follows: Community Forum Diane Vinge will not address the Council until the February 7, 1994, meeting Administration (1) Discussion on whether to pursue an administrator (2) Discussion on reclassification of secretary and maintenance assistant positions from permanent full-time to permanent part-time (5 hours per day) (3) Discussion on having Zoning Administrator attend Planning & Zoning meetings . Berning made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Anderson seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve the Follow-up Sheet from the December 20, 1993, and January 3, 1994, meetings as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 13, 1993, special meeting as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 3, 1994, meeting as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. The minutes of the January 10, 1994, speci al meeting to discuss the proposal from The Brimeyer Group to recruit an administrator were amended on Page 2, Paragraph 9, to read "the sal ary woul d range up to $50,000". Berning made a motion to approve the minutes of the January 10, 1994, meeting as amended. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. . The Council discussed Rich Miller's concerns over the easement he signed for the 50th Street project. Miller claims that before he signed the easement, he was promised a second driveway, which he did not get. He is looking for some compensation for the approximate 1200 square foot easement that he signed. Linda was directed to contact Meyer-Rohlin and get the original plan notes . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 20, 1994 Page 2 of 6 from the Miller property. Linda will also get copies of all other easements granted for the construction of 50th street. The Council will discuss the issue at the next meeting. Because the attorney was not yet present, the Council moved onto the Administration agenda. Berning made a motion to approve the Financial statements from December 16 - December 31, 1993, and from January 1 - January 12, 1994, as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve payment of Check #'s 8169 - 8205 as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. . Berning made a motion to approve 1994 Cigarette Licenses for the following businesses: Albertville Bar Don's Auto Hack's 152 Club Pat's 66 Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve 1994 Gaming Licenses for the following businesses: Albertville Bar - 6 machines 152 Club 5 machines Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Counci lmember Anderson questioned whether the Ci ty should continue to allow employees to accrue comp time rather than paying overtime directly. Linda explained that the City would pay additional payroll taxes if straight overtime were paid each pay period. Linda stated she personally prefers to accruing comp time and having the option of taking an afternoon or a day off occasionally. The policy is that employees can accrue only up to 24 hours of comp before they are required to be paid for the overtime. Anderson indicated that she felt the Council would have a better handl e on overtime hours if the employees were paid straight overtime. Anderson made a motion that employees be denied comp time and be paid at an overtime rate for additional hours. The motion died for a lack of a second. Councilmember Vetsch requested that the Council review the comp time issue again in six months. . The Council discussed the proposal from The Brimeyer Group to recrui t an administrator. Linda expressed the opinion that the Council may be premature in contracting with a group to locate an administrator when the Council may not have clear objectives or goals in mind. She suggested that the Council consider the option . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 20, 1994 Page 3 of 6 that Jim Brimeyer discussed regarding a goal setting and objective planning session with the Council and the other various boards to establish a plan. Councilmember Berning indicated that a person had contacted him concerning a part-time administrator's position. He indicated that he is not convinced that a person wi 11 ing to accept a part-time administrator cannot be located. Resident Jim Walsh told the Council he is agreement with the City establishing a goal and objective plan and there are other firms that assist companies with that project. His firm used a consultant to assist in this area and he is willing to give that person's name to the City to contact. The Council concurred that Linda should check out what resources are available to assist Cities in setting goals and objectives by contacting the League of Minnesota Cities. She was also directed to contact The Brimeyer Group to get a cost estimate for their services in a planning session. Jim Walsh will provide the source his firm used and Linda will contact that firm as well. The Council will consider the available information at the next Council meeting. . Berning made a motion to approve the contract with Diversified Inspection Services for 1994 as presented. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Berning made a motion to approve the contract wi th Wright Recycl ing services for 1994 at a $600 per month cost. Vetsch seconded the motion. All voted aye. Linda explained that she had reviewed the 1994 budget and could find no area other than a capital outlay item where money could be moved to cover the increase in the recycling costs from $435 a month to $600 per month. The Council suggested that the maintenance department could do without a pressure washer that was budgeted, since there is one at the expanded wastewater treatment pI ant. Linda wi 11 discuss the question wi th the maintenance deparmtne and make a recommendation for amending the 1994 budget to cover the additional expense in recycling. Vetsch made a motion to set a special meeting for February 7, 1994, for the purpose of amending the 1994 budget to include the increased recycling costs. . City Attorney Mike Couri reviewed the Indemnification Agreement wi th Kenco, Inc. for Parkside 2nd Addi tion. Ci ty Engineer Pete Carlson recommends that gravel should be down before building permits are issued. However, the Certificate of Occupancy is always the leverage that can be used to insure that the street is completed. Couri explained that according to the Developer's . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 20, 1994 Page 4 of 6 Agreement June 30th is the deadline for completion of the first lift of blacktop. The Council concurred that the Indemnification Agreement will expire on its own on August 31,1 994. Attorney Couri reviewed the Legal Services Contract with the Council. The contract will be amended to include that Radzwill Law Office will make available to the City proof of its Errors and Omissions Insurance coverage. Anderson made a motion to approve the Legal Services Contract with Radzwill Law Office for 1994 as amended. Berning seconded the motion. All voted aye. . Couri next reviewed the contract for engineering services for 1994 with RCM. The contract is based on standard engineering guidelines. Pete Carlson told that Council that at their discretion he would write give the Council a memo regarding his estimate of hours needed and the projected cost of his work. Couri recommended that the Council contracts all engineering work on an hourly basis, unless the Council chooses to use a total project cost. CArlson indicated that he prefers to use a not-to-exceed figure when going on the hourly rate. Couri also recommends that the engineer provide the City proof of Errors and Omission insurance. Vetsch made a motion to approve the contract with RCM with the amendments as recommended by Attorney Couri. Anderson seconded the motion. All voted aye. Mayor Potter updated the Council on the joint meeting with Pete Carl son, Thore Meyer and Norm Gartner. The resul t of the meeting is that Meyer-Rohlin, Inc. will complete the projects currently under construction. The projects to be completed by Meyer-Rohlin are psyk's 5th, Hardwood Ponds 2nd, Westwind 3rd, Parkside 1st and 2nd, 50th Street, expansion of wastewater treatment faci 1 i ty, sewer upgrade project on Main Avenue, the Savitski ditch cleanout and Barthel Commercial Park. The projects that have been discussed, but are not at this point under construction, will be under the direction of RCM. These include the Frankfort/MNDoT/Albertville Drainage project, the 1-94 water and sewer crossing and the Otsego Creek agreement. Mayor Potter presented a letter of appreciation to Ken Lindsay recognizing his efforts to plow snow even though he was under doctor's orders to stay home from work. Linda was directed to get further information on insurance available for public officials to pay legal against charges of violation of the Open Meeting Law. the new expenses . The Council agreed to have the thermostat in the Park Shelter building moved to an area inaccessible to the general public at a cost of approximately $50. . . . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 20, 1994 Page 5 of 6 The Council discussed having the City staff prepare a semi- annual newsletter in the spring and fall. The Council agreed that the newsletter should be sent out in May and October. Linda will contact each Ci ty board to get articl es of interest for the newsletter. Vetsch made a motion to accept the proposal from Frankl in Outdoor Sign to letter the door and to change the exterior sign for City Hall in the amount of $566.00. Berning seconded the motion. All voted aye. The Counci I again discussed whether to pursue hi ring an administrator for the City. Councilmember Vetsch stated that he thinks an administrator is needed somewhere along the line but he is not sure whether the Ci ty needs a full-time or a part-time administrator. Howard Larson feels that the City first needs to review the Comprehensive Plan and determine exactly what the City is looking for before any decision is reached. As discussed earlier in the meeting, Linda will gather information on what services are available to aid the City is setting goals and objectives. Mayor Potter stated that he feels the City currently requires between 1.5 and 1.75 employees in each of the Administrative and Maintenance Departments. He proposed to reclassify the secretarial position and the maintenance helper position from permanent full- time to permanent part-time at five hours per day. Linda pointed out that the fourth lowest employee per capita in the state is Brookl yn Park and they have 3.65 employees per 1000 residents. Based on that formula and an estimated 1993 population of 1500, the City would employ 5.5 employees, compared to its four current employees. Jim Walsh stated that he has the feeling that this Council is on a "witch hunt" and is looking for a reason to get rid of each of the current employees. Councilmember Berning stated he does not agree with Walsh's comments. Howard Larson stated that since the City hired its current employees on a 8-hour per day basis, he feels it is unfair and unbusiness-like for the Council to cut back employee hours without giving the employees some prior notification. Kathy Hanson questioned why the Council chooses not to invest in their current employees by educating them in specific areas. There was no further discussion or decision reached regarding employee status. . . . ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL January 20, 1994 Page 6 of 6 Mayor Potter also brought up that he feels the Zoning Administrator should attend all Planning Commission meetings. Linda explained that it had been policy for her not to attend the meetings, however, she meets with the planner monthly to discuss projects coming before the Commission and she meets with Ann after each Commission meeting to discuss and review the actions. Howard Larson, a member of the Planning Commission, stated that since he has been on the Commission, he is unaware of any problems that have resulted from Linda not being at the meeting and he has never been disappointed in how the meetings are handled. Attorney Couri suggested that two Councilmembers meet with Linda to discuss the situation and work out the details together. Mayor Potter and Councilmember Berning will meet with Linda. Linda was directed to contact Kerry Saxton from the Soil Conservation District to see how to get aerial photos of the City. Berning made a motion to adjourn at 10: 45 PM. seconded the motion. All voted aye. Anderson Michael Potter, Mayor Linda Houghton, Clerk