MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting of the Redwood Falls City Council was called to order in the Municipal Chambers on Tuesday, January 15, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Members Matt Smith, Larry Arentson, Jim Sandgren and John T. Buckley were present constituting a quorum.
Also present were City Administrator Keith Muetzel, Director of Finance & Administrative Services Melissa Meyer, Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering, City Attorney Amy Busse and Council Secretary Caitlin Kodet.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the agenda. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member ¬¬¬Buckley to approve the January 2, 2019, minutes as presented. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member ¬¬¬Arentson to approve the following Consent Agenda item:
1. 2019 Commission Appointments
AIRPORT COMMISSION
Appoint Alan Olson to 1st full term
Reappoint Jim Hildebrandt 2nd full term
LIBRARY COMMISSION
Reappoint Jeff Gunderson to 2nd full term
Reappoint Joyce Johnson to 3rd full term
PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
Appoint Stephen Vannelli to 1st full term
Reappoint Jeannette Mertens to 2nd full term
PLANNING COMMISSION
Appoint Valerie Stephens to 1st full term
POLICE COMMISSION
Appoint Holly Johnson to 1st full term
Reappoint Matt Beavers to 3rd full term
PORT AUTHORITY
Reappoint Jim Sandgren to 4th full term (Council Representative)
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Reappoint Mike Neudecker to 2nd full term
Zoning Administrator Tim Hanna was present to introduce Ordinance No. 62 – An Ordinance Amending Zoning Ordinance.
Mr. Hanna stated the City received a request from Carris Health, LLC and Eldo & Elizabeth Schoer to Re-zone the entire 61 acre parcel owned by the Schoer family directly east of St. Johns School on County Highway 24 from an R-R (Rural Residential) district to an R-B (Residential Business) district. The reason for the re-zone is because a hospital is not a permitted or conditional use in an R-R district. Carris Health, LLC is only purchasing 35 acres of the 61 acre parcel, but the Schoer family is requesting to re-zone the entire parcel as they feel it will be a better fit for possible future uses of the property.
Mr. Hanna stated the request to re-zone the property was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 8, 2019. The Planning and Zoning Commission, along with City staff, recommend approval of the re-zone and consequently the amendment of the zoning Ordinance.
Mr. Hanna stated the proposed Ordinance will be discussed at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, and is subject to a roll call vote in accordance with Chapter 4 of the City Charter.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Smith to waive the reading of Ordinance No. 62, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending Zoning Ordinance. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
Redwood Falls Parks & Rec Director Ross Nachreiner was present to introduce the Celebrate Redwood Falls – Fire & Ice Festival request for City Assistance.
Mr. Nachreiner stated the Celebrate Redwood Falls board will be hosting the annual Fire & Ice Event Saturday, February 2nd, 2019 at Perks Park and on Lake Redwood. Mr. Nachreiner stated if there is bad ice, all events will be at Westside Softball Field.
Mr. Nachreiner stated staff is recommending the City Council approve the following assistance and waiving of rental fees for the Celebrate Redwood Falls events: use of Perks Park and Westside Athletic Complex for various games, fireworks, and use of City owned cones, barricades, picnic tables, and garbage cans. Mr. Nachreiner stated fireworks will be on the ice if it is thick enough otherwise all activities will be at Westside Park.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to approve the request for City assistance for the Celebrate Redwood Falls Fire & Ice Festival. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced the 2019 Street Sealcoat Project – Authorization to Solicit Bids.
Mr. Doering stated the 2019 Seal Coat Improvement Project has a construction estimate of $280,000.00 for streets, alleyways, parking lots and trails. Development of bid specs, hosting, contract development and construction calibration/testing is not to exceed $9,500.00. Construction costs with the work order are estimated at $247,000.00. Parks and Rec budgeted $26,000.00 to cover costs related to the sealcoating of the school link trail and RACC parking lot which are included in this year’s project scope.
Mr. Doering stated staff recommends the solicitation of bids in anticipation of a competitive response that is within budget. Bid documents will be developed upon approval. A February bid opening is anticipated with Council bid award to follow.
Mr. Doering stated the anticipated start date would be after August 1, 2019 to allow the Street Department time for crack sealing and patching of the project area, which is already budgeted for, in the amount of $100,000.00. The project area consists of all streets and frontage roads east of Dekalb Street and County Highway 101, including North Redwood and Airport Road. As well as some additional frontage roads that were delayed because of the Hwy 19/71 construction last year.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Buckley to approve the solicitation of bids for the 2019 Street Sealcoat Project and Work Order 2019-1. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced the 2018 Archery Deer Hunt Report.
Deer Hunt Coordinator Paul Parson was present to discuss the 2018 Archery Deer Hunt Report. Mr. Parson summarized the 2018 deer hunt as follows: the season coincided with the full Minnesota DNR archery season from September 15, 2018, to December 31, 2018; the hunt is limited to 20 participants and 39 applications were submitted; a total of 16 deer were harvested with 424 deer being spotted; and hunters spent a total of 504 hours in the stand with an average of 20 hours per hunter.
Mr. Doering stated staff is recommending the deer hunt committee reconvene to further review the results of the hunt, what was learned and what to change and determine if future hunts are warranted. The application to conduct a 2019 Archery Deer Hunt is due by the end of February. Results of the committee meeting along with a 2019 recommendation will be presented to Council prior to submission.
City Administrator Muetzel discussed the agenda for the Tuesday, January 29, 2019, City Council work session.
Mr. Muetzel stated Council Members suggested several agenda items for the City Council work session. To prepare for the meeting, and ensure adequate time is allowed for each agenda item, staff is requesting Council formally establish a work session agenda.
City Council Work Session Agenda Topics:
1. Redwood County Dekalb Street Construction Project
2. Redwood County Justice Center Project
3. Police Department Policy Manual Updates
4. Housing Study
5. Council Chambers Renovation
6. 2035 Comprehensive Plan Implementation
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the City Council work session agenda for Tuesday, January 29, 2019. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel stated City Hall received applications for the Ward 1 City Council vacancy from Patrick Schwarz, John Madden, Denise Kerkhoff, and Gary Myrom. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 18. Council members will review the applications and rank the candidates. The top three candidates will be interviewed.
City Administrator Muetzel responded to a question regarding the status of the MnDOT Construction Project along US Highway 71. Mr. Muetzel stated no construction is scheduled to resume until spring. MnDOT will begin with the replacement of the temporary stop lights and installation of the new stop lights at the County Road 101 intersection as well as the center turn lane striping. Mr. Muetzel stated there will be a few additional items MnDOT will be finishing to complete the project and the City will be responsible for the cross walks along US Highway 71.
City Administrator Muetzel stated the City Council Chambers will be under construction until February 18th. The City Council Work Session scheduled for Tuesday, January 29th will be located in the meeting room on the north side of the Council Chambers. The location for the City Council meeting scheduled for February 5th has not been decided.
City Administrator Muetzel informed Council of the Local Board of Appeal & Equalization meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The meeting allows property owners to contest the 2019 value assigned to their property.
Bills and Claims were presented to Council for informational purposes. No questions, comments or concerns were raised.
There being no further business, a motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Buckley to adjourn the meeting at ¬¬¬¬5:57 p.m. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.