- The City Council agenda will be posted by 5:00 pm on the Tuesday before each City Council meeting.
A copy of the unapproved minutes will be posted 1-2 weeks after a City Council meeting.
WATKINS CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, May 10, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Call to Order
Approve Agenda
Consent Agenda
• Minutes of April 12, 2012 regular meeting and April 18, 2012 Board of Review Meeting
• April 2012 Financial Report
• Resolution 2012-13, Resolution Accepting Donations
• Resolution 2012-14, Resolution Approving Transfers
• April Sheriff’s Report
Old Business-
• Sealed Bids for 2000 Chevrolet Truck
• School Avenue South Repair Quotes
• City Hall Repairs
• Swimming Pool Update
• Utility Bill Policy/Application Form
• Irrigation Agreement
• Spring Newsletter
New Business-
• Mies Outland Tax Abatement
• Official Paper
• Refund Policy on Lessons
• Pool Passes for EMS Week
• Meeker County Drug Take Back Day-May 19th
• Liquor License Renewals for Bud’s, Shorty’s, Red Goat and Legion Club
• Lions Club On-Sale Liquor License Request for July 21st
• Public Forum
• Council Concerns
• Staff Comments
• Approve Bills
• Adjourn
UNAPPROVED MINUTES
WATKINS CITY COUNCIL
THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012
Mayor Loch called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. at City Hall.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Jim Loch, Jerry Hesse, Tootz Tschumperlin, Dennis Loch and Jersey Piccerillo
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
Others present were Steve Mies, Bill Hennen, Bruce Walz, Duane Peterson and Meeker County Sheriff Sergeant Joel Engler.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY TSCHUMPERLIN TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, SECONDED BY D. LOCH. MOTION CARRIED.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY PICCERILLO TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, SECONDED BY HESSE. MOTION CARRIED.
Items on the Consent Agenda were minutes of the April 12, 2012 regular meeting, April 18, 2012 Board of Review meeting, April 2012 financial report, Resolution 2012-13, Resolution Accepting Donations, Resolution 2012-14, Resolution Approving Transfers and April Sheriff’s Report.
Two bids were received for the sale of the 2000 Chevrolet truck. Bid #1 was from Don Gruenes for $751.00. Bid #2 was from Chris Donnay for $250.00.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY TSCHUMPERLIN TO SELL THE TRUCK TO DON GRUENES FOR $751.00, SECONDED BY D. LOCH. MOTION CARRIED.
There were two quotes for repairing School Avenue South on the south side of Highway 55. The quotes were for digging out 2 bad spots and resurfacing the portion of the road in city limits. Mid-Minnesota Hot Mix: to repair and pave to 2.5 inches is $29,750.00. Price to pave to 3 inches is $34,400.00. This price did not include shouldering. Hardrives: to repair and pave to 3 inches is $40,846.96, which includes shouldering.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY HESSE TO APPROVE THE QUOTE FROM MID-MINNESOTA HOT MIX FOR $34,400.00 AND TO GET BIDS FOR SHOULDERING FROM OTHER CONTRACTORS, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
Council discussed City Hall roof. Greener World Solutions gave an estimate with three different options for spraying on an acrylic coating with the option of adding spray foam insulation at different R values. The estimates ranged from $9,873.60 to $21,598.50. Bruce Walz gave some options for repairing the roof on City Hall. A rough estimate to remove the steel, insulate and install new steel was $45,000.00 to $50,000.00. Council asked Bruce to put some concrete numbers and options together for them to review at the next meeting.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY D. LOCH TO TABLE THE DISCUSSION ON ROOF REPAIR UNTIL COUNCIL GETS MORE CONCRETE NUMBERS, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
No estimates were received yet for repairing the concrete foundation on City Hall. Council agreed the city would need to fix whatever is damaged in the neighbor’s driveway when the block is repaired.
D. Loch updated the council on the pool repair. The scheduled date to open is June 1.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY D. LOCH TO APPROVE THE WATER/SEWER REGISTRATION FORM, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
Council agreed to wait on adoption of the utility billing policy.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY HESSE TO APPROVE THE REVISED IRRIGATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND JOHN AND JUDY RAUSCH, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
Council approved the spring newsletter. This will be mailed to the residents.
Steve Mies requested tax abatement for the new addition and storage building that was added to their property. The project is all done with the exception of one lift of blacktop to be done this summer. Steve requested that any increase in taxes due to the recent additions be abated for ten years. Steve noted that he did talk to the mayor about tax abatement before starting the project but then thought they would just pay it, not realizing what the value of the increase would be. Steve noted the last time they requested abatement that they stayed in town and expanded and added more jobs. With this most recent addition they are again adding jobs. Steve noted he realizes they are doing it backwards. They should have requested the abatement before starting but they thought they would just pay the taxes on the increased value. Steve noted he knows he has no leverage now but they added value to the city and are adding jobs. Steve noted that in principal it was the same as when they requested abatement with their last addition. They added on and added jobs then and did the same this time. He didn’t anticipate that large of an increase in value. Their assessed value for payable 2013 is increasing $384,000.00 and that is not the full increase yet. The project wasn’t complete by January 1, 2012 so there will be another increase coming for payable 2014. Steve would be requesting abatement from the city and county. Piccerillo noted that he didn’t think it was right to give the abatement now. Steve noted that instead of adding on here and adding value to the City of Watkins they could have went elsewhere and acquired a dealership. Piccerillo noted he was not in favor of granting the request. D. Loch felt it would set a precedent. Hesse agreed. Tschumperlin noted she would be willing to explore the abatement request but to go with a shorter term than last time.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY PICCERILLO NOT TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR TAX ABATEMENT FOR MIES OUTLAND, SECONDED BY D. LOCH. VOTING IN FAVOR WERE PICCERILLO, D. LOCH AND HESSE. VOTING AGAINST WAS TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
The Journal-Patriot newspaper has not been published for three weeks. Council agreed that it needed to appoint another official newspaper.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY D. LOCH TO APPOINT TRI-COUNTY NEWS AS THE OFFICIAL PAPER FOR THE CITY OF WATKINS UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT A LOCAL PAPER IS AFFILIATED WITH WATKINS, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
Council agreed to stay with its policy of no refunds for swimming lessons. Council approved to credit a cancellation to next year.
The Ambulance Service would like to purchase 84 pool passes and give them to the kindergarten classes at the Watkins Elementary and Holy Cross School. This would be in honor of EMS week. In the past they have given coloring books. This would be something different and would promote the pool as well. Council approved to charge $2 per pass. The passes will need to be turned in at the pool when used and then the ambulance service will pay the city for whatever passes were used.
Meeker County Sheriff’s Department is sponsoring a drug take back day on Saturday, May 19th from
8 a.m. to noon at the sheriff’s office at City Hall. People can bring in their unused, unwanted, and unneeded prescription medications and over-the-counter medications to dispose of safely. They have a permanent drop box at the Sheriff’s office in Litchfield and are looking at doing something similar at their contract cities.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY TSCHUMPERLIN TO APPROVE LIQUOR LICENSE RENEWALS FOR BUD’S BAR, SHORTY’S LABORER’S LOUNGE, AMERICAN LEGION CLUB ROOM AND RED GOAT BAR & GRILL, SECONDED BY PICCERILLO. MOTION CARRIED.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY D. LOCH TO APPROVE A TEMPORARY ON-SALE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR THE WATKINS LIONS CLUB FOR JULY 21, 2012, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
There was nothing for public forum.
It was noted that Bill Hennen would contact Pool Products to do air pressure tests on some pipes at the pool to see if any are broken.
Kramer noted there was a thank you from Paynesville Area Health Care for the council. Kramer noted that it hasn’t been determined whether the new owner of Hilltop Care Center will be exempt from real estate taxes. Council agreed to discontinue publishing the regular meeting minutes at this time. They are posted on the city’s website.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY HESSE TO PAY THE BILLS AS PRESENTED, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
A MOTION WAS MADE BY D. LOCH TO ADJOURN, SECONDED BY TSCHUMPERLIN. MOTION CARRIED.
Adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Submitted by
Deb Kramer, Clerk
ATTEST:
James C. Loch, Mayor
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