March 24, 2010 council meeting minutes
REGULAR MEETING – DANUBE CITY COUNCIL – MARCH 24, 2010
Mayor Gene Allex called the regular meeting of the Danube City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24, 2010. Councilmembers present: Sharon Lothert, Ryan Bentley, and Bob Simpson. Absent: Al Strunc
Also present: Dan Kaufenberg, Public Works Director; Les Schneider, Police Chief; Officer Marcel Krueger; Dennis Oberloh, Auditor
A motion was made by Lothert to approve the agenda with the addition of Marcel Krueger under new business. Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The minutes of the March 10, 2010 meeting will be reviewed at the next meeting.
Public Works Director, Dan Kaufenberg, was present to give his monthly employee report. Discussion took place on the following items:
· Dan has received two quotes for cleaning the City’s sewer lines. He will get measurements to the clerk for the next council meeting.
· MPCA granted Dan permission to do an early discharge due to the extra water in town.
· A call was received from the Department of Health about fluoride reports not turned in. There will be no fines as long as it’s taken care of. Dan sends in quarterly reports with fluoride information on them and was unaware that there were monthly reports to file.
· The boilers at the school will be shut off soon due to the warm weather.
· Dan requested to attend a free class in Cottonwood on April 27 so he can discuss some issues with the lift station with reps. He would also like to attend the Waterworks Seminar in Redwood Falls on April 15.
· Dan told the council that he would like to go back to his summer schedule of 4 ten hour days each week now that it’s getting warmer and the days are getting longer.
· The street sweeper repairs have not been started yet.
Dennis Oberloh of Oberloh and Associates was present to give the audit report on the City of Danube’s 2009 financial statements. The report can be viewed in the City Clerk’s office.
Officer Marcel Krueger and Police Chief Les Schneider were present to discuss with the council an incident that occurred on March 27, 2010 involving Mayor Gene Allex and Officer Krueger. Krueger said a personnel issue was brought up in a public setting around other people while Krueger was on duty and Allex was not in Mayor capacity. Lengthy discussion took place between the Officers, Allex and the council.
Mahoney was given an extension by the Court until June 1, 2010 to get his garage in compliance with the Danube City Ordinance #94 regarding building and zoning permits.
Allex told the council that he went with the Danube Lions to Willmar to look at playground equipment. He said the Lions purchased the equipment and will pay the difference between the donations and the actual cost. The cost was $4,845. The City has received $2,000 in donations and will donate an additional $1,000. Allex stated that the Lions will pick up the equipment in
Willmar and help install it. Allex said he got 10 yards of free sand from Monson’s. When Dan sees fit, he can dig out the ground in the area where the equipment will go, so new sand can be put in.
Allex spoke with Mark Erickson about the rezoning of the property that the elevator is building on. The entire property is zoned residential and there will need to be a public meeting to rezone part of it as commercial. Craig Hebrink will be sending the clerk the dimensions of the area they are building on.
The council reviewed the upcoming Community Center and School Gym rentals. In addition to the Danube Senior Citizens meeting at the Community Center on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, a birthday party will be held on March 28 and Flora Mutual Annual Meeting will take place on April 5. The winter sports are winding down at the School Gym.
The clerk will be starting her new schedule on April 5. The new hours will be Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. with a ½ hour lunch at noon.
A motion was made by Bentley to approve the bills as submitted in the amount of $13,589.36. Lothert seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
A motion was made by Bentley to allow the Clerk to attend the Clerk’s Institute in July and pay for her share of the mileage and hotel. The five day class will cost $60 after using the $350 grant that the clerk applied for and received to use towards tuition. Simpson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Jerry Hinrichs and his wife signed the Quit Claim Deed for 303 – 4th Street that was sent to him by Danube’s City Attorney. The City Council now needs to pass a Resolution to abate the Special Assessment that was levied against the property and payable in 2009 and then pay the 2008 and 2009 property taxes, penalties and interest on the property along with the Deed recording fee, State Deed Tax and the fee for updating the Abstract. After the County Auditor/Treasurer, Larry Jacobs, processes the abatement Resolution, Danube’s City Attorney will be able to record the Deed and the City can take possession of the property.
A motion was made by Lothert to pass the Resolution Abating Special Assessment on the property at 303 – 4th Street in Danube. Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
A motion was made by Lothert to allow Kaufenberg to go to the Waterworks Seminar in Redwood Falls on April 15th and a class in Cottonwood on April 27. Simpson seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Lothert reminded the council that rentals of any part of the former School Building should go through the City Office.
A motion was made by Lothert to allow the door to be open between the bar and the hall for an event on April 3, 2010, providing the proper forms get signed and fees are paid. Bentley seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
The Public Works Director’s hours were discussed and it was decided that they will be revisited when the council meets to update the Personnel Policy.
The council decided to have a special meeting on March 31, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. to update the Personnel Policy.
The council wants Dan to get an estimate on getting a DOT inspection for the grain truck and the plow truck.
Possible changes to the Tri-Valley lease were briefly looked over.
There being no further discussion, at 9:30 p.m. Bentley made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Lothert seconded and the motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted: Sara Wilson, City Clerk