Loading...
5.a)1) 02-15-2011 Regular Meeting ` �/ . ` G�", �� % February 15, 2011 A regular meeting of the Scandia City Council was held on the above date. Mayor Simonson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call was taken. The following council members were present: Council members Connie Amos, Chris Ness, Jim Schneider, Sally Swanson and Mayor Randall Simonson. Staff present: City Administrator Anne Hurlburt, City Attorney Dave Hebert, City Planner Sherri Buss, Building Official/Maintenance Supervisor Steve Thorp, Fire Chief Jim Finnegan, Police Deputy Chris Majeski, Treasurer Colleen Firkus and Deputy Clerk Brenda Eklund. PUBLIC FORUM There were no public comments. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Swanson, second by Ness, moved to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried 5-0. CONSENT AGENDA The following Consent Agenda was presented: a) Minutes 1) January 18, 2011 Regular Meeting 2) January 25, 2011 Special Meeting with Planning Commission 3) February 8, 2011 Work Session b) Treasurer's Report Beginning Balance O1/O1/2011 $2,057,240.24 Receipts + 109,103.93 Expenditures $86,883.70 Payroll 32,744.23 - 119,627.93 Adjustments: Jan. 31, 2011 Payroll posted to Feb. - 10,016.36 Ending Balance O1/31/2011 $2,036,699.88 c) Payment of Vouchers d) Application for Excluded or Exempt Lawful Gambling Permit, Scandia Women's Softball e) Appointments to Park and Recreation Committee and Capital Improvements Committee fl Revised Snowplowing and Ice Control Policy (Resolution No. 02-15-11-01) Council member Ness explained that Consent Agenda Item S.e) is the appoinhnent of Ned Froberg to the Capital Improvements Committee and Dan Lee to the Park and Recreation Committee. Ness, second by Amos, moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. The motion carried 5-0. February 15, 2011 Scandia City Council Page 2 of 4 PARK AND RECREATION COMMITTEE Appointment of Chair and Vice Chair for 2011 At their February 7, 2011 meeting, the Park and Recreation Committee appointed Alex Bildeaux as Chair and Matt Rasmussen as Vice Chair for 2011. Ness, second by Swanson, moved to approve the Park and Recreation Committee's appointment for Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for 2011. The motion carried 5-0. POLICE DEPARTMENT Police Deputy Chris Majeski reported on police activity within the past month. There have been a number of snowmobile complaints, the recovery of a stolen vehicle, a theft of prescription drugs and an attempted robbery at Manning Avenue and Highway 97. Deputy Majeski plans to locate a speed trailer near the intersection of Highways 95 and 97 this spring, in an effort to reduce the number of speeding incidences on this road segment. FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire Chief Jim Finnegan reported that there were eight calls in January, four of them being medical calls. The department has started planning the spring fundraiser being held with support from the Scandia-Marine Lions. The department will be conducting two house burns in March for training purposes. Four departments will be involved with the burning of a county-owned house on May Avenue on March 13. The old Gilbertson farmhouse on Meadowbrook Avenue will be burned on March 19, in a joint training with the Osceola Fire Department. Reappointment of Assistant Fire Chiefs and Appointment of Fire Captain Chief Finnegan recommended the re-appointments of current Assistant Fire Chiefs Bill Havener and Mike Hinz to new terms ending March l, 2013. Captain Erich Kertzscher will step down as an officer on February 28, 2011. Chief Finnegan has selected Peter Nora to replace him as Captain, effective March 1, 2011 to March 1, 2013. Amos, second by Schneider, moved to approve the re-appointments of Assistant Fire Chiefs Havener and Hinz, and the appointment of Peter Nora to Fire Captain. The motion carried 5-0. Agreement with Washington County for Controlled Burn The County has requested that the City approve a service contract agreement and provide a certificate of insurance prior to conducting a controlled burn of a county-owned house at 16150 May Avenue, located in the Big Marine Lake Park Reserve. The City Attorney has found the service contract to be in order. The agreement is subject to approval of the County Board, scheduled for February 22. Ness, second by Amos, moved to approve the Service Contract with Washington County for the Fire Department's controlled burn of a county-owned house in Big Marine Lake Park Reserve on March 13, 2011. The motion carried 5-0. BUILDING OFFICIAL/MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR Building Official/Maintenance Supervisor Steve Thorp reported on building activity and zoning issues. Thorp noted that under the recently adopted development code, shipping containers are allowed as exterior storage for a temporary period of no more than six months. In the Public Works department, the new F250 with snowplow attachment is now in use. The salt storage building has been stockpiled with a sufficient supply of salt. � February 15, 2011 Scandia City Council Page 3 of 4 CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION TOWER AT 23877 MANNING TRAIL. AT&T/NEW CINGULAR WIRELESS,APPLICANT (RESOL UTION NO. 02-15-11-02) At their meeting on February l, 2011, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the application from AT&T/Cingular Wireless for a Conditional Use Permit to allow construction of a monopole communications tower and shelter for communications equipment at 23877 Manning Trail North. City Planner Sherri Buss summarized the process in which the Planning Commission came to their recommendation. The conditions of approval included the submission of a final landscape plan for the site and for the tower compound. The applicant agreed to comply with the enhanced landscaping plans for screening purposes. The request for a visual simulation showing the tower at an alternate location further from Manning Trail concluded that the original proposed site was preferable to placement in the open field. Ness, second by Swanson, moved to adopt ResoluNon No. 02-15-11-02,Approving a Conditional Use Permit for a Wireless Communications Tower at 23877 Manning Trail. The council discussed the conditions of the resolution. Council member Schneider commented that the planting of one hundred trees for landscaping seemed excessive. Planner Buss explained that screening along the roadway would distract the motorists' line of vision, thereby meeting the ordinance requirement to make the tower appear visually inconspicuous. The Planning Commission requested this screening, and the landowners are agreeable to the placement of trees along the property boundary. Mayor Simonson asked if there were any public comments on the permit application. Karen Schik, 13860 236`� Street: Ms. Schik suggested that the landscaping plan contain a mix of native trees. Planner Buss replied that the ordinance requires the use of native tree species, and the plan does have a mix of eight different conifer and deciduous native species. Mayor Simonson called for a vote on the Ness/Swanson motion. Council member Amos abstained from voting as she is an employee of AT&T. The motion carried 4-0. APPOINTMENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION The term of Planning Commissioner Susan Rodsjo expired on January 31, 2011. At their February 8, 2011 workshop meeting, the Council interviewed Susan Rodsjo and Jan Hogle, who both applied for this vacancy. Mayor Simonson asked the council members to vote for their selection to the Planning Commission by paper ballot. City Administrator Hurlburt read the results: Amos—Jan Hogle; Ness— Susan Rodsjo; Schneider—Jan Hogle; Swanson—Jan Hogle; Mayor Simonson—Jan Hogle. Jan Hogle will begin serving a five-year term on the Planning Commission beginning on March 1, 2011. REQUEST FROM MAY TOWNSHIP TO SHARE DUST CONTROL ON 180TH STREET May Town Board Chair Bill Voedisch has requested that Scandia consider sharing the cost of dust control on the portion of 180th Street that the two municipalities share as a common border, February 15, 2011 Scandia City Council Page 4 of 4 a distance of about 7/8 of a mile. In the past, May Township has done all maintenance of this road, including grading, plowing and dust control. May Township applies dust control chemicals to their gravel roads twice each year. Mr. Voedisch estimated the cost of the application to 18ptn Street to be approximately$1,575 per year. City Administrator recommended that the city's share be limited to the cost of one application of dust control,to be consistent with the city's Dust Control policy(at an estimated cost of$788). This is within the city's budget for contractual road maintenance for 2011. Amos, second by Swanson, moved to support the staff recommendation to enter into an agreement with May Township to share the cost of one application of dust control chemicals to 180th Street. The motion carried 5-0. SHIP (STATEWIDE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM) GRANT l)Agreement with Washington County and 2)Authorize Professional Services from TKDA The City was recently awarded a $4,000 grant as part of the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP), which is administered by the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment. The purpose of the grant is to meet the goal of the Comprehensive Plan to develop a trail and bicycle route master plan, including identifying a search area for a trail connection between William O'Brien State Park and Big Marine Regional Park Reserve. The Park and Recreation Committee recommended that the grant funds be used to hire TKDA to develop a Master Plan and Trails Maps, and a brochure for residents and visitors. The County has authorized the use of TKDA as the subcontractor for this project. City Planner Buss will be the lead planner to complete the Trails Master Plan and Map. The local non-profit group Friends of Scandia Parks was also the recipient of state grant funds and will work cooperatively on this project to provide trail signage. Simonson, second by Ness, moved to approve a Service Contract with Washington County for a grant in the amount of$4,000; and authorized TKDA to provide professional services in an amount not to exceed $3,920 to prepare the Trails Master Plan. The motion carried 5-0. ADJOURNMENT Schneider, second by Amos, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Brenda Eklund Deputy Clerk