Dennison City Council Meeting - May 12, 2022

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City of Dennison

Regular Council Meeting

May 12th, 2022

The May Dennison City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Jeff Flaten on Thursday, May 12th, 2022 at 7:00 pm.  Present were Councilors Heidi Cooke, Diane Ruddle, Nichole Schloesser and Ann Anders and Clerk Jessica Page. 

Councilor Anders moved to accept the minutes for the April meeting.  Councilor Schloesser second. Motion passed 5:0. Councilor Schloesser moved to approve the treasurer’s report, Councilor Anders second.  Motion passed 5:0. 

Building Permits:  None

Administrative Issues:

  1. Water study update, recommendations from Widseth.  Final report was presented by Vanessa.  She went through the 2016 and 2017 minutes to see if there were any possible reasons for increases in influent amounts.  Post office got a new service, sinkhole in the alleyway.  Sunken manhole.  (Catch basin)  The items she mentioned would not have contributed to the additional flows.  The conclusion of the report is that the City is already at capacity.  She will send an electronic version of the report.  City will need to televise the lines, and as we do, the City should update Vanessa, as she may have some insight for the City. 
  2. Metronet/LTD Broadband agreement.  No representative present to answer questions.  It was noted that the proposed contract doesn’t address rent, damages, other issues.  Previous contract is 5-6 pages.  It was felt that lots of things are missing from the proposed contract.  Council asked that the Jaguar contract be sent to LTD Broadband so that more items are covered. 
  3. Ehlers proposal for sewer and water rates. The Council agreed that it doesn’t make financial sense to do this at this time.  Maybe can plan for it in the future as it would be a significant cost.
  4. PFAS and SIU discussion. Cost to the City could be up to $4,000 to 6,000 in testing costs.  Would rather have the City be mandated vs volunteering for it.  Since it will be a financial hardship for the City, that needs to be made known to the MPCA.  Locker is considered a significant industrial user.  Will need to revisit it.  Talk to Mark Vahlsing in Kenyon about what they do for Kenyon meat locker.  Or Dan Thomas, the owner of the meat locker in Kenyon.
  1. Sidewalk replacement next to the old Ford Building. County informed the City that it would need to fill out a utility permit with the County because part of the work will be in the right-of-way. $30 registration fee and $110 utility permit fee. Drawings and specifications required. The County wants the City to pass a resolution to accept liability if the building collapses in the County right-of-way.  Council agreed that the City will not take any acceptance of liability for the building collapsing.  It was agreed that the City will not be moving ahead with this.  If the building owner wants something done, then we can look at it. 
  2. Dennison Phosphorus Reduction System. Approve Pay Apps. Councilor Schloesser move to pay pay apps 4 and 5.  Councilor Cooke second.  Motion passed 5:0.   There was discussion on an incident that occurred at the new building.  In the future, there should be additional communication with all Council members, along with who to direct any information requests to.
  3. Approve resolutions to publish the two Annexation Ordinances (86 and 87) passed in December and January.   Coiuncilor Anders move to approve Resolutions 5-2022-1 and 5-2022-2.  Councilor Schloesser second.  Motion passed 5:0.
  4. Replace the population sign east of town on County Road 9 and install a new sign and post for Holton Street. Toney Cornell from Safety Signs would order and install the signs. $450 would include everything. Councilor Anders move to change population signs and street signs for $450.  CouncilorSchloesser second.  Motion passed 5:0.
  5. City wide clean-up day. Ready to go? Date would be June 4th.  Diane can help.  Joe volunteered to print up flyers and pay for postage to be distributed to everyone in town.
  6. Conduit bond request. Clerk was informed that this has been put on hold until rates are more stable.
  7. Christy Whipple, little pantry.  Not present.
  8. Nancy Shannon, Farmers Market in the Park.  Councilor Schloesser move to approve the Dennison Farmer’s and Community Market and provide a  portable toilet in the park. Councilor Anders  second. Motion passed 5:0.   They will be changing the name to Dennison Community Market.  Wed June 1 will be the first day.  August 31 will be the end.  If a responsible person were found to help with set up and running of the market, it might be possible to continue after August 31. 
  9. Warsaw Township wants to add $150 to $850 agreement for road maintenance due to rising fuel costs.  Councilor Anders move to approve the $150 increase.  Councilor Cooke second.  Motion passed 5:0.
  10. Need a representative to attend a meeting at the Nerstrand Fire Hall on June 6th at 7:00 pm.  Request made by the Fire Chief so that the representative can bring back information to the Council.  Jeff will go.
  11. Chloride for N and S Goodhue Ave.  12 feet wide by 600 feet long is $264.00.  Need two swaths.  Northfield Township pays for half.  $396 total.  Councilor Anders move to pay the $396 for dust control Councilor Schloesser second.  Motion passed 5:0.

Citizens Issues:  Sidewalks not level,  in front of Brekken’s lot and in front of Joe’s building.  Is a tripping hazard.  Joe wants to know if he can grind it off to level the sidewalk to reduce the tripping hazard.  City will pay for it.  Council recommended that it be spray painted yellow.  Joe will do that until it is ground down. 

Joe brought up Main Street parking.  He noted that an MPG trucking sits on the main street “all the time”.  He felt is can be dangerous as it is hard to see around it at times. Sheriff has agreed it is an issue.  Joe is asking that it be moved off of the street during busy times at the eating establishments.  He asked if it could be moved up to a different spot on main street  so it’s out of the way.  Guests bring it up at the restaurant.  Joe feels that it would be a common courtesy to move during the busy times.  Look at meeting minutes from last time it was discussed.  Talk about it next meeting.

Pot hole by Nick Almens.  City will fill it again.  Nate and Jeff will fix.

Mayors Issues: Send a letter to Kelly to inform her shingles are falling off her building on Main Street.            

Utilities:

  1. Updates regarding the chemical spill at the phosphorus reduction shed. Jeff reviewed what happened with the spill.  The duty officer was contacted, and he called Hawkins to get it cleaned up.  City insurance company was contacted.  Need a copy of what ISG sent to Hawkins.  Not sure what damage was done to the building by the acid.  Pat Anderson came out to look at it to give his opinion.  ISG wants the City to let them know if they want to keep   the leak detection system as it was installed, but not operating.  Does the City want to keep the remote dialer system?  Would basically measure the chemical levels itself, and give users notifications of the tank levels going down.  Simply safe service.  There are other services that you could use without having to pay a service. Could look for those, but would still need wifi out there. 

Discussion was held asking why are they asking what we want to use?  Why is the engineer looking to the City to decide what to replace parts with?  The flange needs to be replaced with what will work for the ferric chemical.  The engineering firm was hired to do that, it’s not the City Councils job or expertise to do so. 

Radar sensor wasn’t wired up before the tank was filled. It only detects leaks in between the two tanks. Should have been ready that day.  City should not incur any new costs.  Why would there be change orders?  Everything that was supposed to be there should be there as it was supposed to be.  City will Look into the pricing of the float.  Council members stressed that the system needs to be bult for ferric if the alum isn’t doing the job.

  1. Forcemain work will begin again the last week in May. Mayor Flaten is requesting $300 to add gravel up to the discharge manholes to provide for a turn around for vehicles inside the fence. Both ponds are full.  One contractor would do the work for $300.  Councilor Schloesser move to add gravel up to the discharge for $300.  Councilor Ruddle second.  Motion passed 5:0.
  2. Fluoride pump working now. 
  3. Booster pump on the chemical side is leaking. Warranty is done.  Estimate of $3000 to put in a new one.  Kyle Hanson suggested a liquid feed chlorine tank and the City could get rid of the booster pump.  It is a more simplified system that is currently in place.  It could eliminate a lot of plumbing.  It is also a safer system.  Mayor Flaten is trying to get costs for the switchover.
  4. Submitted a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Health to replace the steel door on the chemical side and install a light switch on the outside of the building. Provide copies to the Council of the Sanitary Survey Report. 50% covered by the State. $2500 for a steel door and $900 for the electrical work. 
  5. Set a date to flush hydrants.  Do discharges, then flush hydrants.  End of month.  Needs to talk to Dan.
  6. Northfield Township graded and put gravel down on Goodhue Ave.
  7. Tar road by the water tower is breaking apart. It was patched a few years ago.  Let it go until the new houses are done.  Do any crack sealing in town?
  8. Dent in one of the posts for the fence by the water tower. Will get an estimate to replace. Picture provided by Nate.  Maybe a construction vehicle that caused the damage, but no one knows for sure.  Looks bad, but doesn’t need to be fixed now.  Get an estimate. 
  9. New house being built by Reiland Homes is connected to City water and sewer. 

pH and DO  meters have been ordered by Nate.  Hopefully arrive by Monday. 

  1. Propane quotes:  new tank to well house, $400.  Trench gas line to well house from City Hall tank.$865.00.  Can’t tie it in to the City Hall tank.  Councilor Schloesser move to approve the new tank for the well house for $400.  Mayor Flaten second.  Motion passed  5:0.

Mayor Flaten move to pay the bills.  Councilor Schloesser second.  Motion passed 5:0.

Mayor Flaten move to adjourn the meeting.  Councilor Cooke second.  Meeting was adjourned at 8:52pm.

Next meeting:  Regular meeting is Thursday June 2, 2022 at 7:00.