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March 2007

Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the Askov City Council held at its regular meeting on Wednesday, March 14, 2007, at the Askov Community Center.  The meeting was called to order at 6:34 p.m.  Present were Maloney, Odle, Seek, Weulander, and Deputy Clerk Connie Ecklund.   Also present were Tom Hanford, Terry Johnsen, Bill Steele, Tom Dronting, Lee Johnsen and Pete Watrin.  Upon addition of one item to old business and four items to new business, motion was made by Odle and seconded by Maloney to approve the agenda.  Motion carried 4-0.  Special visitors; Tim Zaudtke and his consultant Klaas Eanzee presented the council with a plan for the orderly annexation of Zaudtke 160 acres:  He asked the council to approve a meeting with the Partridge Township to include his 160 acres in city limits by agreement.  A joint resolution would need to be made.  Council posed these questions: why the 40 acres homestead was not included; if septic was installed and the sewer conditions changed for the cities will property owners be willing to put in city water and sewer; and who would be responsible for road maintenance.  Mayor Weulander called a recess @ 7:32 pm.  Fire Chief Watrin escorted the council on a Fire Hall walkthrough of all the updated changes that have been made since they received the grant money when returning Mayor Weulander called the meeting back to order @ 7:48 pm.  Watrin gave his March report: all training is going as scheduled; grass burning training is coming up weather permitting; AVFD was approached on a barn that could possibly be used for training, and with further investigation findings were that it was in Fleming Township with that Watrin was asked by the township to be the coordinator.  Partridge Café owner Mark Gerster approached the council with his water bill from 10/16/06 and was asking for some kind of forgiveness on that invoice.  March 31^st meter read will determine how much forgiveness the council will give. Decision will be made at next month’s meeting.    

The consent agenda was then reviewed.  Motion by Seek, second by Maloney to accept the consent agenda as presented with the addition of 5 accounts payable Motion carried 4-0. 

In old business:  David gave a report on a meeting with Denis Reagan of SEH Engineering, he discussed possible other funding the Council could receive for the sewer project.

In new business:  At this time the council readdressed the alley vacation issue which was the topic of the public hearing Councilmember Seek offered the following resolution:

WHEREAS Seibert Corporate Properties, in doing legal paper work on its service station property, discovered that a portion of its service area was built on platted city property,

AND WHEREAS Seibert Corporate Properties needs to have clear title to its business property,

AND WHEREAS the council has found no issues that would be detrimental to the business climate or street situation if city relinquished such property,  

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASKOV CITY COUNCIL that the area described as:

That part of the platted alley lying adjacent to and between Blocks 5 and 6, Original Townsite of Partridge (Now Askov) according to the plat thereof on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder, Pine County, Minnesota, lying southerly of Line “X” and which lies north and easterly of Line “Y”.  Said lines “X” and “Y” are described as follows:

Line “X”- Beginning at the northeast corner of Lot 12 of said Block 6; thence easterly, along the easterly extension of the north line of said Lot 12, a distance of 30.00 feet to the westerly of said Block 5 and there said Line “X” terminating.

Line “Y”- Beginning at the southwesterly corner of said Block 6; thence southerly, along the southerly extension of the west line of said Block 6; a distance of 45.21 feet, more or less, to the southerly line of said alley and there said Line “Y” terminating. 

(Otherwise known as the far North end of East main street alley) is here by vacated by city of Askov.

 The resolution passed 4-0.

Going back to the earlier discussion, Seek inquired how the sinkhole situation would affect the annexation.  Council said good question.  Motion was made by Maloney, seconded by Seek that the City of Askov enter into discussion to Township with possible orderly annexation of 160 acre parcel. Carried 4-0

Vossevangen Parking issue: City was requested by residents to put up no parking signs up on one side or the other because they were unable to get through safely, with Fire Chief Watrin reassuring that this is a problem because the rescue rig has problems getting through at times.  Two signs will be put up. Mayor Weulander will order signs. 

MCFOA conference report by deputy clerk, Connie Ecklund: she informed the council that an adoption of record retention with state would be helpful in destroying documents that no longer need to be saved and which documents we need to save and how long.  She also stated that she learned about stress management, and sat in small cities roundtable.  Overall it was a great conference.  Also council gave approval to paying Visa bill, that will be coming in regards to the conference. 

Weed Report: 2006 weed report has come and needed to be filled out and sent back by Weulander and Seek.

 Animal Officer:  deputy clerk Connie Ecklund informed the council of the findings of cost and procedures with Lee Greenly; he captures any thing from bears to skunks, retrieving cost is $40-$50 includes put-down and disposal, dart gun use $200 and Greenly usually finds a home for the animals retrieved.  Deputy clerk Connie Ecklund stated that he will go by our standards if we wish and we can formulate a contract.  Motion made by Maloney, seconded by Weulander to allow Lee Greenly to be our Animal Officer.   Motion carried 4-0.  

Employee Meeting:  deputy clerk Connie Ecklund asked for the council to review the custodian job description with the changes that were made, and if council had any suggestions for renaming position title, since with adding snow shoveling up town, it should be more clear.  Motion made by Odle, seconded by Maloney to change Community Center Custodian to City of Askov Custodians.  Motion carried 4-0. 

Bill Steele brought to the councils attention to check the portion of the ordinance on farm animals 1101.07. Deputy clerk stated that the findings are still the same in the ordinance book back from February 13, 2002 and  that the farm animal ordinance needs to be dealt with at some point in time. 

Personnel Issue:  deputy clerk has asked the council to appoint an individual or committee to approve unpaid time off because in the ordinance it states that the council approves time off.  Mayor Weulander has been appointed to be the individual for approval.  In the near future deputy clerk will need personal time off and would like to take the time unpaid. 

City of Askov received a Lake State Federal Credit Union Community Improvement Fund Application and clerk asked for suggestions from the council.  There was a request from Fire Chief Watrin for new pagers as some are very old.  Council approved that the grant be filled out for AVFD. 

Lions Club asked if the City of Askov would buy a new ice machine for the center, as theirs just broke.  Council approved for a new ice machine. 

Motioned by Odle, seconded by Seek to adjourn meeting. 

Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned.          

Respectfully submitted,

 

Connie Ecklund, Deputy Clerk

07/13/2008