MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2021
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, July 6, 2021, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Members John T. Buckley, Matt Smith, and Larry Arentson were present constituting a quorum. Council Members Denise Kerkhoff and Jim Sandgren were absent.
Also present were City Administrator Keith Muetzel, City Attorney Trenton Dammann, Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering, and Council Secretary Caitlin Kodet.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve the agenda. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the June 15, 2021, minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Buckley to approve the following item on the Consent Agenda.
1. Temporary On-Sale Liquor License Application – Church of St. Catherine’s
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Mayor Quackenbush opened a public hearing at 5:02 p.m. to discuss delinquent utility accounts.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced Resolution No. 37 of 2021 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts.
Mr. Muetzel stated the proposed Resolution is to adopt assessments for delinquent utility accounts 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.
Mr. Muetzel 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. 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 5:06 p.m.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 37 of 2021 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve Resolution No. 37 of 2021 – Resolution Adopting Assessments for Delinquent Accounts. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Chief of Police Jason Cotner was present to introduce the Police Squad Car Purchase.
Chief Cotner stated the Redwood Falls Police Department (RFPD) is requesting to purchase a new squad car in the 2022 budget. Ford is still taking orders for the 2021 Ford Explorer squads and is offering a $500.00 incentive to order. At this time, supply chain shortages are extending the time to build and deliver squad cars. When orders are placed it is difficult to know when the vehicle will be delivered. However, should our squad be built and delivered before the end of 2021 Weelborg Ford is willing to retain possession until 2022 when RFPD is ready to receive it.
Chief Cotner stated if Council approves the order, RFPD will be de-commissioning one of the older squads and much of the equipment will be transferred to the 2022 squad. RFPD is seeking council approval to order one 2021 Ford Explorer from Weelborg Ford in the amount of $34,035. If approved, RFPD would not take delivery until after January 1, 2022, and no funds would be expended until RFPD takes delivery of the vehicle.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve the Police Squad Car Purchase from the 2022 budget in the amount of $34,035. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Utilities Superintendent Chuck Heins was present to introduce Resolution No. 38 of 2021 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the Power Plant Road Stabilization Project.
Mr. Heins stated bids were submitted and received electronically through Quest CDN on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. for the Power Plant Road Stabilization Project. Two (2) bids were received, and the results of the bids were tabulated. A Summary of Bids showing all the bids was provided for review. The Schmidt Construction Inc. bid came in at $1,296,208.00 only slightly higher than the Bolton & Menk estimate of $1,199,875.00. It is unlikely that a rebid would result in more bids or more competitive bids.
Mr. Heins stated in accordance with Minnesota Statues §16C.285, Schmidt Construction has furnished the executed Responsible Contractor Verification and Certificate of Compliance form. Staff recommends that the contract be awarded to Schmidt Construction.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 38 of 2021 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the Power Plant Road Stabilization Project. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 38 of 2021 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the Power Plant Road Stabilization Project. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Utilities Superintendent Heins introduced the Advertisement for Bids – Electric Distribution Equipment.
Mr. Heins stated Staff is looking to install 20 blocks of overhead line underground to facilitate the reconstruction of Drew Street next year. Council has previously approved the engineering work and material procurement for this project, now Staff needs to have the installation portion of this project bid. The labor component of this is almost half ($793,000) of the $1.5 million dollar cost of this project.
Mr. Heins stated bids will be publicly opened and read at 1:15 p.m. on August 10, 2021. DGR will review them for accuracy and completeness. The project award will be on the August 17, 2021, City Council agenda. Funding for this part of the project has not been identified.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Buckley to approve the Advertisement for Bids – Electric Distribution Equipment. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Parks & Rec Director Ross Nachreiner was present to introduce the Fencing Project at Johnson Park Softball Field and Resolution No. 39 of 2021 – Resolution to Accept Monetary Donations for Johnson Park Softball Field Improvements.
Mr. Nachreiner stated Staff received quotes to replace the outfield fence at the Johnson Park Softball Field. This project was on the replacement list for 2022 as Staff had noticed the fence has started to lean and upon inspection, noticed that the fence was installed incorrectly with the poles being on the inside of the fence versus the outside of the fence. Quotes include one from Century Fence in the amount of $22,050 and one from Oberg Fence Co. in the amount $21,393.
Mr. Nachreiner stated this past winter he submitted a Minnesota Twins Community Fund Grant on behalf of the Redwood Falls Adult Softball Association and was informed that we received $9,000 towards this project. The Redwood Falls Adult Softball Association have also committed $10,000 towards the project and the remainder of the funds will come out of the City/Joint Softball account that we have been contributing to for more than 20 years. Parks and Rec staff is recommending the acceptance of Resolution No. 39 of 2021 to accept the donations from the Minnesota Twins Community Fund Grant and the Redwood Falls Adult Softball Association. Staff is also recommending the approval to complete the fencing project at Johnson Park Softball Field by Oberg Fencing Co in the amount of $21,393.
Mr. Nachreiner further stated accepting this donation from the Redwood Falls Softball Association will close the chapter on this group. They have been in existence for more than 35 years and have done some great things for our leagues and fields in Redwood Falls. The past 5-10 years have seen a slight decline in teams as well as interest in serving on the board. This does not mean the end to our Adult Softball Leagues, just an end to a support system for the past 30 or more years.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Buckley to waive the reading of Resolution No. 39 of 2021 – Resolution to Accept Monetary Donations for Johnson Park Softball Field Improvements. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Smith to approve Resolution No. 39 of 2021 – Resolution to Accept Monetary Donations for Johnson Park Softball Field Improvements. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the request and quote to complete the fencing project at Johnson Park Softball by Oberg Fencing Co. in the amount of $21,393. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Miranda Wendlandt, CPA and CFE with CliftonLarsonAllen was present to give an overview of the 2020 audit results for the City of Redwood Falls. Ms. Wendlandt stated this was a clean audit with no compliance or internal control findings.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to accept the 2020 City Audit results and reports as submitted. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel stated the posting for the Finance Director position closed on July 5, 2021. Staff has not received an update regarding the total number of applicants yet. David Drown Associates is screening the applicants and they will be providing a report of the applicants. The Personnel Committee will participate in the interviews with additional Council involvement. The tentative interview date is Thursday, July 29, 2021.
City Administrator Muetzel stated the City now owns both land development sites. The housing development site was purchased last fall and the industrial site was purchased and the deed was recorded last week. Staff has received conceptual designs from Bolton & Menk, Inc. and working towards cost estimates for the development.
City Administrator Muetzel stated the former hospital site closing was scheduled for Friday, July 2, 2021. Staff is waiting for verification from the title company that everything has been finalized. The utilities for the building have been transferred to the developer as of July 2.
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 Buckley and seconded by Council Member Smith to adjourn the meeting at 5:54 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.