June 24, 2009 council meeting minutes
REGULAR MEETING – DANUBE CITY COUNCIL – JUNE 24, 2009
Gene Allex called the regular meeting of the Danube City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Councilmembers present: Sharon Lothert, Les Schneider, Sr., Al Strunc and Ryan Bentley. Absent: None
Also present: Dan Kaufenberg, Public Work Director and Dean Palmquist, Danube Resident
A motion was made by Al Strunc to approve the agenda with the additions of “Water Shut Offs” and “Safe Deposit Boxes” under New Business. Sharon Lothert seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
A motion was made by Sharon Lothert to approve the minutes of the regular council meeting of June 10, 2009. Ryan Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Dan Kaufenberg, Public Works Director, was present and gave his monthly employee report. The following items were discussed:
· Mosquitoes are being sprayed for in town.
· Brian Beckendorf asked Kaufenberg which expenses he will be responsible for if he goes across 2nd Street East for his water connection. There is no connection fee, however Beckendorf will be responsible for the water meter, the shut off, and to repair the street where it gets dug up. Kaufenberg will give Beckendorf this information.
· A new main broom for the street sweeper would cost $460.00 through MacQueen Equipment.
· Pennings Construction repaired the driveway at 103 3rd Street.
· The City pick up had to have a new water pump installed.
· There are some water shut offs that are packed with thick mud. The council asked Kaufenberg to check with Vosika’s about cleaning those out.
· Summer maintenance help has been busy with mowing and painting the curbs.
Danube Resident, Dean Palmquist was present to discuss blighted properties. He wanted to make sure that everyone was being treated equally regarding blights. The council assured Palmquist that everyone in town is treated the same.
There was nothing new to report on the following ongoing agenda items: school building, Mahoney lawsuit, Sunrise Place, dog licenses, false wall in chlorine room, and Highway 212. There are no events scheduled at the Community Center or school building for the next two weeks.
The groups that have activities in the school building in the winter were asked if they minded if the Friends of the Arts used the gym for their December production. The groups were fine with that. Les Schneider, Sr. will let Bev Raske know that the Friends of the Arts may use the gym for rehearsals and their performances.
In other council discussion:
· Duininck’s Construction has been working on the street repairs needed due to the water main breaks over the winter.
· Gene Allex will check with Les Schneider, Jr. on the progress done on blighted properties. The council discussed which properties should be ticketed.
· The locks on the Community Center doors were re-keyed last week by Torkelson’s Lock Service.
· Allex will be meeting with Larry Zupke on June 25 regarding the FEMA plan.
· The clerk reported that Mediacom does not offer phone service to businesses, but will be doing so in the future.
· The clerk will re-send the letters to property owners on 2nd Street East regarding possibly paving the road.
· The clerk sent out annual letters to the local Non Profit Organizations reminding them of the procedures for renting and cleaning the Community Center.
· The Community Center floors were re-done for $400 by Henke Floors due to someone wrecking the new wax job earlier this month.
Les Schneider, Sr. has spoken to Jeff Johnson from the Great Plains office in Fergus Falls about the curtailment charge that Great Plains billed us for. Schneider learned that there is no contract between the City and Great Plains. Schneider changed the call list order for when Great Plains needs to call to have the City switch to an alternative heat source, and he will be doing some further checking into the charges.
Les Schneider, Sr. and Al Strunc both received additional quotes for staining the front of the City Office building and painting the Fire Department overhead doors.
A motion was made by Al Strunc to hire Earl Triplett to paint the Fire Dept overhead doors and stain the front of the City Office, including a second coat on the top half of the front of the building, for $550 for labor and materials. Sharon Lothert seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
After reviewing applications for the part-time Community Center custodian, a motion was made by Al Strunc to hire Sharon Lothert for the position at $10/hour. Ryan Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously with Lothert abstaining.
A motion was made by Sharon Lothert to approve the bills as submitted in the amount of $35,379.35. Ryan Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The LGA (Local Government Aid) Unallotment was briefly discussed and the clerk informed the council that as of now, Danube will not be losing any LGA because the City’s population is under 1,000 people.
Henke Floors proposed to clean the floors in the City office building for $500. The council asked that the part-time summer maintenance wax the floors with a mop on wax instead of hiring it professionally done.
The Danube Historical Society has requested to take the old school bell from the Danube school building and use it at the Depot. Currently, the old bell is being used as a flower pot at the school.
A motion was made by Les Schneider, Sr. to allow the DHS to remove the old school bell from the school building property and use it as they see fit. Ryan Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The clerk formed a new job application format and a payment arrangement form for residents to fill in when needing more time to pay their utility bills. The council reviewed the two forms and gave the clerk permission to use them.
Lothert and the clerk went through one of the safe deposit boxes at MinnWest Bank and took an inventory of what is in it. The council would like Lothert and the clerk to take the contents of the boxes to the City Attorney to see what needs to be kept and what can be disposed of. Schneider, Sr. would like to go with if his schedule allows.
At 8:50 p.m., there being no further discussion, a motion was made by Sharon Lothert to adjourn the meeting. Les Schneider, Sr. seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted: Sara Wilson, City Clerk