MORRISTOWN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
    Special/Work Session Meeting 
    May 17, 2010
     

    Members Present:  Mayor Kurt Wolf and Councilmember’s, Matt Valentyn, Verdis Flaten and Lisa Karsten and Jeff  Lang arrived at 7:45p.m.

    Members Absent: 

    Others Present:   Becky Kuball City Clerk, Dave Osborne, Police Jack Schwichtenberg, Kristalyn Morris, Rich Revering, Tim Minske, Dave Sanderson, Steve Nordmeier, Shirley Taggart, Kurt Hildebrandt, Charlene Hildebrandt, Rene Hildebrandt, Jim Pelant, Mike Angelo and Kristalyn Morris

    A special/work session meeting of the Morristown City Council was called to order on Monday, May 17, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 402 Division Street South by Mayor Kurt Wolf.

    The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

    Request to Add to top of new business Cub Scouts

    PeopleServices Report: Sanderson had a question brought up to him on can the water pressure be changed and how full is it. Sanderson does not recommend changing the pressure or the amount of water in the tower.  A leak in man hole by the mobile home park Sanderson took care of. Sanderson finished hauling bio solids. Concern about sewer smell at city hall, the drains dried out and the wind caused this. The staff will add water to the drains on a weekly basis and this should take care of the smell. Budgeted maintenance expenditures, return pump replaced will not have money in sewer budget to do the sewer cleaning in August. Did first flushing of the year on the 3rd, pumped 200,000 gallons of water. Refill rate is a little over 8 hours, the tower holds 130,000 gallons. Next flushing is on the 7th of June. 
    Motion by Flaten seconded by Karsten and motion carries to accept the PeopleServices as presented.

    Skywarn Report: Kuball stated Nancy Morris called and said that it was a quiet month.

    Community Center Report: 
    Motion by Karsten seconded by Valentyn and motion carries to accept the Community Center report as printed.

    Maintenance Report: Minske reported that the manhole behind the phone company is fixed. City needs to decide if they want to patch it or tear up a portion of it and fix the whole road. It has had several areas patched to patch it, it is about $850. If we tear up the road and fix it the quotes were $5250 to $5750. Flaten questioned what it was fixed with and Minske said a concrete pipe. Revering questioned if it could wait until the city decides what they are going to do with the Meschke addition and the final coat. Revering stated that if you incorporated them together, you may be able to save some money on adding it together. Minske stated that the road right by Jack O’Rourke’s the tile is broken under the road. The right thing to do is to fix that also when you take care of this other area. Minske did not get a price on that yet. Council decided to wait until we figure out what we are doing with the Meschke addition before making a decision on this repair.
    Motion by Valentyn seconded by Karsten and motion carries to accept the maintenance report as presented.

    May 17, 2010
    Page 2

    Ditch my Denzer’s tabled until Lang is available to let us know what he found out.
    Investments: Morris went over the invest options that she researched.  Morris will check and see if a representative can come in and speak with the council about our options. Morris will check out if there are any hidden fees involved with transferring investments

    Minske’s Review: Karsten collected the review sheets. Karsten will get the rest of the forms and then put together a review for the council.

    Part-Time Maintenance Position: Karsten, Valentyn and Minske will sit down and go through the applications on the 24th and narrow it down to 5 and then conduct interviews. Applications are being accepted until the 21st of May. 

    Public Hearing 7:30 p.m.: Permit to require roof, siding and windows
     Wolf read the ordinances proposal: “§ 152.296 ZONING PERMITS REQUIRED.

     No building or structure shall be erected, reconstructed, moved, or structurally altered to increase the exterior dimensions, height, or floor area; or remodeled to increase the number of dwellings or accommodate a change in use of the building and/or premises or part thereof without first securing a zoning permit to be issued by the City Clerk/Treasurer or Zoning Administrator, depending upon the type of permit needed.  In addition, a zoning permit shall be required for replacement of roofs, siding, or windows.  No zoning permit is required for the construction and/or placement of gazebos, trellises, playhouses, kennels, hot tubs, swing sets, arbors, and inflatable swimming pools.  No zoning permit shall be issued by an administrative official except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter unless he or she receives a written order from the Board of Adjustment, Zoning Committee, or City Council, dependent on the form of administrative review, variance, conditional use, or amendment, as provided by this chapter.

    Nordmeier wanted to know what they are going to do with the ones that are not taken care of now. Who is going to monitor that it is going to get done? How are you going to monitor if someone puts in a window without a permit? 
    Flaten: “What happens if a storm comes and blows down a tree, would I need a permit to fix the window that broke?” Schwichtenberg stated “I can’t answer that.” 
    Wolf questioned what the plan was, “Are we going to grandfather those in that are not done yet?” Schwichtenberg stated “I can’t answer that.” Hopman requested a copy of the ordinance to read.
    Nordmeier questioned if this would fall under a nuisance order? Nordmeier was sure that there was something in the ordinances that this should fall under. 
    Karsten read 92.21 Declaration of nuisance. Buildings, fences, and other structures that have been so poorly maintained that their physical conditions and appearance detracts from the surrounding neighborhood are declared to be public nuisances because they are unsightly.
    Hopman agreed with Nordmeier on what Karsten read from the ordinances book. 
    Karsten stated part of the ordinance reads: “No part of any exterior surface may have deterioration, holes, breaks, gaps, or loose or rotting boards or timbers”, but it doesn’t say anything about unfinished. Maybe we need to address that in the existing ordinance.
    Peddler ordinance tabled until next meeting.
    Wolf: “The general feel from the council is that we should have this covered under the nuisance order”. Karsten stated she would like to have a revision of the current ordinance to fix the unfinished. 

    May 17, 2010
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    Wolf; “There is no motion to move forward on this ordinance. For now we are recommending that the zoning board review 92.21”.

    Close the public meeting at 7:50 pm 
    Voting on ordinance 2010-5 Karsten-No, Valentyn-No, Flaten-No, Wolf-No

    Jim Pelant from the Cub Scouts requested that the council allow the Cub Scouts to plant trees and bushes at the park and the Museum. Modern Woodman’s have donated the money to purchase the trees in honor of Vern Molenhauer and the 100 year of scouting. They would also like to put up a couple of plaques in the honor of these trees and bushes.
    Motion by Karsten seconded by Flaten motion carries to allow the cub scouts to plant trees and erect plaques in designating memories of those trees.

    Non Profit Hall rental: Morris is wondering if there is any kind of deal we could give to these organizations. Flaten thought we had this come before the council before, questioning what you consider a nonprofit. “Are we going to limit it to just our community?” Nordmeier stated that any local organization with a nonprofit, like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and fire department was the way it has been. If we allow them to use it on the weekends, when we could be renting it out for weddings or events, we still have to pay the cleaning costs. After much discussion it was decided to leave it as it is, that only local nonprofit organizations can use the hall at no charge.

    Minske questioned if the walkers can be in the hall when someone rents the hall. It was decided that if the center is rented and decorations are up, there will be no walking in the hall.

    Miss Morristown: Morris stated there is no archery allowed in the city limits, but one of the candidates would like to shoot for their talent. They are looking for an approval to allow this in the hall during the pageant. Council did not have a problem with this.

    Ditch by Denzer’s: Lang stated that there was nothing new and there is nothing to do with it right now.

    Dam days advertizing: $500 from the city to help with advertizing. It is in the budget. 
    Community center donation $100, same as last year

    Shirley Taggert Rice County Humane society: Received a grant to help take care of cat population in mobile home park areas. They have enough to do 90 outdoor or free roaming cats. Taggert is looking for an endorsement from the city. Taggert will talk with the owner and manager of the mobile home park. They would feed the cats in live traps and on the day of surgery. They would trap them and a van comes in and takes them to have them spayed and neutered. Then return them to the park when done. They are asking for a donation from the city, but a donation is not required to move forward. Cost is about $200 per cat if you have it taken in to a vet to have it done. Valentyn questioned if there was a down side to the program, but Taggert said she didn’t see one. Wolf stated that “Currently we are unable to make a donation.”
    Motion by Karsten seconded by Wolf motion carries to endorse the grant to spade and neuter the cat population in the mobile home park.

    Jamie Jenson: did not show up.

    Health insurance: Motion by Karsten seconded by Valentyn motion carries to allow Wolf the authority to make a decision on health insurance, in consultation with Minske, when the rest of the numbers are back for the health insurance quotes.

    May 17, 2010
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    Meschke Addition: Revering reported “Meschke addition is mostly done, but with the recent sales and the economy and lack of home sales, the last coat needs to be put on. We are looking for the developers contract to see who is responsible to finish putting this on. Buyers were advised that there was a final coat that needed to be put on and that may be assessed to the property. There might be some debate on those houses that they already paid for this, but was not done. The city should have a discussion with the bank and see who should pay for what and see what their response is, before your attorney and I proceed with trying to get this finished. If you end up assessing this to property owners there is a process that you must follow”. Revering suggested that the city chose a representative and have them go to the bank and see what could be worked out with them.  There are potentially 6 homes that are in that development. Look for what are they going to do with the lots that they didn’t sell and those that sold. Was there a purchase agreement and was there anything in it pertaining to the final coat.
    Lang had a brief conversation with the bank, but he will stop in and talk to them in person and see if they can do anything about it. Lang will report back at the next meeting with what he finds out.

    Matt Valentyn: Dear City of Morristown and Council member,

    I Matt Valentyn am resigning from the City Council today May 17 2010, following some recent medical findings I  feel it is in the best interest of my health to end my term as a member of the Morristown City Council. I ask that the Mayor Kurt Wolf reappoint me to fill in until this year’s upcoming election for 2011. 

    Sincerely 
    Matt Valentyn

    Lang questioned why the mayor would re-appoint Valentyn to the position to fill out this year. 
    Kuball stated that Valentyn would have liked to finish out this year, but in order to have it on this years election, Valentyn would need to resign now so that it could be on the ballot. Kuball checked with the state and they said that the mayor could appoint Valentyn to finish out this year.

    Motion by Flaten seconded by Lang motion carries to accept Valentyn resignation.
    Mayor Wolf appointed Valentyn to finish out this year until the election.

    Motion by Flaten and seconded by Valentyn motion carries to accept the claims and accounts dated May 17, 2010

    Correspondence and announcements: Nordmeier; Dam Day’s parade: the council is going to ride on the fire truck. 
    Nordmeier received a call from the Southern Minnesota Lakes Region Life soliciting for advertisement. Karsten stated that we were approached about advertising, but it was too expensive. Karsten was under the impression that she was to help on updating the Morristown information in the book. The write up about Morristown is outdated. Karsten would like to get that updated.

    Lang; “Is there some way the city of Morristown could do a sober cab during dam days? Maybe we could pay someone $10 an hour to be sober cabs”. Kuball will contact our attorney and see if there is a way to do this. Lang suggested putting it on the cable channel and advertising. Wolf thought it was a good idea. 

    Motion by Flaten seconded by Valentyn and carried unanimously to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 
    8:45 p.m.
     
     
     

    Becky Kuball
                     City Clerk/Treasurer