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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2007, CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007, CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular meeting of the
Council in and for the City of Albany, Stearns County,
Minnesota, was called to order by Mayor Jamie Thelen at 6:30
o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, January 3, 2007, in the
Council Room at 400 Railroad Avenue for the said City.
Members present were: Mayor Jamie Thelen,
Councilors Dennis Sand, James Beuning, and John Greer. Councilor
Tom Kasner was absent.
James
Stueve, Police Chief, Joseph Mergen, Public Works Supervisor,
Robert Forster, City Employee, and Mike Kosik, Editor Stearns
Morrison Enterprise, were present for the meeting.
Mr.
Schneider administered the oath of office to Mayor elect Jamie
Thelen, Councilors James Beuning and John Greer.
After due discussion, a motion was made by James Beuning and seconded by
Dennis Sand to authorize the payment of the
following bills: Check Numbers 57200 to 57224 and 12293 to
12309. All voted for the motion and it carried.
Mayor Jamie
Thelen called for any corrections or additions to the minutes of
the regular meeting held on December 20th and hearing
none declared them approved.
James
Czajkowski, President, Albany Fire Relief Association, appeared
before the Council to present proposed amendments to the said
Association as recommended by the State Auditor’s Office. Mayor
Jamie Thelen informed Mr. Czajkowski to present the proposed
amendments to the Albany Area Fire Board and back to the City
Council meeting on February 21st.
Mayor Jamie
Thelen presented the following proposed 2007 appointments:
Acting
Mayor
Dennis Sand
Animal
Warden
Police Dept.
Weed
Inspector
Jamie Thelen
Assistant Weed
Inspector Joseph
Mergen
Auditor
Schlenner Wenner Co.
Emergency Management
Director Steven Blenker
Community Education
Liaison James Stueve
EDA Board
members
Jamie Thelen, Tom Kasner
Equipment
Commissioner James
Beuning
Fire Department
Liaison Tom
Kasner
Golf Board
Liaison
Jamie Thelen
Health
Officer
Dr. Daron Gersch, MD
Labor
Commissioners
John Greer, James Beuning
Official Depositors
Stearns Bank,
Albany Credit Union
Official
Publication
Stearns Morrison Enterprise
Park Board
Liaison
Dennis Sand
Planning Commission
Liaison John Greer
Police
Commissioner
Jamie Thelen
Street
Commissioner
John Greer
Utility
Commissioner
James Beuning
Albany Township
Liaison Jamie
Thelen
After due
discussion, a motion was made by John Greer and seconded by
James Beuning to approve the aforementioned 2007 Mayor
Appointments. All voted for the motion and it carried.
Mr. Mergen
presented to the Council a list of individuals who have not paid
their water/sewer bill and recommended that their water service
be discontinued as per Ordinance No. 30. Councilor John Greer
questioned if payment by customers would improve if water bills
were mailed out every two months rather than quarterly being the
amount owed would be less. Mr. Mergen noted that over the past
few years, several radio read water meters have been installed
and the goal is to have all water customers using radio read
water meters which would eliminate manual reading door to
door. Mr. Mergen noted that he would not be opposed to reading
water meters every two months if it encourages individuals to
pay. Mayor Jamie Thelen, with the consensus of the Council,
directed Mr. Schneider to prepare the appropriate Ordinance
amendments and notices in the local newspaper informing all
water customers of the City that water bills will begin to be
mailed bi-monthly (every two months) beginning March 1, 2007.
Mayor Jamie Thelen directed Mr. Mergen to begin to read water
meters the last week in February for the first two month billing
cycle.
Mr. Mergen
presented to the Council Pay Application Number 4 for the 230th
Avenue Improvements submitted by J.R. Ferche, Rice, MN. After
due discussion, a motion was made by John Greer and seconded by
James Beuning to approve Pay Application Number 4 in the amount
of $10,249.17 and for the aforesaid Improvements. All voted for
the motion and it carried.
Mr. Mergen
presented to the Council the 2006 Well Pumping Report. Mr.
Mergen reported the City pumped 151,850,700 gallons of water or
416,000 gallons per day.
The Council
took notice of an application for a Minnesota Lawful Gambling
Exempt Permit submitted by the Knights of Columbus to conduct
their annual raffle. After due discussion, a motion was made by
Dennis Sand and seconded by James Beuning to approve the said
Application. All voted for the motion and it carried.
Mr. Mergen appeared before the
Council at the request of one of the property owners who’s
property abuts the alley which lies between 1st and 2nd
Street and Midland Avenue and Forest Avenue, to discuss the
option of upgrading the base (gravel) of the alley for the
purpose of paving the alley to eliminate on-going surface
corrections with re-occurring pot holes and deterioration of the
gravel surface at the southern end of the alley abutting Midland
Avenue. Mr. Mergen noted that either the base be reconstructed
and 50 feet of the southern end of the alley abutting Midland
Avenue paved at an estimated cost of $2,000 or the base be
reconstructed and pave the entire alley for vehicle traffic only
at an estimated cost of $10,500, but Garbage Truck use would not
be permitted. Mayor Jamie Thelen, with the consensus of the
Council, directed the City Clerk/Administrator to forward a
letter to the abutting property owners inviting them to the next
Council meeting to discuss the current condition of the alley
and ways to finance the aforementioned proposed improvements.
Mr. Schneider presented to the
Council a proposed Credit Card Use Policy as per the
recommendation by the City Auditor. After due discussion, a
motion was made by John Greer and seconded by Dennis Sand to
approved the said Policy. All voted for the motion and it
carried.
Mr.
Schneider presented to the Council a letter the City received
from Bremer Bank, Brainerd, MN, requesting the City close out
the letter of credit issued on behalf of Central Minnesota Land
Development, LLC, in favor of the City for the Trails Edge
Subdivision. Mr. Mergen noted that a few sidewalks have been
cracked by contractors constructing homes this fall and he was
told by the one of the Developers of the Subdivision that the
sidewalks will be repaired in the spring. Mayor Jamie Thelen,
with the consensus of the Council, directed the City
Clerk/Administrator to inform Bremer Bank that the City will
cash in the letter of credit, a value of $13,000, to be used to
repair the sidewalks in the spring.
Mayor Jamie Thelen announced the
next regular Council meeting for 6:30 o’clock in the evening on
Wednesday, January 17, 2007 and adjourned the meeting at 8:05
PM.
Tom Schneider,
Clerk/Adm.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007, CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular meeting of the
Council in and for the City of Albany, Stearns County,
Minnesota, was called to order by Mayor Jamie Thelen at 6:30
o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, January 17, 2007, in the
Council Room at 400 Railroad Avenue for the said City.
Members present were: Mayor Jamie Thelen,
Councilors Dennis Sand, James Beuning, Tom Kasner, and John
Greer. None were absent.
James
Stueve, Police Chief, and Joseph Mergen, Public Works
Supervisor, were present for the meeting.
Mr.
Schneider administered the oath of office to Councilor elect Tom
Kasner.
After due discussion, a motion was made by Dennis Sand and seconded by
John Greer to authorize the payment of the
following bills: Check Numbers 57225 to 57267 and 12310 to
12350. All voted for the motion and it carried.
Mayor Jamie
Thelen called for any corrections or additions to the minutes of
the regular meeting held on January 3rd and hearing none
declared them approved.
Brandon
Mortenson, Joseph Wedel, Cory Wolf, Todd Bunger, and Debra
Solarz, resident property owners abutting the alley which lies
between 1st and 2nd Street (Midland and
Forest Avenue) were present for the meeting.
Councilor John Greer, Street Commissioner, welcomed
everyone to the meeting and
informed the Council that upon
the request of one of the property owners, the following options
had been discussed relating to proposed alley improvements:
1)
Reconstruct the base and pave the entire alley for
vehicle traffic ONLY at an estimated cost of $10,500. No
Garbage Trucks permitted to use the alley.
2)
Reconstruct the base and pave entire alley to 9 ton
rating to permit garbage truck traffic at an estimated cost of
$24,000.
Mr. Wedel appeared before the
Council to inform the Council that not only has the weight of
the garbage truck damaged the alley especially the southern end,
but storm water too. Mr. Bunger noted that it’s of his opinion
that the southern end of the alley is in very poor shape due to
the thaw and freeze cycle each year, but the northern end is in
much better condition. Mayor Jamie Thelen informed the
landowners that the question becomes cost and expenses for new
improvements are paid partially by the City and abutting
landowners. Mr. Greer noted that the City can consider a
repair at City cost to reconstruct the base and pave
approximately 50 feet of the southern end of the alley abutting
Midland Avenue at an estimated cost of $2,000, but continuous
use of the alley by the garbage truck may reduce the life of
this temporary repair. After due discussion, Mayor Jamie Thelen
directed the City Clerk/Administrator to forward letters to
Bueckers City Sanitation and all abutting property owners that
the garbage truck will enter the alley from Forest Avenue
picking up garbage on the east side of the alley, then backing
out to Forest Avenue and the City will reconstruct the base and
pave approximately 50 feet of the southern end of the alley
abutting Midland Avenue.
Mr.
Mergen presented to the Council Pay Application No. 8 and Change
Order No. 2 for the Water Treatment Plant Improvements submitted
by Robert L. Carr, Marshall, MN. Mr. Mergen informed the
Council that the project is approximately ten weeks behind
schedule. Councilor Dennis Sand expressed his frustration by the
lack of progress on the construction. After due discussion, a
motion was made by John Greer and seconded by James Beuning to
approve Pay Application No. 8 in the amount of $216,772.90 and
Change Order No. 2, an increase of $17,390.00 for the aforesaid
Improvements. Voting for the motion were Mayor Jamie Thelen,
Councilors James Beuning, and John Greer. Councilors Dennis
Sand and Tom Kasner voted against and the motion carried.
Mr. Mergen
presented to the Council Final Pay Application No. 2 for the
North Park Utility Improvements submitted by Randy Kramer
Excavating, Watkins, MN. After due discussion, a motion was made
by Dennis Sand and seconded by John Greer to approve Final Pay
Application No. 2 in the amount of $4,719.89 for the aforesaid
improvements. All voted for the motion and it carried.
The Council
took notice of a letter the Council received from James Kastanek
informing the Council that he does not want to be reappointed to
the Park Board after having served on the said Board for 36
years. Mayor Jamie Thelen noted that Mr. Kastanek was the last
remaining member of the Park Board that was originally appointed
in 1970 and thanked Mr. Kastanek for his many years of unselfish
dedication and commitment to the development of the Parks in the
City. After due discussion, a motion was made by James Beuning
and seconded by Tom Kasner to accept the said letter and to
direct the City Clerk/Administrator to publish a notice in the
newspaper accepting applications for the position on the City’s
Park Board for those who reside within the City limits. All
voted for the motion and it carried.
Mr. Stueve
appeared before the Council to discuss options relating to
purchasing or leasing a new Dodge Charger for a Patrol Car to
replace the 2004 Ford Crown Victoria. Mayor Jamie Thelen,
with the consensus of the Council, authorized Mr. Stueve to
prepare the necessary paperwork to lease a 2007 Dodge Charger.
Mr. Stueve
reported that he received a letter from the Stearns County
Emergency Management Department informing him that the Albany
Police Department will receive a $10,000 grant to be used to
purchase 800 MHz radios for the said Department. Mr. Stueve
noted that each radio is approximately $2,500.
The Council
took notice of proposed Ordinance amendments and Resolution
relating to changing the Water Billing period from quarterly to
bi-monthly or every two months. After due discussion, a
motion was made by John Greer who
introduced the following Ordinance amendments and Resolution and
moved their adoption:
RESOLUTION
ADOPTING POLICY FOR DETERMINING
RESIDENTIAL SANITARY SEWER USAGE
AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 30
MUNICIPAL WATER SYSTEM
AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 31
MUNICIPAL SEWER SYSTEM
AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE 32
SEWER USE AND SEWER SERVICE
CHARGE
AMENDMENT TO APPENDIX A
WATER AND SEWER CHARGES
The motion for the
foregoing Resolution and Ordinance amendments was seconded by
Tom Kasner and after a full discussion thereon and upon a vote
being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof:
Mayor Jamie Thelen, Councilors Dennis Sand, James Beuning, Tom
Kasner, and John Greer and none voted against the same;
whereupon the said Resolution and Ordinance amendments were
declared duly passed and adopted. The full text of the
aforesaid amendments is on file at the office of the City
Clerk/Administrator for public inspection during normal office
hours.
Mayor Jamie Thelen announced the
next regular Council meeting for 6:30 o’clock in the evening on
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 and adjourned the meeting at 8:15
PM.
Tom Schneider
Clerk/Adm. |
