MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 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, June 4, 2019, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Council Members Matt Smith, Larry Arentson, Jim Sandgren, John T. Buckley, and Denise Kerkhoff were present constituting a quorum. Mayor Tom Quackenbush 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.
City Administrator Muetzel requested the addition of agenda item 9.I. to discuss the July 2nd City Council Meeting.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the agenda with the following amendment: Add Agenda Item 9.I. Discuss July 2nd City Council Meeting. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Buckley to
approve the May 21, 2019, minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the following items on the Consent Agenda.
1. 2018 Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report
2. Parade Permit for Summer Splash
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Parks & Recreation Director Ross Nachreiner was present to discuss the request for City assistance with
the annual Summer Splash event.
Mr. Nachreiner stated the Celebrate Redwood Falls board will be hosting the annual Summer Splash event Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22, 2019 at the Memorial Athletic Complex and other various locations throughout the City of Redwood Falls. The board is requesting approval of City assistance and waiver of rental fees for the activities on City property.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the request for City assistance with the annual Summer Splash event. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Parks & Recreation Director Nachreiner introduced the Redwood Area Hockey Association Facility Agreement.
Mr. Nachreiner stated the City of Redwood Falls Parks & Recreation staff worked on the 2019-2021 Facility Lease Agreement with the Redwood Area Hockey Association. The City of Redwood Falls Parks and
Recreation Department acknowledges the importance of the Redwood Area Hockey Association (RAHA) and the impact it brings to our community.
Mr. Nachreiner stated the 2019-2020 rental is $76,047 for 750 hours of ice time and the 2020-2021 rental is $77,567 for 750 hours of ice time. Each amount reflects a two percent increase from the previous season. The $50 per game charge for any district hockey tournaments hosted by RAHA will be reduced to $20 per game in the new agreement if RAHA supplies staff to clean during and after the event. The ice season will be October 7, 2019 – March 8, 2020 and October 5, 2020 – March 7, 2021.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the Redwood Area Hockey Association Facility Agreement. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Utilities Superintendent Chuck Heins was present to discuss the Electric Line Worker positions.
Mr. Heins stated we currently have two open positions after the retirements of Kent Taber and Wade Plotz. After advertising for the positions, an interview team consisting of Jason Halvorson, Keith Muetzel, Sheila Stage and Chuck Heins interviewed five candidates from a pool of eighteen applicants. The team offered the two available positions to Lucas Christians at Pay Grade EW8, Step 2 and Cameron Liebl at Pay Grade EW8, Step 1 and will include a six-month probationary period for both. At the end of the probationary period, Mr. Christians and Mr. Liebl will be eligible for a step increase upon a satisfactory job performance evaluation. They both accepted our offer and terms of employment.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the employment offers of the Electric Line Worker positions to Lucas Christians and Cameron Liebl. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Utilities Superintendent Heins introduced Resolution No. 18 of 2019 – Changing the Alternate Representative to the Southern MN Municipal Power Agency.
Mr. Heins stated on May 31, 2019, Kent Taber retired from the City of Redwood Falls Public Utilities Department. One of his many duties was to serve as the Alternate Representative to the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA). Mr. Heins and staff decided to appoint City Administrator Muetzel as the Alternate Representative at this time. His duties will be to represent the City of Redwood Falls if Mr. Heins is unavailable and SMMPA needs to have a member representative’s vote on a bond issue or other changes to the contract or agency agreements.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 18 of 2019 – Changing the Alternate Representative to the Southern MN Municipal Power Agency. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 18 of 2019 – Changing the Alternate Representative to the Southern MN Municipal Power Agency. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Utilities Superintendent Heins introduced Resolution No. 19 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Contract with MP Nexlevel, LLC for Downtown Distribution Conversion- Phase II.
Mr. Heins stated the bid opening took place on May 15, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council chambers. Two bids were received, opened and read. DGR reviewed both bids for errors and omissions. DGR’s recommendation is to award the contract to MP Nexlevel, LLC, as they were the lowest responsible bidder for
$295,725.38. MP Nexlevel completed similar projects with DGR and performed satisfactorily on the projects.
Mr. Heins further stated this project was in the 2019 CIP Budget with an all in cost of $750,000. The engineering estimate for Phase II is $240,000. This contract does not include the wire, transformers, or other materials and labor for the Utilities department to do their conversion and removal of the overhead lines.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 19 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Contract with MP Nexlevel, LLC for Downtown Distribution Conversion- Phase II. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 19 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Contract with MP Nexlevel, LLC for Downtown Distribution Conversion- Phase II. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced Resolution No. 20 of 2019 – Airport Lease Agreement with Cubik Promotions Inc.
Mr. Doering stated the City of Redwood Falls Airport arrival and departure building has over 4,000 square feet of professional office space available for lease. Unfortunately, this space has primarily been dormant over the years with few short term tenants. Briana Mumme, Redwood County Economic Development Coordinator has been working with the Airport to market and showcase the vacancies. An opportunity presented itself with Cubik Promotions Inc. After meeting with Mr. Paskewitz from Cubik Promotions, the parties agreed to enter into a graduated 5-year lease agreement, to lease 2,640 square feet with the lease commencing on June 3, 2019 through June 3, 2024.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 20 of 2019 – Airport Lease Agreement with Cubik Promotions Inc. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve Resolution No. 20 of 2019 – Airport Lease Agreement with Cubik Promotions Inc. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering introduced Resolution No. 21 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Quote for Professional Services for the Development of a Sump Pump Inspection Program.
Mr. Doering stated Resolution No. 21 authorizes the approval of quoted services for a sump pump inspection program that will include assistance with ordinance development, the development of program rules and policies, handle all media relations, set up all inspection scheduling and conduct sump pump inspections and complete the necessary documentation. Execution of quoted services will not exceed the amounts per task categories without prior written authorization from the Council.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 21 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Quote for Professional Services for the Development of a Sump Pump Inspection Program. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve
Resolution No. 21 of 2019 – Authorization to Execute Quote for Professional Services for the Development of a Sump Pump Inspection Program. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Chief of Police Jason Cotner was present to introduce the Approval to Retain Services of Bill Everett to Review the Police Department Policy Manual.
Chief Cotner stated during the Council Work Session on January 29, 2019, council members reviewed a draft of the revisions to the Redwood Falls Police Department (RFPD) policy manual. At that time, Council believed an expert review of the document should be conducted and directed Chief Cotner and City Attorney Amy Busse to locate a person with expertise in law enforcement agency policy. The League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) was contacted and briefed on the needs of our review. LMC directed Chief Cotner to attorney Bill Everett with Everett & VanderWiel, PLLP. Mr. Everett confirmed he has extensive experience in policy development and review.
Chief Cotner further stated as part of his due diligence, Mr. Everett’s curriculum vitae was reviewed and he contacted agencies who utilized his services. Mr. Everett’s curriculum vitae showed his extensive training and experience in both law enforcement and police department policy. In addition, both LMC and the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board utilized his services and gave him highly favorable recommendations. Based on the needs of the project and confirmation of Mr. Everett’s qualifications staff recommends retaining Bill Everett’s services for review of the RFPD draft policy manual.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the request to retain services of Bill Everett to review the police department policy manual. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel presented the Council with additional Agenda Item 9.I. Discuss July 2nd Council Meeting.
Mr. Muetzel stated there are administrative conflicts regarding the July 2nd Council Meeting and requested to cancel the meeting.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to approve the request to cancel the July 2, 2019 City Council Meeting. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
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 Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to adjourn the meeting at 5:53 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.