Dennison City Council Meeting - November 3, 2022

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City of Dennison

Regular Council Meeting

November 3rd, 2022

The November Dennison City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Jeff Flaten on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Present were Councilors Nichole Schloesser, Heidi Cooke, Diane Ruddle, and Ann Anders, and Clerk Jessica Page

Councilor Schloesser move to approve the regular meeting minutes for August, September, and October, as well as the September special meeting minutes. Councilor Cooke second. Motion passed 5:0. Councilor Anders move to approve the Treasurer’s report. Councilor Cooke second. Motion passed 5:0.

Building Permits: Driveway permit application for Hasse/Carroll building projects. Councilor Schloesser move to accept the Cannon Tackle driveway plan as long as it meets Ordinance 69 erosion and drainage protocols. Councilor Anders second. Motion passed 5:0.

Administrative Issues:

1. CUP Application for the Verizion Tower on 5th Ave. Way. This is the same CUP that has been approved in prior years, but wasn’t able to get buildt before the CUP expired. Councilor Schlo-esser move to approve the CUP application for the Verizon Tower to be built on 5th Ave. Way. Councilor Anders second. Motion passed 5:0. Councilor Anders move to approve the building permit for the Verizon Tower on 5th Ave Way. Councilor Cooke second. Motion passed 5:0.

2. Forcemain update: JJD was on-site to work on the punch list items for the force main project. Silt fence and posts were removed from the outfall ditch. Landscaping was completed, except for reseeding. Gate fence addressed and east fence repaired. Need to Approve Change Order #2. It brings down the cost by $4355.00. (from $281,615.00 to $277,260.00.) Councilor Anders move to approve change order #2 for the Force Main Project. Councilor Schloesser second. Motion passed 5:0. Punchlist needs to be sent ahead of time. If it’s sent the day of the meet-ing, it won’t get approved.

3. Phosphorus shed: Milltown Construction was approved by the LMCIT to repair the building. The cost will be $87,687.50. The heater, electrical panel and conduits, all outside and inside tin will be replaced. All studs will be toe-nailed, replacing all anchor bolts with epoxy set anchors. Later this week, the cement floor and doorways will be epoxied.

4. Repairs for the fence around the water tower: Received an estimate from Caron Fence. It came to $2,955.00. Submitted to the Northfield Insurance Agency, and the claim was denied. Fence is not attached to the water tower itself so it is not considered as part of the water tower. In order to be covered by the insurance, the City would need to purchase additional coverage and schedule the fence as “Property in the Open”. City can insure for about $135 a year. City can apply for the Errors and Omissions Coverage, which pays 90% of the loss. Mayor is recom-mending not increasing the insurance for the fence. Instead, the City can apply for a Source Water Protection Grant with the Department of Health next spring. The implementation grant should cover 100% of the cost to replace the damaged areas, and could possibly include im-proved lighting at the water tower too. Wellhead Protection Plan can be utilized to justify the improvements/fixes.

5. The Source Water Protection Grant that was submitted for the door on the wellhouse was ap-proved by the MDH. City is on the waiting list for funding, but they expect money will be avail-able in December. Lead time for a new door is 12-15 weeks out. Northfield construction wants funding in place before they order the door.

6. MPCA and MOU for PFAS. Letter was emailed to the MPCA indicating that the City of Dennison was opting out of the program. Response was forwarded to Council, indicating that there were some dollars available for some of the beginning testing, and that the City could change opt out again if no additional funding was found for the second half of the testing costs.

7. Proposal from People’s Service to provide C licensed sewer operator for the City. MPCA wants someone in place by December 8th, if not sooner. Council was emailed recommendations from thee MPCA to be compliant with our Wastewater Permit and new phosphorus system. Also looking at other job share possibilities. Approve the proposal from People’s Service? It would be the same person that worked with the City previously, Herb Kruger. At least one hour per week on site. Council will need clarification on when the hourly rate applies.

8. Old complaint regarding concerns about a fence being built too close to another property own-ers property line, and the shrubs being trimmed to allow for the fence being built. When last talked about, since no one had a defined property line, they were tentatively going with the lo-cation of the power poles as being along the property line, so nothing further was done. The property owner had a survey done recently, and the survey showed that the fence was actually built almost 6 feet over on the complaintant’s property. What follow up to the original com-plaint should there be? LMC was contacted and the City would not get in to land disputes.

He never reduced the fence or got a building permit. The City had previously sent a letter re-garding the fence. Clerk will send a letter to let Mr. Bolstrom know his options for the fence since he never did apply for the permit

9. City will need to get a roll off dumpster for cleaning up the City shop. Jeff Contacted Flom’s Dosposal to get dumpster pricing. 10 yard to 20 yard dumpster is the same basic cost. With taxes, fuel charge, delivery and pick up, it is $276, plus $54 per ton tipping fee. Nerstrand Fire Depart-ment is going to clean up the City shop on November 16th, with the truck being moved in to the building by December 1. Nate will need to remove all personal items from the shop before the 16th. Driveway will need to be open and clear at all times starting on December 1. Mayor Flaten move to approve the dumpster cost. Councilor Ruddle second. Motion was approved 5:0.

10. SEMMCHRA is making changes to the housing improvement program. The program will be open to the entire City of Dennison, and the tier financing is being removed. Part of the process to do the changes is that the City must hold a public Hearing regarding the matter. It will be held on Thursday, December 1, at 6:45 at the Dennison City Hall.

11. Need to pass resolution 11-2022-01, regarding special assessments from unpaid utility bills. “Based upon the discussion of the City Council and it’s unanimous vote in favor of the special assessments preliminary list, the Dennison City Council hereby approves the Special assess-ments for unpaid utility bills for 2022 to be sent to Goodhue/Rice County. Along with the unpaid balance, a 10% fee will be added to the total.” Councilor Anders move to approve Resolution 11-2022-01. Councilor Schloesser second. Motion passed 5:0.

12. Approve Turkey Bingo for the Lions Club to be held at the City Hall. Councilor Anders move to approve Turkey Bingo for November 19th. Councilor Cooke second 4:0. Councilor Ruddle recused herself from voting as she is a Lions Club member.

13. Councilor Anders move to approve the annual agreement with Goodhue County Building Administration for Building Permit and Inspection Services for 2023. Councilor Schloesser second. Motion passed 5:0.

Citizens Issues:

Britt Olson brought to City Councils attention that there are “Varmints” seen in the back fence area where there is a lot of garbage from the property behind his house. Ordinance 68 section 4 part B 10 days written notice to apply. Sent by certified mail described property involved. The remediation. If it can’t be abated, individual may request reasonable extension to complete. Can have it served by the sheriff if he doesn’t pick it up. Councilor Schloesser move to send letter to Chuck Bolstrom regarding the fence, giving him 10 days to take down fence and remove all items in the picture. Mayor Flaten second. Motion passed 5:0. Councilor Schloesser move to have sheriff deliver if letter comes back. Councilor Cooke Heidi second. Motion passed 5:0.

Land dispute is separate from what the city needs to address.

Mayors Issues:

Dan Storlie and Jeff patched potholes by Karl Broggers’s driveway entrance, and the new Nygaard house, as well as on the west side of the water tower.

Utilities:

Water meter installed at Kaylyn Nygaards new house on 10-17. Meter at Rowans house was replaced with a new one as the original one wasn’t working any longer. That meter was new enough that it was still under warranty, so the City will get a replacement one. A dozen touch readers were ordered.

Minnesota Pumpworks replaced the discharge valve at the ponds and calibrated the lift station pumps on 10-19. Clerk received the results of the calibration and there were significant increases in the vol-ume per minute that the pumps were pumping.

Jo Schaller from Hawkins was on-site for the phosphorus system. He removed the remaining water from the tank on 10-19. The remaining water totes outside were picked up by Hawkins on 10-24.

Hydrants were flushed on 11-1-2022. Notices were put in utility bills.

Empire to jet and televise 2 blocks of main streets sewer lines, hopefully in November. Can possibly add looking at the upper part of Prairie View Dr. to see where and leaks or blockages might be. Esti-mate for half day of work to jet and televise was to televise bottom of hill to top of hill another $750.

Send a letter to Rowans to explain big water usage for three months.

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

Mayor Flaten move to adjourn. Councilor Schloesser second. Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.

Next meeting: Regular meeting is Thursday December 1, 2022 at 7:00. Public hearing 6:45.