GOOD THUNDER CITY COUNCIL MEETING Minutes of the Meeting September 8, 2014

Transcription

1 GOOD THUNDER CITY COUNCIL MEETING Minutes of the Meeting September 8, 2014 The September 8, 2014, meeting of the Good Thunder city council was called to order, at 7:00 p.m., by Mayor Robert Anderson. The meeting convened in council chambers located at 130 Ewing Court, Good Thunder, Minnesota. Council members present, Kim Hernandez; Kenton Giese; Sarah Karels, Arlen Ostermann. Others in attendance: Jerry Birr, City Maintenance; Phil Klammer, Fire Chief; Bob Roelofs, Acting Good Thunder Police Department Administrator; Cheryl Barnard, Clerk-Treasurer. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Council member Ken Giese made a motion to approve the agenda as presented and distributed. Council member Kim Hernandez seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member Arlen Ostermann made a motion to approve the minutes of the August , and the minutes of the special meeting of the budget workshop on August 27, Council member Ken Giese seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. City Maintenance, Jerry Birr, presented cost estimates he had obtained regarding equipment for the city. Birr presented prices on two sizes of refrigerators for the concession stand, prices on generators, and prices on a metal detector and line tracer. The council was informed by Birr that the city s metal detector is no long working. If repaired the cost could end up being one-half the cost of a new metal detector. In obtaining an estimate from MN Pipe and Equipment Birr was informed that they may give the city $150 for the old detector if the city purchases a new detector from them. Generators were discussed for city hall and the city shop. Discussion followed with no decision to purchase such equipment at this time. City Maintenance Birr informed the council that Evergreen had placed a seconded coat on the streets for dust control. Council member, Arlen Ostermann, made a motion to purchase a metal detector from Minnesota Pipe and Equipment Company. Council member, Kenton Giese seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Kim Hernandez, made a motion to spend up to $750 on a refrigerator for the concession stand. Council member, Ken Giese seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Arlen Ostermann, made a motion to approve the following Zoning Permits: GT-17-14, 254 Halladay Street N., front entry platform/steps GT-18-14, 231 S. Hubbell Street, level small section of middle of back yard, lay down gravel GT-19-14, 810 Sherman St., 8 x 10, storage shed Council member, Kim Hernandez seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Fire Chief, Phil Klammer, reported that the Good Thunder Volunteer Fire Department, responded to 1

2 three (3) medical calls, one (1) fire call, and one (1) gas leak call. Fire Chief Klammer reminded everyone that if you smell gas to call 911. The council was informed that Aaron Barnard is now a new firefighter for the department. The Pork Feed, held in Rapidan on September 6 th was a success as over 600 were served. Fire Chief Klammer stated that the department is very appreciative of the support received by the turn out at the Pork Feed. The Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County Mutual Aid Agreement was presented for city approval. The council was informed that the current agreement expires December 31, The mutual aid shares personnel and equipment of fire, police, EMS, public works, and others as necessary. Fire Chief Klammer answered questions from the council regarding the area of coverage. Council member, Arlen Ostermann, made a motion approving the Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur County Mutual Aid Agreement. Council member, Ken Giese, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. This agreement will begin January 1, 2015 and will continue to be in force until January 1, Council member, Arlen Ostermann, reported on the Police Commission meeting which was held in Amboy on September 3 rd. Councilor Ostermann informed the council that he, Sarah Karels, Cheryl Barnard, and Kim Hernandez were in attendance at this meeting. The Joint Powers Agreement for Law Enforcement between the Cities of Amboy, Good Thunder and Vernon Center was reviewed with the council. The commission will consist of six (6) voting members. Each member city shall appoint two (2) council members annually to this board. The non-voting members on this commission will be the Police Chief, Amboy City Administrator Clerk-Treasurer, Good Thunder City Clerk-Treasurer and Vernon Center Clerk-Treasurer. The council was informed that Clerk-Treasurer Barnard had submitted the Joint Powers Agreement to Good Thunder City Attorney, Chris Kennedy, for review and Mr. Kennedy did make a recommendation which the Police Commission agreed should be made. Originally, paragraph 4B stated, four of the six regular commission members, with at least one from each city will constitute a quorum. Mr. Kennedy s concern was the use of the word regular which is not used previously in the agreement as the terms voting and non-voting had been used. He suggested that the terminology of this paragraph 4 B. state: Four (4) of the six (6) voting members shall constitute a forum, provided that at least one (1) voting member shall be present from each city. This revision was made in the agreement. The council was informed that the cost per city will be pasted on population figures used from yearly updates from the Minnesota State Demographer. If the population of one (1) city varies more than 5% from the base established at the beginning of this agreement, the percentages shall be changed, effective the following year to reflect the population shift. The beginning percentages shall be: 37% Amboy, 40% Good Thunder, 23% Vernon Center. Bob Roelofs, Acting Good Thunder Police Department Administrator, commended the three City Clerks on their work in developing the Joint Powers Agreement, Job Description and all documents developed for this change in police coverage. The council was informed that under Headquarters in the Joint Powers Agreement: The fiscal agent s office will be located in the Amboy City Hall. There will be two (2) physical safety offices, one (1) in the Amboy City Hall and one (1) in the Good Thunder City Hall. 2

3 In regards to equipment, all current police department equipment owned by each individual city shall be contributed to the department and become the property of the department under this agreement. An estimation of each city s equipment value shall be made. All future purchases, repairs, and maintenance on equipment shall be at the expense of the commission. Future acquisitions shall be based on a percentage reflecting the percentages previously discussed. Bob Roelofs informed the council that the police officers in Good Thunder have developed an inventory of equipment and he wants to review the equipment inventory of the current commission to make sure that cost estimates are rated equally. Bob Roelofs explained the wages that the current Police Commission set for the three positions: Police Chief - $40,000-$48,000 yearly; Assistant Chief - $32,000-$40,000 and Patrol Officer $28,000 - $35,000. Discussion followed. Council member, Kim Hernandez, expressed her concern about salaries and new start up fees. Hernandez stated, If we hired everybody at the middle of each salary range, you are looking at $111,000. Our cost as a city is going to be $44,000, so that is already over what we budgeted for our 2015 year. There will also be startup costs such as new badges, stationery, envelopes during the first and the new department will have costs not even considered at this time. Council member, Sarah Karels, informed the council that the Police Commission does understand the importance of the D.A.R.E. program at the Good Thunder Elementary school and is in support of this program. Bob Roelofs explained that there will be two (2) eight (8) hour shifts per day. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be one (1) eight hour shift with an on-call system in place. Council member, Arlen Ostermann, made a motion that contingent with the cities of Amboy, Good Thunder, and Vernon Center all approving the Joint Powers Agreement for Law Enforcement between the cities of Amboy, Good Thunder, and Vernon Center, to proceed with the posting, publishing and hiring process for a Chief of Police for the Tri-City Public Safety Department to begin employment January 1, Council member, Sarah Karels, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Sarah Karels stated that Bob (Roelofs) had given his experience in helping the Police Commission in making the correct decisions and his intention was to make this a good, successful solution to our city s police department s current situation. Bob Roelofs, Acting Good Thunder Police Department Administrator, informed the council that in July there were sixteen (16) days of police coverage and during that time there were fifty-one (51) calls for service. In August, there were forty-one (41) calls for service, with fifteen (15) days of police coverage during the month of August, Blue Earth County took several calls. The council was informed that with this volume of calls, officers have been busy. The council was informed that there is a lot of petty incidents happening within the city. Roelofs would like to guarantee the city, with five (5) days a week of coverage. In order to guarantee this coverage, Roelofs requested that the council consider giving the current part-time officers a $2 per hour raise to guarantee such coverage. Roelofs has spoken to two (2) of the part-time officers and these officers have verbally stated that they would guarantee five (5) days a week on at eight (8) hours a day. Discussion followed. Curfew was discussed and the council wants this to be enforced with tickets being given instead of warnings. 3

4 The council was informed that the Good Thunder Police Department assisted other agencies on four occasions during the month of August. Council member, Kim Hernandez, expressed her concern in giving a 15% raise to part-time police as this seems unfair to current employees. Council member, Ken Giese, stated that if we have a crime problem, it needs to be taken care of. Council member, Sarah Karels, explained that it would be a cost of approximately $2700 until the end of the year. Council member, Sarah Karels, made a motion to approve a $2.00 per hour pay increase to part-time police officers effective immediately. Part-time police officers hours are to be reduced during the month of December accordingly. Council member, Ken Giese, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Clerk-Treasurer, Cheryl Barnard, presented a five (5) year city audit contract from Burkhardt and Burkhardt Ltd. The city is very satisfied with the services provided. This contract provides a $200 fee increase from 2014 to This is a 2% increase. Every year until 2019 the contract would increase $200 or 2% through Council member, Kim Hernandez, made a motion approving the five (5) year auditing services contract of Burkhardt and Burkhardt Ltd., from Council member, Arlen Ostermann, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Clerk-Treasurer, Cheryl Barnard, presented Resolution No , Resolution Certifying 2015 Proposed Tax Levy and Resolution No , Resolution Certifying 2015 Proposed Special Levy. Ms. Barnard explained that at the August 27 th, special meeting budget workshop, the council proposed that the city increase the tax levy for 2015 to 6%. The proposed budget Ms. Barnard had presented at the meeting was proposed at a 3% increase from 2014 to At this meeting, the council decided to place an additional $8400 in street improvements making the proposed budget increase from 3% to 6%. It was approved that current city employees, excluding police employees, be given a 3% pay increase in Discussion followed. Council member, Kenton Giese, made a motion approving Resolution No , RESOLUTION CERTIFYING 2015 PROPOSED TAX LEVY, and Resolution No , RESOLUTION CERTIFYING 2015 PR0POSED SPECIAL LEVY. Council member, Kim Hernandez, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. The total budget levy proposed for 2015 is $293,444. The Total special levy is proposed at $16,292. Council member, Kenton Giese, made a motion setting December 1 st at 7:00 p.m. as the Truth in Taxation hearing date for the City of Good Thunder. Council member, Kim Hernandez, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Kenton Giese, made a motion setting November 10 th as the city council meeting date. At this meeting, the council will meet as a Canvassing Board to canvass the votes of the Municipal Election. Council member, Kim Hernandez, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 4

5 Clerk-Treasurer Barnard informed the council that delinquent utility accounts totaling $17, were mailed out on September 5 th. Forty-six households currently have a delinquent status. Discussion followed. Ron Kaul, questioned the Culligan drinking water in City Hall. He was informed that the past Police Chief had ordered this. Discussion followed. Council member, Kim Hernandez, made a motion to remove the Culligan Drinking Water System from City Hall and to purchase a small refrigerator for the City Shop. Council member, Kenton Giese seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Arlen Ostermann, made a motion approving the bills for payment as presented and distributed. Council member, Sarah Karels, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Citizens: Lola Phelps informed the council that the Good Thunder Day Committee received their food and gambling licenses. The parade will begin at 3 p.m. and currently 51 units have signed up. The Western Reenactment people will perform from 5 6 p.m., at a cost of $400, on September 20 th. Arnie Lillo is unable to provide his train display on September 20 th. Jim Prom thanked council members for attending the Throw Down. Discussion followed as to how successful this event was. This was such a positive experience that the committee is planning to have more Throw Down events next summer. The city will give the $400 for the Western Reenactment as money had been set aside, under the General Fund-Future Improvements, for such disbursement. Council member, Ken Giese, made a motion that the city give Paulette Nelson $50 in Good Thunder Bucks for her continued care of the flower garden by the Bell Tower. Council member, Kim Hernandez, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Council member, Sarah Karels, informed the council that mulch is needed at the playground. City Maintenance Birr will get this ordered for the playground and as needed for the equipment at the Main Street City Park. Yard of the Month Chris & Lindsey Hennek, 231 S. Hubbell Street. Council member, Ken Giese made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Council member Arlen Ostermann, seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted by, Cheryl A. Barnard City Clerk-Treasurer 5

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