February 2007
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the Askov City Council held at its regular meeting on
David Barnick was not present; Seek requested clerk to give Barnick his cell phone number.
Shad Seibert then addressed the council with his request that the council consider vacating a portion of the alleyway adjacent to his business, Askov Deep Rock; in an attempt to clear his property title, he discovered that, over the years, appurtenances to the property have been built on what was platted as the alleyway. The alleyway has not changed over the years, because where traffic has been flowing is not the platted roadway, so the route will not change if the platted roadway is vacated. Seibert gave the council a plat map and legal description of the area. In order for even a piece of roadway to be vacated, there must be a public hearing. Motion by Seek, second by Odle, to hold a public hearing for the purpose of vacating such roadway area on
The consent agenda was then reviewed. Odle requested that, with regard to a fence between neighbors, the word “agreement” in the minutes be changed to “offer” since no formal agreement had been reached. In reviewing the purchases, Seek requested that the clerks obtain and keep a key in the city office for the locked fire hall file cabinets. Motion by Maloney, second by Odle to accept the consent agenda with the correction to the minutes. Motion carried 3-0.
In old business: The sewer project is moving slowly ahead. Grantwriter Pettipiece submitted an application for SCDP funds last month. Clerk informed council of the passing of Pettipiece’s wife Diane.
Council reviewed the Customer Service Policy that they received in last month’s packet. The only suggestion for change was to include city officials in the references to employee responsibilities and expectations. With that change, Seek made a motion to put the Customer Service Policy into effect for all City employees and officials. Maloney seconded the motion, and it passed 3-0.
Maloney and Odle then gave an update on their work with the animal ordinance. The current Askov ordinance is almost the same as Sandstone’s ordinance, since the Sheriff’s Department finds it much easier to enforce the animal ordinances when they are uniform. Maloney said that they had concentrated more on the farm animals than on the pet aspects of the ordinance. Odle said she had checked with LMC regarding the roadways and horses, and that an there must be an acceptable route through the city for them to take. Clerk said she would check with Lee Greenly about enforcement of the stray ordinance and costs. Odle indicated that she would like to see a stipulation put in the zoning ordinance regarding property that is serviced by city water and sewer not being property on which agricultural animals are housed or pastured.
In new business: The Askov Firefighters Relief Association updated their by-laws at the January meeting, and submitted them to the Council for approval. Two items were changed: The monthly benefit for tenured members was changed from $500 to $600, and the two-signature requirement on checks was changed from Treasurer of the Relief Association and Mayor to the Treasurer and the President of the Relief Association. Seek found one more line that needed to reflect that change and, with that, made the motion to accept the changes in the Askov Firefighter’s Relief Association By-laws with the additional corresponding change in wording. Odle seconded the motion, and it carried 3-0.
Council received recommendation from the street commissioner and Minnesota Power for two additional streetlights in dark areas of the city. Following that recommendation, the following resolution was made by Maloney and seconded by Odle:
WHEREAS adequate street lighting is necessary for the safety of citizens,
AND WHEREAS two areas in the city are deficient in lighting,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASKOV CITY COUNCIL that two additional streetlights be installed, one at the parking lot site for the Community Center, and one on Jernbanegade at approximately the midway point between Guvernorsvej and Bregnedalgade.
The resolution passed 3-0. Clerk to contact Minnesota Power with the resolution.
Council then reviewed the budget for the water and sewer department for 2007. At the meeting on January 23rd with the Minnesota Department of Health, the representatives suggested that the city reinstate the line item for costs for Wellhead Protection. Clerk had inserted $1000, council felt perhaps $2000 would be a better amount. With that change, motion was made by Seek, second by Maloney, to adopt the following water and sewer budget for 2007:
Budgeted Actual Proposed
Operating Revenues 112,800 113,120 113,000
Other Revenues 4,000 907 4,000
Total Revenues ....................116,800 ..........114,027 ..........117,000
Operating Expenses
Salaries & Related 11,000 10,565 11,000
Professional Fees 10,000 10,975 10,000
Contracted Services 24,520 21,501 24,520
Supplies 5,000 596 4,000
Utilities 9,000 8,160 ..... .......9,000
Repairs & Maintenance 5,000 11,763 12,000
WHP Budget .. -0- -0- 2,000
Miscellaneous .. 5,000 3,544 4,000
69,520 67,104 76,520
FNB – Lift 7,698 7,698 . 7,698
USDA – Sewer .. 16,000 16,000 . 16,000
DTED – Water ............. 26,890 26,525 ... 26,500
Motion by Odle, second by Seek, to approve the proposed WHP plan report, the WHP and DWSMA delineation, and the vulnerability assessments of the wells and aquifer with the DWSMA. Motion carried 3-0. Clerk will send the necessary documentation to MDH.
The right-of-way issue was handled at the beginning of the meeting. Deep Rock will pay for the Public Hearing, and Seibert’s attorney will draw up the necessary paperwork.
A letter from the EC schools requesting money from the City for a scholarship fund was reviewed. It was the consensus of the Council that the City would follow its policy of not contributing tax money to benefit individuals. There is Youth Program money in a fund, but policy states that money is to be used for the benefit of all youth in the area.
Approval was given for the clerk and deputy clerk to attend the MCFOA conference in March.
A quote from Tonka for replacing the greensand bed on the filter was reviewed by Council. Tonka presented the quote as information only, inasmuch as they said this was not imminently necessary. A Job Performance Review form was presented to the Council by Maloney. Suggestions were to have two persons review the employee’s performance rather than one, and to combine the results. Another suggestion for the form was to have a space for response or commentary from the employee. With those two suggestions to be incorporated into the form, Seek made a motion to adopt the review form. Odle seconded the motion, and it carried 3-0. Clerks to hold an employees meeting ASAP and go over the job descriptions, Customer Service Policy, and advise them of the performance review which will be held in July or August prior to budget time.
Motion by Odle, second by Maloney to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,