City of Dennison
Regular Council Meeting
June 1, 2023
The June Dennison City Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Jeff Flaten on Thursday, June 1 2023 at 7:00 pm. Present were Councilors Nichole Schloesser, Kaylyn Nygaard, and Diane Ruddle, and clerk Jessica Page. Heidi Cooke was unable to attend.
Councilor Ruddle move to approve the regular meeting minutes for May. Councilor Schloessor second. Motion passed 4:0. Councilor Ruddle move to approve the Treasurer’s report. Councilor Nygaard second. Motion passed 4:0.
Old Business/Committee Reports/Building Permits: None
Administrative Issues:
1. In attendance, Tom Karst, Federal Program Officer, Minnesota Internet for All. Tom spoke about the federal government's role in broadband funding, share info about the BEAD program and talk about ways for communities to get involved. Also, Hyon Kim, Chairperson of OurTech Co-op, spoke about her recent trip to South Korea. She had the opportunity to study a sample Eco/Smart city in Busan.
Tom is the Point person for the State of MN. Looking at three areas when deciding who gets funding for projects. They include accessibility, affordability, ability.
Federal money goes through Minnesota Broadband Office who awards money to people who apply and have doable programs. July 12th is date plans need to be submitted. Need a map of who actually needs it (those that are unserved). End of June is when map is figured out. There is a Rubric that is looked at to help with the decisions. Individuals can’t submit plans. Towns, coops, providers can submit plans. Need to talk to folks early, need to submit accurate information. Community support will get extra points in the rubric.
Jerad Peterson updated us on their plans. Speed challenges. Fed won’t change standards, States might be able to base changes off of from speed tests.
2. Email sent out to the council regarding estimates for street repairs. One from Northwest Asphalt (crack sealing) and another from Pearson Bros. Inc. (chip rocking). Seykora Asphalt Maintenance and Paving was going to give us a ballpark estimate to do everything, (crack seal, chip rock, patch problem areas and replace cement curbs/catch basins) but hasn't submitted it yet. Dan met with Crane Creek Asphalt and they recommended we do the crack sealing this fall. They do mill and overlay work. $250k for streets, $200k for sewer or vice versa. So $450k for a potential bond. Try to get additional bids, or even another bid. Will look at next month.
3. Talked with the Goodhue County Attorney about Pete Lee's building. County will not handle civil prosecution. We will need to use our city attorney if we want to go down that road. Doug Morem, Goodhue County inspector, thinks the building isn't a public nuisance. The main reasons: Building isn't collapsing; It's empty and no one is living there. Jeff talked with Pete Lee about the roof on a couple of occasions. Asked him to write down his plan to fix the roof and submit to the City before the next regular council meeting. He's looking at finding a contractor who specializes in flat roofs. Mr. Lee submitted a clean up and construction general timeline. The plan also includes the possibility of building demolition. Pete’s letter was emailed to everyone. Not much the City can do about it.
4. Bolstrom/Joe Stanke property. Mayor talked with Joe Stanke on a couple of occasions the last month. He did receive the letter regarding the complaint. Joe was asked if Councilor Cooke and the Mayor could view the items on the property that need to be cleaned up/removed. He was willing but didn't follow up with Mayor on a day or time to meet. Councilor Schloesser reminded the Council that since there is an already established process in place, and so at this time, the City needs to move to the next step for all the properties.
Any other updates/corrective actions taken by the other properties? Have the City attorney write a letter that says we’re going to follow legal avenues if they haven’t cleaned up anything. 30 days to act. The City will pursue legal action. Neal’s two properties, Mark Weatherford, Paul Nygaard, and Bolstrom properties.
5. City wide clean-up day. Was it a success? There was a good turnout for it.
6. Email sent out to the council from Todd Hagen from Ehlers. Recommend passing a Reimbursement Bond Resolution. It would preserve our right to get our money back through tax-exempt bonding. Todd also shared with the council what an estimated bond run looks like paid from a tax levy and sewer revenues. Have ready for July. Councilor Ruddle move to pass the Resolution 6-2023-1, the Reimbursement Bond Resolution. Councilor Nygaard second. Motion passed 4:0.
7. Bases and Home Plate ordered from Star Sports and Apparel in Faribault. Total cost was $241.18. Mayor is going to donate $175.00 towards the cost. Items should be in towards the end of the week. How should these be paid for? City will pay $66.18 for the bases and use money out of the park fund.
8. Mayor met with Josh Ramaker from Rice County on May 19th to discuss the intersection at Goodhue County Road 9 and Goodhue Avenue/1st Court Avenue. Inquiring about installing rapid flashing beacons and flashing crosswalk signs. There is federal grant money available through the Safe Streets and Road for All program. 90% of the project would be covered by the program, according to Josh Ramaker. Mayor also reached out to Goodhue County to inquire about the proposed project. City of Nerstrand, for example, has rapid flashing beacons and the flashing crosswalk signs over Highway 246. This program helped pay for that project. Get estimates. Goodhue Co wants to get their engineer involved for anything that would be on their road.
9. Lock box installed on May 2nd. Extra keys made and stamped. If a key is removed or used, please use the yellow cards available in the box to sign out. Mayor and clerk know the combination. Instructions to change the combination lock is in the clerk's office. Jeff made duplicates for most of the keys for the City. Some things can’t have new keys. Need to add truck keys to the box.
10. Continue discussions regarding assessments placed on Marlea's. Come up with a number to possibly give financial relief to the owners. Late fee amount figured out by Jessica/Heidi. Total bills was $2172.80. Of that $100 was late fees. $1624.61 was assessed to taxes. $548.19 left on MZ bill. 625 paid $1707.87. Bill $448.19 to Sean. Councilor Schloesser move to take $100 off of late fees for 625. Mayor Flaten second. Motion passed 4:0.
11. Requesting the council approve one load of gravel for the driveway in front of the City Shop/Fire Station. The Nerstrand City Council approved splitting the $800 cost of the gravel and labor to expand the driveway by Bill Deutsch. Requesting the council approve adding two loads of gravel to 5th Way Avenue. The ditch on the east side, between the new driveway entrance and new cell phone tower, needs to be graded/dug down. Do in the fall and put dirt in field. Water washes off the ditch and across the gravel road. Recommend we do that in the fall. Bill was going to fix the potholes this week on 5th Way. Requesting one load of gravel for the driveway inside the ponds. Bare spot in front/side of the phosphorus shed. Some low spots on the driveway to the shed, too. Bill would help smooth out the driveway inside the pond area. Councilor Schloesser move to have 5th Ave. Way graveled, then the ponds, then at the city shop. Councilor Schloesser second. Motion passed 4:0.
12. Dead Bolt on the back door too old to recore. Would cost $40 to replace and rekey. Can the front door match the Councilor Schloesser move to replace the deadbolt and rekey it, and to rekey the front door to match the back door. Councilor Nygaard second. Motion passed 4:0.
13. Stump grinding done on Wednesday, 8 stumps total. He broke his PTO on the last one. He requested an additional $100 (so $500 total) as two of the stumps were quite large. He will need to come back to finish the last stump.
Woods chips need to be cleaned up and dirt put in the holes.
Councilor Schloesser will ask around. Go to compost site in Northfield. Can put the wood chips on Facebook for free, remind folks to be respectful when removing them.
Citizens Issues: None
Mayors Issues: None
Utilities:
1. Update from Nate and Travis.
2. Continue discussion regarding Travis? Hourly consultation fee as needed? Other ideas? Nate is checking on license. Hasn’t been received as of 6-1-2023. Councilor Ruddle move to extend Travis’s contract for another month. Councilor Nygaard second. Motion passed 4:0. Need to figure out a wage. $50 hourly, plus drive time? Travis will write out a proposal, and submit it.
3. 2 more discharges at the ponds. How much additional Alum was used, approximately? 330 gallons used.
4. Date for flushing hydrants? Did that happen already? Tuesday or Wednesday is the plan to get them done.
5. Date for changing out meters? Paul’s Plumbing will take care of the Erickson meter. Two meters left, another box ordered. Kadrliks next week. Jiriks are all done. Look in the ordinance to see what it says. They already have two meters, but are only using one for the last couple of years because the former owner changed it for the water softener but they are being charged for two. If it’s an maintenance, we don’t have them pay for the meters.
6. Water meter readings. 16 properties didn't get read/inaccurate reading/meter not working in April. Talked to folks who have dogs. Councilor Cooke has numbers. Need to give them to Nate when he needs to get readings so he can contact.
7. Jetter moved out to ponds last Thursday.
8. Mayor requested reseeding at the ponds as nothing has grown from previous seedings. Weeds need to be sprayed. Bob Flom will do it. Doesn’t need to wait until after June 15th.
Jessica sent out to the council a partial job description. Meeting ran really late. Will have her submit additional info on job description and do at a future meeting.
Councilor Nygaard move to pay the bills. Councilor Ruddle second. Motion passed 4:0.
Xcel bill is estimated. Bills that the clerk doesn’t have info for include Utility Consultants, Dennison Depot, Gopher State One Call. Can I send them out and get email ok’s? Or wait until next month? If we wait, will the meeting be later in July? Councilor Schloesser move to approve paying the bills for the above as the come in. Clerk will send bills out as they come in. Mayor Flaten second. Motion passed 4:0.
July 6th is the date of the next meeting. Councilor Nygaard moved to move the meeting date to July 13th, 2023 due to the holiday week. Mayor Flaten second. Motion passed 4:0.
Councilor Schloesser move to adjourn the meeting. Mayor Flaten second. Meeting adjourned at 9:30.
Next meeting: Regular meeting is Thursday July 13th, 2023 at 7:00.
