MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 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, April 2, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Members Larry Arentson, Jim Sandgren, John T. Buckley, and Denise Kerkhoff were present constituting a quorum. Council Member Matt Smith was absent.
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 Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Buckley to approve the agenda. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to
approve the March 19, 2019, minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the following items on the Consent Agenda.
1. Approve Temporary Street Closure Request – 100 Block E. 2nd Street
2. Approve Temporary On-Sale Liquor License – Lions Club/Night Falls Event
3. Approve 2018 Fixed Asset Disposal List
4. Approve Purchase of Electric System Distribution Materials
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Mayor Quackenbush opened a public hearing at 5:03 p.m. to discuss delinquent utility accounts & maintenance charges.
Director of Finance & Administrative Services Meyer introduced Resolution No. 4 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts and Resolution No. 5 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Unpaid Maintenance Costs.
Ms. Meyer stated the proposed Resolutions are to adopt assessments for delinquent utility and maintenance cost charges that are more than 30 days past due. Similar Resolutions are brought to the City Council on a quarterly basis in order to improve the time between the delinquent billing and the ability to disclose the information to new property owners. The delinquent account Resolutions will be presented each year at the first meeting in January, April, July, and October.
Ms. Meyer further explained the delinquent process. Delinquent letters are first mailed to the utility account holders. Delinquent letters are then mailed to the property owners if not collected from the account holders. Delinquent balances that are assessable are also published in the paper as a requirement of the Public Hearing process. Electricity consumed by a tenant is not assessable to the property. Any unpaid balance is then brought to the Council to be approved by Resolution. Any pending assessments passed by Resolution and still outstanding as of November 1st will be charged a $50.00 fee and are then transferred to Redwood County to be assessed on the tax rolls.
No one was present to voice any concerns.
Mayor Quackenbush closed the public hearing at 5:05 p.m.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 4 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 4 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to waive the reading of Resolution No. 5 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Unpaid Maintenance Costs. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 5 of 2019 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Unpaid Maintenance Costs. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
Mayor Quackenbush read a Proclamation Recognizing April 7-13, 2019 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Council Member Kerkhoff stated her support for the proclamation and the importance of standing up for crime victims’ rights.
Parks & Rec Director Ross Nachreiner was present to discuss a request from the Celebrate Redwood Falls Committee for assistance with the upcoming NightFalls event to be held on Thursday, May 2, Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Ramsey Park.
Mr. Nachreiner stated the committee is requesting the following for the NightFalls event:
1. Use of the falls shelter and surrounding area, and falls overlook area (use would include closing the area during the events and waive the rental fee).
2. Use of City equipment such as barricades, cones, picnic tables, snow fencing, etc.
3. Closure of the park road from Grove Street through to the Swayback Bridge at 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. for all 3 evenings.
4. Event Time: 7:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (park does close at 11:00 p.m.)
5. Redwood Falls Police Department assistance throughout the event.
Cindy LaBrie was present on behalf of the Celebrate Redwood Falls Committee. Ms. LaBrie stated the
committee decided to add Thursday night as a fundraising event to help subsidize the costs of the NightFalls activities. The NightFalls activities on Thursday, May 3 will be for adults only and require a ticket for admission.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the Celebrate Redwood Falls Committee’s requests for the NightFalls event. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced Resolution No. 6 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2019 Seal Coat Improvements.
Mr. Doering stated the City received three proposals for construction of the 2019 Seal Coat Improvements. The low responsible bidder was Allied Blacktop of Maple Grove, MN for the 2019 Seal Coat Improvements per bid unit prices for CRS2P bituminous oil, FA-2, Class A Aggregate and CSS-1h fog seal. The resulting base bid was $260,443.68 with an ad/alternate (airport west taxi lane) bid of $269,289.95 as per listed bid quantities. The other bids ranged up to $279,968.25. The engineer’s estimates were $263,845.05 for the base bid and $272,655.75 with the ad/alternate bid for the airport west taxi lane. Staff recommends that the contract be awarded to Allied Blacktop Company of Maple Grove, MN.
Mr. Doering further stated the anticipated start date would be after August 1, 2019 to allow the Street Department time for patching and bituminous maintenance of the project area which is budgeted for $100,000.00. The current approved seal coat budget is $250,000.00 under street maintenance. The Parks Department budgeted $26,000.00 to cover costs to seal coat the school link trails and RACC parking lot that are shown in this year’s project scope. The project area consists of all streets and frontage roads east of Dekalb Street and County Highway 101, including North Redwood and Airport Road.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 6 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2019 Seal Coat Improvements. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 6 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2019 Seal Coat Improvements. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced the Final Pay Application No. 7 for the Gould Street Improvement Project.
Mr. Doering stated staff is recommending Council approve the Final Pay Reimbursement No. 7 to Schmidt Construction Inc. for the 2017 Gould Street Improvements SP 207-105-006” for $98,120.72. Approval of the final pay request will also set the 2-year maintenance period and final acceptance date of April 2, 2021. Any material deficiencies observed during the maintenance period would be brought to the attention of Schmidt Construction, in writing, before the final acceptance date.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the Final Pay Application No. 7 for the Gould Street Improvement Project. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced the Consideration of Street Maintenance Worker Employment Offers.
Mr. Muetzel stated the interview team, which included City Administrator Keith Muetzel, Human Resources Coordinator Sheila Stage, Street Superintendent Darrell Bowers, and Water/Wastewater Superintendent Tom Stough interviewed eleven candidates from a pool of over 50 applicants. The team offered two of the three available positions to Craig Kodet and Seth Breitkreutz at Pay Grade 4, Step 3 and will include a six-month probationary period. At the end of the probationary period, Mr. Kodet and Mr. Breitkreutz will be eligible for a step increase, upon a satisfactory job performance evaluation.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the employment offers of the Street Maintenance Worker positions to Craig Kodet and Seth Breitkreutz. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced Resolution No. 7 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute the Development Agreement with Carris Health LLC and Carris Health-Redwood LLC Related to the Construction of the New Medical Campus.
Mr. Muetzel stated representatives from the City of Redwood Falls and Carris Health have met to negotiate the terms of the development agreement for the hospital project. The purpose of the development agreement is to establish each party’s responsibility relating to the design and construction of public and private improvements needed for the project. Examples of public improvements include water distribution lines, sanitary sewer lines and structures, and storm water infrastructure.
A summary of the proposed terms of the development agreement are as follows:
• Carris will be responsible for 100% of the design, construction, and expense of all municipal improvements required for the project.
• Carris will be responsible for all customary City plan review, building permit, and utility hook-up fees.
• Carris will reimburse the City for all engineering and professional costs incurred by the City for the design review and construction observation of the municipal infrastructure improvements.
• The City will make a lump sum payment to Carris in the amount of $250,000.00 to offset infrastructure costs.
• The City will waive all park dedication fees required by the City’s Unified Development Ordinance.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to waive the reading of Resolution No. 7 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute the Development Agreement with Carris Health LLC and Carris Health-Redwood LLC Related to the Construction of the New Medical Campus. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 6 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute the Development Agreement with Carris Health LLC and Carris Health-Redwood LLC Related to the Construction of the New Medical Campus. Motion was carried by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel discussed the flood prevention efforts in North Redwood.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering presented the Council with a picture slideshow of the flood prevention efforts and some damage caused by the high waters.
Mr. Doering stated the high water and ice caused damage to the road through Ramsey Park and the Swayback Bridge. The bridge is currently closed and will remain closed until the damage can be evaluated.
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 6:11 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.