AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
May 9, 2007
7:00 PM CITY HALL
AGENDA
1. Call the Meeting to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approve Consent Agenda of…
a)
Minutes
b)
Treasurers Report
c)
Bills for Payment
4. Sue Ostlund – Approve Audit
5. Thomas Haynes – Ditch Water Issues
6. Bob Winner – Liquor Store Patio, Paul
Bunyan Day’s Sunday, ATM Cash
7. Janice Bayman – Firearms in Town
8. Eric Klein – Police Report
9. Appoint Council Member to Fireboard
10. Approve 2007 Assessment Payment
11. Review Bids for Pleasant & 2nd
Street Repair
12. Culverts on 2nd Street
13. Discussion of Suggestions to Eliminate
Water Issues Between City Hall & Blue Ox Market
14. Discussion on Possibility of Moving
Recycling Shed
15 Discussion on Milfoil & Pond Weed
16. Approve Updates to Personnel Policy #’s 7,
18, 19 & 20
17. Approve Tony Poncelet’s Resignation
18. Old Business
19. New Business
20.
Adjourn
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 9, 2007
7:00 PM CITY HALL
The Akeley City Council met in a regular meeting
Wednesday May 9, 2007 at 7:00 pm. Mayor Tom Moore called the
meeting to order. Council members present were Tom Moore, Brian
Hitchcock, Frank Lamb, Cliff Johnson and Eric Sjolin. The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited by the Council and attending audience.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve the consent agenda with the additions of Mike
Duclos at 4.5, Lenard Ridlon at 5.5, Liquor Store floor bids at 7.5
and review Water/Sewer/Maintenance Superintendent applicants 15.5.
Steve Werner from the Stompin’ Grounds stated he
would like to set up a stand on the west side of the museum to sell
beer and food during Paul Bunyan Days. Council members stated their
concerns since the Liquor Store and the Fire Department are already
selling beer and food. No action was taken.
Mike Duclos asked the council if it would be possible
to temporarily use power from outlets at the park at a cost
determined by the City in order to work at the site of his future
business. This would be to run equipment needed for construction
until his business is wired and capable of providing power. He also
wanted to thank everyone who helped with the clean up behind his
business during Akeley Clean Up Days.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Brian Hitchcock and
carried to approve to allow Mike Duclos to use power from the outlet
at the park for a charge of $5.00.
Roger Geimer stated the lawful gambling license is up
for renewal on August 31, 2007 so a resolution on city letterhead is
needed stating that gambling is allowed in the Liquor Store. He
also wondered if the city was willing to negotiate the rent which is
currently at 20%.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to create Resolution # 5-2007 “Resolution For
Gaming Within The City Limits” which allows gambling to take place
at the Liquor Store.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to leave the gambling rent at 20%.
Lenard Ridlon stated in the contract between the City
of Akeley and the Senior Citizens that the City agreed to pay the
cost of insurance, taxes and assessments but received a bill stating
the Senior Citizens must have their own liability insurance. The
City is paying for insurance of the building and premises however
the City cannot legally pay for liability insurance of the Senior
Citizen Club.
Lenard also stated one of the bathrooms had been out
of order at City Hall/Senior Center for two weeks and hadn’t seen
anything being done to fix it. City Maintenance discovered that the
problem in the bathroom had been there for years so they had to rent
a tool to cut through the floor to correct it and had scheduled the
work to be done the next day since it would be less expensive than
having the work contracted.
Lenard expressed his concern with the space between
the Blue Ox Market and City Hall/Senior Center since water runs off
both roofs and has ended up in the ductwork. Different options are
being looked at by the City to correct the problem. He also stated
that paving of the parking lot will be taking place in the early
part of June.
Police Report - Chief Eric
Klein
·
Akeley Clean Up Days was a
success.
·
Mike Kamnikar from MN Dot will
be riding with Eric to see what some of the traffic issues in Akeley
are.
·
Toney Hermes from Heartland
Hardware has requested that “15 Minute Parking” signs be placed in
front of his business to allow parking for his customers during
business hours. Regular parking would be allowed there after
business hours.
·
A citizen has made various
complaints regarding the speed of traffic on the alley north of the
post office as well as on Crow Wing Lake Drive. A request was made
to place 20 mph signs up as well as “Slow, Children Present” signs
on the road north of the post office and to add a couple more speed
zone signs on Crow Wing Lake Drive.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Cliff Johnson
and carried to approve to table placing signs up at this time until
more information is obtained.
·
The squad truck was taken to
Domino Ford to have the hood repainted due to cracking. The paint
job was guaranteed 100% when the squad had been repaired after
hitting a deer over a year ago.
·
Eric would like to start a
volunteer police reserve program and has local citizens as well as
students from Central Lakes College who are interested in becoming
reserves. Eric will be meeting with the chief from Pequot Lakes who
says there is money available to get a reserve program started.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Frank Lamb and
carried to approve to allow Eric to begin a volunteer police reserve
program.
Bob Winner presented to the Council, bids to replace
a portion of the Liquor Store flooring with ceramic tile as required
by the Health Department for proper licensing.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Brian Hitchcock and
carried to approve to hire Toney’s Tile to replace 100 square feet
of the Liquor Store flooring with ceramic tile.
Eric Klein & Denise Rittgers introduced a form and
policy which would be used for citizen complaints.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Cliff Johnson and
carried to approve to accept the citizen complaint form and policy
with an addition to the policy that 911 would be dialed for
emergencies.
Frank Lamb wrote a request for a grant for the
fishing pier a few years ago and only repairs have made to the
pier. He asked that Tom Moore call DNR to request a grant for a new
fishing pier.
Cliff Johnson asked if any plans were being made to
place boat pads on the city-owned docks and suggested that something
be done to protect the boats from being damaged.
Denise Rittgers explained the Community Water Supply
Service Connection Fee which is billed quarterly for every service
connection served by our water supply.
Motion by Frank Lamb to add 58 cents to each
customer’s water/sewer bill to cover the Community Water Supply
Service Connection Fee. Motion died.
Motion by Eric Sjolin to table adding 58 cents to
each customer’s water/sewer bill and discuss the issue when planning
the 2008 Budget. Motion died.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Frank Lamb and
carried to approve to table the resolution which prevents
advertising in Akeley along the Scenic Byway.
Denise Rittgers was informed that there are two
voting booths for sale at the ARCC for $8.00 each which would
provide privacy for voters at future elections.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Brian Hitchcock and
carried to approve to purchase the two voting booths at the ARCC for
a total of $16.00.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to charge $25.00 to those who choose to reserve
the shelter at the campground, excluding organizations such as the
S.A.F.E. Program and to have a sign posted at the shelter notifying
the public when the shelter is reserved.
The council was notified that Greg Everett will be
taking a few days off in June and has dependable people who will be
taking care of the park for him while he is gone.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to move Greg Everett to the next step for a pay
increase due to a satisfactory performance review.
The council members each chose 3 applicants to be
interviewed for the Water/Sewer/Maintenance Superintendent position
and the majority chosen to be interviewed were: Dennis Peterson,
Daniel Diethert and Frank Thelin.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to give Bob Winner a favorable review.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to approve to give Bob Winner a 5% raise. Brian Hitchcock
abstained.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Frank Lamb and
carried to approve to call a special meeting for the Council to
interview the Water/Sewer/Maintenance Superintendent applicants on
Wednesday, May 16th at 9:00 am.
Old Business
Frank Lamb stated that someone questioned the $98.00
postage charge to the Liquor Store. The charges for postage include
stamps to pay for Liquor Store bills as well as certified letters
which are sent to Liquor Store NSF check writers and to the Check
Diversion Program due to NSF checks at the Liquor Store.
New Business
Tom Moore informed the Council that Alf Staffenhagen
resigned as liaison for the Liquor Store but is still a member of
the HRA Board.
Motion by Brian Hitchcock seconded by Eric Sjolin and
carried to adjourn.
Denise Rittgers
Wendy
Klein
Clerk
Treasure
Deputy Clerk
City of Akeley
City of Akeley
