MINUTES
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
CITY OF REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023
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 20, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Members Matt Smith, Denise Kerkhoff, Jim Sandgren, Larry Arentson, and John T. Buckley were present, constituting a quorum.
Also present were City Administrator Keith Muetzel, Finance Director Kari Klages, City Attorney Trenton Dammann, Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering, and Deputy City Clerk 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 Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the June 6, 2023 minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Miranda Wendlandt, CPA and CFE with CliftonLarsonAllen was present to give an overview of the 2022 audit results for the City of Redwood Falls.
Ms. Wendlandt stated this was an unmodified clean audit with one internal control finding requiring one material audit adjustment. The internal control finding didn’t change the total ending reserve position for the City. Due to the amount of funds received from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a Single Audit was required. The Single Audit found that the City complied with the specific requirements for receiving ARPA funds. The audit findings are an indication of the City’s high-quality internal control process, reviews that are in place, and overall attention Staff gives to the year-end balances.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to accept the 2022 City Audit results and reports as submitted. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Finance Director Klages introduced the Request for Proposals for Banking Services.
Ms. Klages stated it is recommended that governments review their banking service contracts every five years and use a competitive process for the procurement of banking services. A competitive procurement process provides an opportunity to obtain market-competitive rates and negotiate preferable terms and conditions and/or service enhancements. It also provides an opportunity to take advantage of technology enhancements, service changes, or evolution in the market.
Ms. Klages stated the City currently receives banking services from Bremer Bank. Part of ongoing due diligence includes regular competition for the procurement of services. Therefore, Staff is proposing to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for banking services. The RFP will be sent to all institutions that operate a branch within the City of Redwood Falls. If approved, RFP’s will be distributed and due back from institutions by July 28th. Staff will review all proposals and present Council with their recommendation at the August 15th Council meeting.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Buckley to approve the Request for Proposals for Banking Services. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Police Chief Jason Cotner was present to introduce the Police Officer Employment Offer.
Chief Cotner stated on Friday, May 12, 2023, Officer Aaron Clancy worked his last shift at RFPD after accepting a sergeant position with the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office. Officer Clancy’s departure created a vacant full-time officer position within the department. An internal posting for the position was issued on May 30, 2023 with a closing date of June 9, 2023. At the time of closing one candidate, Joseph Shaffer, submitted for the vacant position.
Chief Cotner stated Joseph Shaffer was recently hired as a part-time officer for RFPD. He arrived at RFPD with approximately two years of full-time law enforcement experience at the Springfield Police Department and Brown County Sheriff’s Office. Because Officer Shaffer has been through a background check, psychological testing, and all the normal pre-employment checks during his part-time hiring process the conditional offer was contingent only on City Council approval. Staff recommends City Council approve hiring Joseph Shaffer to fill the vacant full-time officer position.
City Administrator Muetzel stated following the initial employment offer, Mr. Shaffer requested a change in the salary step progression from 12 months to 9 months to account for previous work experience. The request was authorized, and Mr. Shaffer will be eligible for a step increase from Step 2 to Step 3 after 9 months and a satisfactory job performance evaluation.
A motion was made by Council Member Buckley and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the Police Officer Employment Offer to Joseph Shaffer. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering provided an update on the 4th Street Reconstruction Bids.
Mr. Doering stated bids were opened publicly on Friday, June 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Six bids were received. The bids must be reviewed by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) before Council can award a bid. Construction is still expected to begin in 2023, however, due to the late season start crews will start at Gould Street and work west by opening two-block increments at a time.
No action was taken by Council.
City Administrator Muetzel stated due to the Independence Day holiday, there will not be a City Council meeting on July 4, 2023. The next regularly scheduled meeting is July 18, 2023. Staff will evaluate if there are any time-sensitive agenda items that would need to be addressed at a Special City Council meeting prior to the next regularly scheduled Council meeting.
Bills and Claims were presented to the Council for informational purposes. No questions, comments or concerns were raised.
There being no further business, a motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Buckley to adjourn the meeting at 5:44 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.