July 6, 2009 Meeting Minutes.pdf

Present: Gulbranson, Olson, Anderson, Pederson, Emerson

Absent: None

Mayor Emerson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance was spoken.

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Anderson, to approve the agenda with the addition of JD2 Ditch Meeting. All Ayes.

Motion by Pederson, seconded by Olson, to approve consent items, including June City bills in the amount of $228,423.09, meeting minutes from June 1, 2009. All Ayes.

Pete Erickson and Craig Dropik were in attendance.

Council received the run sheet for June.

Amanda Zupke has resigned.

The hamburger feed went well and Dropik thanked the Council for allowing them to have the fundraiser.

Mark Pomerleau was in attendance.

Pomerleau informed the Council that the old fire truck will be fixed this week. Countryside Body Shop will be doing the work.

Pomerleau also informed the Council that letters have been sent to other departments that were interested in purchasing the fire truck.

Chris Randall and Lenny Boogaard were in attendance. Randall explained the schedules and the deficit that the fund is in. The total deficit is -$249,361.00.

The total required contribution is $52,667.00 to be paid in 2010.

Randall stated the goal is to be 100% vested. At the current time, the fund is only 37% vested.

The increase is required contribution would come from the township money.

Council will have Clerk Jacobson review and compare.

Council will review at the August meeting.

Mark Gilson was not in attendance.

Council received the June Police Report.

Ron Kleinschmidt was in attendance.

Council received the June Public Works Report.

Kleinschmidt informed the Council that the wear course for the 8th Avenue Project will be started on Monday.

Joe Ketelboeter was not in attendance.

Council received a spread sheet showing the on and off sale comparison for the Liquor Store.

Council commented that in order to get a good number on off & on sale expenses would have to be divided when paid.

The Council was informed that the Liquor Store parking lot needs some repairing. Should the parking lot be sealcoated or overlayed?

Todd Apple from the Douglas County Public Health was in attendance.

Apple presented a presentation regarding Radon and Radon Detection.

• Breathing in Radactor Gas for a long period could cause lung cancer.
• 2 – 3 homes have high levels of this gas with 1 home having a level over 4.
• The cost to install a system to remove the gas would cost $1,500.00 to $2,000.00.
• As of July 1, 2009, the Building Code will include the requirement to install a passive system for $200.00. This system will reduce the level by half.
• After the systems are installed, testing should still be done. The best system is the Gold Standard System.
• Tests should be done in the fall. If levels are high, grant money pays for Apple to come out and recommend what to do. Low interest loans are available.

Radon class to become a certified midigator is offered this fall for contractors to be certified in the Osakis area.

Tom McSparron and Dale Umlauf were in attendance. They updated the Council on what West Central Initiative can do for our community and what they are already doing for the area.

• McSparron and Umlauf thanked the Council for their past support.
• Umlauf stated that they want to help with any financing to help a new or expanding business. Loans are to fill the gaps of what cannot be obtained from a bank loan.

Council received a letter from our attorney on his opinion regarding the deferred assessment for the Trail Blazers Saddle Club.

There was no one in attendance from the Trail Blazers Saddle Club.

The Council could put a change for undeveloped property in our assessment policy that would include undeveloped property but that would be vacant land with so many acres and they would have to qualify by income or so many acres to defer.

When an assessment is deferred, it is deferred with interest for up to 30 years, so interest and assessment will be due and payable at that time.

At this time, the City is deferring the assessment by extending the payment over 15 years to help with the cost.

The total assessment for the club is $13,490.00 with $1,437.00 due for 2009. If the Council feels this is a burden to the club because they do not have the funds, then the Council should reconsider the other assessments to property owners because some of those are high and those individuals do not have the money to pay their assessment and bills either.

The club has the means to raise the club fees to cover the cost of the assessment where a homeowner does not have any way to raise more money to pay for their assessment. If the club has 40 members that is $36.00 for each member to pay per year to pay the assessment or raise the cost to participate in an event to cover the cost for their property. Not trying to tell them how to spend their money, but they do have to look at other options before asking the citizens to pick up the cost of their assessment.

Council wants Clerk Jacobson to listen to the tape to see if the Trail Blazers were promised no assessment.

Brian Hiles was in attendance with the feasibility report for the water plant and the approval of the plant from the USDA.

Also in attendance was Traut Wells with a quote on the water plant.

Hiles informed the Council of the following information:

• There are 698 EDU’s in the City of Osakis with 650 water connections. The monthly EDU would be $37.29.

Rural Development has a big pool of money. Now the affordability is figured at 1.5% of the median household income. The percent will increase in the future. In the 2010 census, the median income may go up. Current median is $29,833.00.

Total cost of the project is $2,095.491.00. The amount of eligible grant money is $1,511,509.00. 45% of the eligible maximum grant money is $680,179.00. The monthly increase per EDU would be $8.23.

Water conservation rate and seasonal accounts will be looked at to change the water rate.

Stage 2 of the application needs to be completed and keep things moving along. A Public Hearing will need to be held for the water plant and to sign the documents.

PFA money is pretty much gone with the stimulus money. The interest rate would be 3.75% on a loan.

The Council will wait until we hear from the USDA for approval and discuss in August.

The Board of Review training will be held on August 5th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Long Prairie.

One council member will need to attend.

Emerson’s training expires in 2009 and Pederson’s will expire in 2011.

Anderson and Emerson will attend training on August 5th, 2009. Reminder at the August meeting.

Clerk Jacobson attended the Flood Insurance Rate Map hearing on June 2, 2009.

At this meeting, Clerk Jacobson received flood maps for Todd County in Osakis. Larger maps are available at City Hall.

Council received a letter from the MN DNR regarding participating in the Flood Insurance Program.

Council also received a brochure with the insurance rates for flood insurance.

Basically they stated that if the City does not participate and someone buys a property that is in a flood area, they will not be able to get a federal assisted loan because they would require flood insurance. No one in Osakis can purchase flood insurance, and no federal funds will be available unless you are participating.

If the City does not participate, the City would have to adopt a flood ordinance that we would need to enforce. There is no penalty if we do not participate at this time, and then decide to participate later.

Clerk Jacobson will get a copy of an ordinance to adopt and to see what is required of the City to enforce.

Council received ordinance #90.38. The ordinance reads "the grass is in excess of 12 inches in height" and is not consistent with ordinance #92.22, where it states "height of grass not more than 6 inches".

A Resolution was presented by Olson, seconded by Pederson, to approve to change ordinance #90.38 to read "6 inches in height" instead of "12 inches in height". When put to a vote, the Resolution passed unanimously.

Council received the proposed unallotments for 2009 and 2010 LGA.

2009 is $30,301.00

2010 is $69,917.00 (Not accumulative – this is taken off of the certified LGA for 2010)

In March, when the Council met, the City anticipated these cuts. The total we cut at that time was $46,198.00. For this year we have cut in excess of what was unalloted.

Council received a copy of the Revenues and Expenditures for the first half of the year. We will be looking at this at the August meeting when we do our budget. The City will be looking at cutting $69,917.00 from the 2010 budget.

Council will have to look at the Budget for 2009 to see if we are coming in with what was cut.

Council received a First Amendment Tower Site Agreement with Charter Communications.

Because of the bankruptcy and reorganization of the company, they are asking to renew their lease. They currently have some equipment in the lot at city hall and we allow that for trade for free cable service at City Hall and the Liquor Store.

Council would like to see the last agreement to compare before signing the agreement.

The Osakis Information Center is closed as of July 3, 2009, due to the lack of funds to keep it staffed.

Clerk Jacobson has received the keys for the center but does not know how many copies of the keys are out.

Clerk Jacobson suggested having the locks changed at the center, so the City is aware of who is using the building.

Council discussed:

• Re-keying the Information Center.
• Putting a sign on the door.
• Inform the Heritage Center Board and Crystal from OEDC that the locks have been changed.
• Clerk Jacobson will keep the keys.
• If the City considers selling the building, would the funds go to the OEDC? Clerk Jacobson will look at the abstract.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Olson, to approve to have the Information Center re-keyed. All Ayes.

Council received a letter from Tom Klecker regarding Lodging Tax Use.

Council also received a letter that Clerk Jacobson received from the Lake Osakis Resort Association. The letter does not specify the use of the funds. Clerk Jacobson talked to Shari Klukken and she informed Clerk Jacobson what the Lodging Tax money is spent on.

• Newspaper ads for 4 months in South Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska.
• Internet ads on Yahoo and Google.
• Banner ads on Outdoor News, Lakeplace.com, Explore MN (with a booklet).
• Brochures and any local donations come out of the general fund.
• $25,000 to $30,000 is collected each year from Lodging Tax.

Council is asking if the Chamber would be willing to pitch in if $5,000 is used from the Lodging Tax to keep the center open? Phil Reed stated he cannot speak for the Chamber and said they have contributed a lot of money to keep it open this far.

Council would like to set up a meeting with LORA.

Olson stated that the VFW may look at contributing if others do.

The Car Club would like to ask the Council’s permission to block off Main Street from 1st Avenue West to 1st Avenue East for the car show on July 11, 2009.

Motion by Emerson, seconded by Olson, to approve to block off Main Street from 1st Avenue West to 1st Avenue East. All Ayes.

Council received the meeting minutes from June 18, 2009.

Council also received a letter received from Alexandria Homes Inc. regarding manufactured homes in Osakis. Mike Dolan (attorney) has received a copy of this letter, and so has the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Council received a letter from Todd County. The letter states that Todd County will need to approve all new plats that are in Todd County in the City of Osakis.

Todd County received a letter from all cities in Todd County opposing the plat approval by Todd County.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Pederson, to approve the Planning & Zoning meeting minutes from June 18, 2009. All Ayes.

A raffle that was sponsored by the VFW was a great success and the Fireworks were held at the Osakis Country Club on July 4, 2009.

Council received the lease agreement with the Country Club.

The funds paid to the City from the VFW fundraiser for the fireworks was $6,194.91.

Bev Tweedt was in attendance to discuss an ordinance for dangerous dogs.

Council received a copy of the state statute and the ordinance from the City of Alexandria.

Tweedt told her story to the Council about what had happened to her and her dog.

Ordinance states the person must have a sworn complaint and file with District Court to confine the dog or have the dog put down.

To have a dog classified as a dangerous dog, there needs to be two attack incidents.

Tweedt will contact the City attorney Mike Dolan to give sworn statement.

The Liebling Family Circus would like to use the grounds at the Industrial Park on July 24th-25th, 2009. The Circus features acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, clowns, and animals.

Clerk Jacobson will get a list of other cities that they have been in and their insurance coverage. If this information is ok, then they are approved to use the property.

Roger Davis was in attendance. Informed the Council that people are driving very fast around the corner of Osage Street East where Davis lives and something needs to be done. Davis suggested one way and speed limit signs. Gulbranson will look into the complaints for this Street.

Larry Dillehay was in attendance. Dillehay has concerns regarding pedestrians crossing the streets. Dillehay suggested putting three "stop for pedestrians in the street" signs at each intersection.

Consensuses of the Council was to put up 3 signs at the intersections of Hwy 27.

Dillehay would like a repeal of ordinance for trailer parking on the street. Dillehay feels he is being targeted for having his trailer parked on the street while others are on the street and have not been moved.

Council stated Dillehay is not being targeted or singled out. The Police Department is enforcing the ordinance for all trailers that they see are in violation.

Council will not repeal the ordinance.

JD2 Meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 13, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center. They want to change all properties for cleaning the ditch. Council members should attend.

Capt 2020 – Clerk Jacobson will get information on the location for the line and get the information to the Council to see how it will affect the city.

Motion by Anderson, seconded by Emerson, to adjourn at 10:24 p.m. All Ayes.

_______________________                         ____________________________

Mayor – Keith Emerson                                  City Clerk – Angela A. Jacobson