AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
FEBRUARY 13, 2008
7:00 PM CITY HALL
FEBRUARY 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. Resolution Pertaining to Releasing Bonds for
Transportation Funding in Minnesota
5. Resolution to Approve Moving Polling Place
6. Approve a meeting of the Local Board of Appeals and
Equalization for the City of Akeley on Wednesday, April 23, 2008
at 11:00 AM at City Hall.
7. Approve $800.00 Advertisement for Pool League
8. Approve advertising for Liquor Store & Campground in Park
Rapids Enterprise
9. Approve Hood Vent for Liquor Store
10. Bob Winner – Liquor Store Report
11. Frank Thelin – Water/Sewer/Maintenance Report
12. Eric Klein – Police Report
13. Old Business
14. New Business
15. Adjourn
AKELEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
FEBRUARY 13, 2008
7:00 PM CITY HALL
The Akeley City Council met in a regular meeting Wednesday February
13, 2008 at 7:00 pm. Mayor Tom Moore called the meeting to order.
Council members present were: Tom Moore, Cliff Johnson, Frank Lamb,
and Eric Sjolin. Brian Hitchcock was absent. The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited by the Council and attending audience.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Tom Moore and carried to approve
the consent agenda with the addition of 4.5 a proposed letter from
Nels Kramer to review and possibly pass.
Tom Moore had received from Representative Marty Seifert a letter
and resolution pertaining to releasing bonds for transportation
funding in Minnesota. Some discussion took place and Frank Lamb
made a motion to pass the resolution but withdrew his motion since
the Council wanted more time to research the issue.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Eric Sjolin and carried to approve
to send a letter to the DNR stating the City of Akeley’s interest in
acquiring the property north of the Heartland Trail to extend the
Akeley Park.
Motion by Tom Moore seconded by Eric Sjolin and carried to approve
Resolution # 3-2008, Resolution Designating the Akeley City Hall
Building, 25 Broadway Street East, as the Official Polling Place for
the Akeley City Precinct.
Motion by Eric Sjolin seconded by Cliff Johnson and carried to
approve a meeting of the Local Board of Appeals and Equalization for
the City of Akeley on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 11:00 AM at City
Hall.
Motion by Eric Sjolin seconded by Frank Lamb and carried to approve
$800.00 advertisement for the pool league.
Motion by Tom Moore seconded by Eric Sjolin and carried to approve
to advertise the campground in “Cabin Reader”, “Summer Scene” and
“Destinations”, the liquor store in “Cabin Reader” and the “Summer
Scene” and to advertise both the campground and liquor store in the
Northwoods Press “Summer Guide”.
Bob Winner presented to the Council two bids for a hood vent for
over the fryer at the liquor store. One of the bids included
installation at a cost of about $2,100.00 but the electrical work
would be an additional cost of about $200.00.
Ron Vredenburg stated that when this fryer had been approved to be
installed that it was said that a vent would not be required and
wondered why now the vent needs to be installed. Bob Winner stated
that the fryer purchased is a 3800 watt machine and anything over
3200 watts requires a vent per the Department of Health. Bob also
said the original machine he looked at and had been approved to buy
cost about $8,000.00 but he found a used machine for about $2,500.00
not realizing that because of the difference in wattage that it
would require a hood.
Motion by Eric Sjolin seconded by Cliff Johnson and carried to
approve to pay $2,106.00 to have the hood vent installed + $200.00
for the electrical work for a total up to $2,400.00. Frank Lamb
abstained.
Liquor Store Report – Bob Winner
-
Bob stated business is
down from last year but the Liquor Store did make some money this
month.
-
Frank Lamb asked Bob
how many employees the liquor store employs. Bob replied that
there are 2 full time employees and 3 part time employees. (There
are actually 5 part time employees per Denise Rittgers.)
-
Cliff Johnson asked if
the Liquor Store is squared away with the Health Department.
Denise Rittgers stated that all paperwork has been sent directly
to the Department of Health.
Water/Sewer/Maintenance
Report - Frank Thelin
-
The plow truck was
fixed at a cost of $738.00.
-
On January 18th
the fuse went out on the caustic soda pump and after Frank
replaced the fuse he lost all of the readings on the control panel
of that pump. He needed Tony Poncelet’s help since this had not
been covered during Frank’s training. The bill from Tony was
$75.00 for 2 hours of work.
-
An individual from the
Department of Health was testing water samples and questioned the
City’s use of caustic soda. Frank stated its use was for ph and
corrosion in the pipes. It was determined that the City may not
need to use the caustic soda. He has been checking the ph and it
has been staying close to neutral but he will continue to monitor
it. Jon Johnson asked if the man from the Health Department said
the water is safe to drink. Frank said it is.
-
Frank is getting
organized to work on the fishing pier. He would like to get it
finished before fishing season starts.
-
The 500 gallon propane
tank was brought to the maintenance shop today.
Police Report - Chief Eric Klein
·
Eric stated the cost to get the light pole by T&M
taken down and capped would be about $200 for the City if the cost
would be split 3 ways with the 2 other drivers that hit the pole in
the past. He wants to get the actual bid from the person who quoted
the price.
·
He presented to the Council a written request for them
to sign to move the “End Speed Limit” sign on County Road 49 to
extend the 30 mph zone.
·
Previous to the meeting, David Grantham asked Eric if
the Akeley Police Department would be willing to sponsor him to get
a full time police officer license.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Tom Moore and carried to approve to
allow Akeley Police Department Sponsorship of a full time license to
David Grantham at no cost to the City of Akeley. Cliff Johnson
opposed.
·
Eric said a scheduling issue was brought to his
attention and he wanted the full council’s opinion on it. He said
he was informed that the part-time budget is to be reduced or
eliminated and he would be working every weekend as well as taking
call 24/7. This topic will be tabled for future discussion.
·
Eric stated he had received an email from the MN
Chiefs of Police Association concerning free computers. He was able
to get two computers for the Akeley Police Department and thanks
Chief Halverson of the Bagley Police Department for picking up
Akeley’s and also to the MN Chiefs of Police Association for the
computers.
·
Permission of the council was asked for officers and
reserve officers to purchase equipment through the Akeley Police
Department since some companies require a police department agency
to hold the account and won’t sell to an individual officer. There
would be no cost to the City of Akeley since the officer purchasing
the items would pay the entire bill including shipping, tax and any
other cost associated with the item purchased. Council members
stated that equipment, clothing and boots would be acceptable as
long as they are paid for right away, but weapons could not be
purchased by unlicensed officers.
Some discussion took place regarding the Reserves working at the VFW
during Audrey’s Purple Dream. The Reserves were working for the VFW
and were being paid by the VFW not the City of Akeley. A suggestion
was made to have the Reserves wear “Security” polo shirts rather
than the reserve uniform with the City of Akeley patch on them when
working for agencies other than the City of Akeley.
Old Business
Motion by Eric Sjolin seconded by Cliff Johnson and carried to
approve to rescind the motion made in December to reduce Eric
Klein’s family insurance benefit $3,000. Frank Lamb abstained.
Motion by Eric Sjolin seconded by Cliff Johnson and carried to
approve to offer Eric Klein the normal insurance benefit package
with 90 days notice of cancellation of his family’s insurance which
would begin with the May billing. Frank Lamb abstained.
Frank Lamb asked if anyone had heard anything about the sale of land
by Robert Warnke’s place. No one had heard anything.
New Business
Bob Winner asked the Council if he could give a raise of $1.00 per
hour to full-time bartender Lacey Hitchcock since all part-time
employees get the same pay when they start as she is getting now and
she has been working as a bartender for almost two years.
Motion by Cliff Johnson seconded by Eric Sjolin and carried to
approve to give Lacey Hitchcock a 50 cents per hour raise effective
the next pay period.
Eric Sjolin brought up the Fire Contract and in comparing parcels
and populations, the city has less than townships but the city pays
more. Members of the council stated they would like the numbers to
be looked at again but it would not be before the 2009/2010
contract.
Motion by Frank Lamb seconded by Tom Moore and carried to approve to
pay $20,099.57 for the 2009/2010 Fire Contract.
Tom Moore stated that in 2003 when the City of Akeley paid off
Lawrence Semler for land which the City purchased for the sewer
ponds that it was to be recorded at Hubbard County and it was never
done. Tom Moore will take the deed to Semlers to tell them that it
needs to be taken to Hubbard County to be recorded.
Motion
by Tom Moore seconded by Eric Sjolin and carried to adjourn.
Denise
Rittgers
Clerk
Treasurer
City of
Akeley
Wendy
Klein
Deputy
Clerk
City of
Akeley
