REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
August 7, 2007
7:00 P.M.
ROYALTON CITY CENTER
Mayor Lauer called the Regular City Council meeting to order. The pledge of allegiance was said. On roll call members present were: Lauer, Libke, Gutzkow, Verley and Cekalla.
People present: Tim Majaski, Planning and Zoning; Terry Lehrke, Morrison County Record; Travis Raatz; Bill Popp, Coldwell Banker; Gene & Holly Binkley, Royalton Fire Dept.; Mark Clasen, Lakes Gas Co.; Mary Bindewald and Dean Witt, Minnesota Power; Lee Obermiller, Planning & Zoning; Keith Majaski, Hickory Street Printing; Paul Kapsner, Royalton Lumber; Gene Epsky, Epsky Woodworking; and Carol Madsen, Royalton City Clerk.
Libke made two corrections to the minutes of the 7-17-07 Regular City Council meeting. The first is in paragraph 7, page 1. It should read “purchase offer”, not purchase agreement. The second is in paragraph 1, page 2, it should say “the city owned properties along S Birch Street”.
Libke made a motion to approve the minutes of the Regular City Council meeting, July 17, 2007, as corrected, 2nd by Gutzkow. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Libke added one action item, Verley added one discussion item, and Mayor Lauer added one discussion item to the agenda.
No Public forum.
Cekalla made a motion to close N Ivy Street on 8-29-07 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the Elementary School Open House, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Paul Kapsner, Firemen’s Relief Assoc., presented the Schedule I & II to the Council. He also requested an increase in the annual benefit from $725.00 to $825.00 and the annual City contribution of $2,500.00. Gutzkow made a motion to approve the annual benefit increase to $825.00, effective 1-1-07, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried. Cekalla made a motion to approve the annual contribution to the Firemen’s Relief Assoc. of $2,500.00, 2nd by Libke. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Mayor Lauer removed line item number 8 from the agenda.
Mary Bindewald and Dean Witt, Minnesota Power, addressed the power needs and concerns of some of the area business people. Some of the concerns were not having 3 phase power available and brown outs at the High School. Mary Bindewald stated they acknowledge the tremendous growth in the Royalton area and they are working on getting everyone’s needs met.
Mayor Lauer recessed the Regular City Council meeting and called to order the Public Hearing for a variance request from Lakes Gas Co. at 7:40 p.m.
Tim Majaski, Planning & Zoning, reviewed the variance request for Lakes Gas Company. The need for the variance is that the property runs at an angle and the one corner of the building would not meet the proper set back requirement. All comments from the public were non opposing. Verley made a motion to close the public hearing at 7:45 p.m., 2nd by Libke. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Mayor Lauer called the Regular City Council meeting back to order.
Verley made a motion to approve the variance, for Lakes Gas Co., to build closer to the property line than the set back allows, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Cekalla read the quotes received for the 40’X80’X14’ cold storage building. Mathew Hall Lumber, Structural Buildings and Royalton Lumber Yard were all asked to give the City a quote on the building. Cekalla reported the City does not need architectural or structural drawings according to Building Inspector, Nancy Scott. Two quotes were received. They are: Structural Buildings - $48,200 and Royalton Lumber & Hardware - $44,262. City share of the building, which is 2/3 of the cost, will come from the WWTF expansion construction money and the other 1/3 will come from the Royalton Firemen Gambling for housing the pull tabs. Cekalla made a motion to accept the Royalton Lumber & Hardware quote of $44,262, 2nd by Libke. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Mayor Lauer recommends one budget meeting after talking with other city council members. Cekalla made a motion to hold a budget meeting on Aug. 27, 2007 at 6:00 p.m., 2nd by Libke. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Bill Popp, Coldwell Banker, reported Travis Raatz counter offered at $30,000 for the old library building. Verley recommended the City stay at $32,000. Verley made a motion to counter offer at $32,000 again, and the City will agree to pay the legal fees pertaining to a rebuilding agreement, if necessary, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried. Libke made a motion to accept the purchase agreement if the perspective purchaser agrees to the $32,000 within 40 days and the legal fees pertaining to a rebuilding agreement will be at the expense of the City 2nd by Gutzkow. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Verley reviewed bids for the IH tractor w/loader and the brush and finishing mower. Verley recommended accepting the bid from Arnie Cekalla for the Tractor and Finishing Mower at a bid of $10,406.00 and Loran P. Czech for the Brush Mower at a bid of $175.00. A Bobcat would be purchased if the Tractor is sold. A Bobcat meets the needs of the Public Works dept. much better than the current tractor. A Commercial mower would also be purchased. A Steiner Mower is $13,900 less $3500 trade in allowance, balance being $10,400. Libke requested Verley put together a cost benefit analysis on the Bobcat. Gutzkow made a motion to table the bids on the Tractor w/loader and mowers until the 8-21-07 City Council meeting, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried
Cekalla made a motion to approve the On, Off and Sunday Liquor License for Nuby’s Sports Bar & Grill, Inc. for Sept 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008, contingent on the signature of the police officer and receiving check for $2100, 2nd by Libke. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Cekalla made a motion to approve the On, Off and Sunday Liquor license for Scotties Log Bar for Sept 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008, contingent on the police officer signature, 2nd by Gutzkow. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Libke made a motion to approve the On, Off and Sunday Liquor License for 10 Spot Bar & Lounge for Sept 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008, contingent on the police officer signature, 2nd by Gutzkow. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Cekalla made a motion to approve the On Sale and Sunday Liquor License for the Royalton American Legion Club for Sept 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008, contingent on the police officer signature, 2nd by Gutzkow. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Cekalla made a motion to approve the 3.2 Liquor License for the E Z Stop Store, for Sept 1, 2007 through August 31, 2008, contingent on the police officer signature, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Gutzkow made a motion to put Police Chief Gunderson at step 2 on the wage scale, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Gutzkow made a motion to approve the purchase of a bullet proof vest for the Police Department from Galls and to apply for the reimbursement programs, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Cekalla made a motion to approve the Preventive Maintenance Contract with Thein Well, to include all three wells, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Verley reported the Public Works department has requested approval to rent a vacuum from Burski Construction to suck water and debris out of the gate valves at a cost of $250.00 for one day. Libke suggested they exercise and clean them on a regular basis. Verley made a motion to rent a vacuum from Burski Construction for one day at a cost of $250.00 to clean out the gate valves, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
The City Council reviewed the plans for the Royalton Lumber & Hardware expansion. Libke made a motion to approve the addition to the building at Royalton Lumber & Hardware, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
Tim reported on the Planning & Zoning meeting with Jean Meyer.
Libke reported that they met with the school district on the Local Access TV issue. They decided that the School District would be the administrator of it and they will pay 2/3 of the cost and City will pay 1/3 of cost. The initial start up will cost $16,500 which will come from grants & donations. It will the cost $5750 per year after that. Libke made a motion to approve the expenditure for Local Access TV, up to 1/3 of the $5750 per year and give direction to the administrators to proceed, 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried. This will be funded from the cable franchise fee the City currently receives.
Verley requested the City Council consider what returning Police Chief Gunderson’s letter says about keeping the squad car at his house. Verley stated Chief Gunderson had some very good points, especially about response times. Gutzkow stated she was concerned about how the part time officers were going to have access to the car. Cekalla stated in the past when all the other Police Chiefs kept the car at their homes the part time officers would just go to the Chief’s house and pick it up. Cekalla also stated it does help in an emergency response and generally has been pretty well accepted. The majority of the City Council was in agreement that the squad car could be kept at the Police Chief’s house.
Mayor Lauer reported on the Friday Community Business Members meeting.
Gutzkow made a motion to pay all bills, voucher no’s 27627 – 27668, in the amount of $80,071.58, 2nd by Cekalla. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried
Libke made a motion to adjourn at 8:55 p.m., 2nd by Verley. Put to a vote with all members voting aye. Motion carried.
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City Clerk/Treasurer