5.a1 Draft minutes of 9-18-18 Meeting
September 18, 2018
A regular meeting of the Scandia City Council was held on the above date. Mayor Christine
Maefsky called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call
was taken. The following members were present: Council members Bob Hegland, Steve
Kronmiller, Chris Ness, Jim Schneider and Mayor Christine Maefsky. Staff present: City
Administrator Neil Soltis, City Engineer Ryan Goodman, City Attorney Eric Sherburne, Police
Deputy Brandon Yetter, Fire Chief Mike Hinz, Public Works Director Adam Hawkinson and
Deputy Clerk Brenda Eklund.
PUBLIC FORUM
Presentation on Vinterlights! Event
Lynnette Welsch, Scandia-Marine Lions Club, and Lynne Moratzka, Gammelgarden Museum,
described the Vinterfest! event their organizations have planned for November 25, 2018. To
highlight the City’s new holiday street light decorations for the season, an event will be held on
the Community Center grounds to turn on the outdoor lighting for the Community Center,
Museum, Elim Church and the streetlights all at once. A bonfire with hot chocolate and cookies
will be served courtesy of the Lions Club. Mayor Maefsky asked city officers to be present for
the lighting.
Presentation by ACT on Alzheimer’s
Jules Benson and Gary Lee presented information on the Forest Lake chapter of ACT on
Alzheimer’s which works to create dementia friendly communities and provides educational
resources to families and caregivers of patients having dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Benson said that Scandia is within their expansion area and they have produced videos to
educate communities on creating positive encounters with dementia patients.
There were no other public comments during the forum.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Kronmiller, seconded by Schneider, moved to approve the agenda as presented. The
motion carried 5-0.
CONSENT AGENDA
The following Consent Agenda was presented:
a) Minutes
1) August 21, 2018 Special meeting
2) August 21, 2018 Regular Meeting
3) September 5, 2018 Work Session
b) Treasurer’s Report
Beginning Balance 8/1/2018 $7,289,980.66
Receipts $ 63,152.45
Expenditures $1,233,894.42
Payroll $ 29,391.19 $(1,263,285.61)
Ending Balance 8/31/2018 $6,089,847.50
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c) Payment of Vouchers
d) 2018 Road Improvement project – Contractor’s request for payment #4
e) Resolution 09-18-18-01 approving the Health Care Plan and Establishing City
Contribution to Employee Health Insurance Benefits for 2019
f) Agreement with Safe Assure for OSHA and Safety training and support
g) Agreement with Joe Wheaton for electrical inspection services
h) 2019 Firefighter Recruiting
i) 2018 Spray Patching Project – Contractor’s Pay Request No. 2 and Final
j) Bliss Addition Drainage Improvements – Contractor’s Request for Payment No. 1 and
Final
Ness, seconded by Kronmiller, moved to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. The
motion carried 5-0.
PARK AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
Due to lack of a quorum, a September meeting of the Park and Recreation Committee was not
held.
BUILDING OFFICIAL
Building Official Chuck Preisler’s report on building activity was received. In August, 48
permits were issued at a valuation of $1,859,350. Ten new construction permits have been
issued this year. Administrator Soltis noted the year-to-date valuation stands at $20 million,
bolstered by the elementary school renovation project. This is on pace with last year’s valuation.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Police Deputy Brandon Yetter reported on theft reports being investigated, and a stolen car that
appears to be a civil matter. Yetter said that Taco Daze was uneventful with a well-behaved
crowd. Council member Kronmiller asked about the status of the speed study in the Tii Gavo
subdivision. With the County’s speed boxes out for repair, Yetter said that he has monitored the
neighborhood roads six times with very few vehicles traveling through. Yetter will monitor
traffic along Highway 97 within the 50-mph zone in front of the elementary school, and report
on the data at a future meeting.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fire Chief Mike Hinz reported that the department responded to 4 fire calls and 13 medical calls
in August, and the dive team assisted with a recovery at Square Lake. The water ball event went
well at Taco Daze.
CITY ENGINEER
City Engineer Ryan Goodman reported on the final items scheduled for the 2018 Street
Improvement Project.
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PW Director Adam Hawkinson reported on the past month’s activities. A second round of
roadside mowing began on September 1st. Sixteen sewer tanks will be pumped with land
spreading to begin next week. Damaged wires were found to be the cause of the streetlight
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outage along Olinda Trail and repairs are being made. It was determined that the breaks were the
result of the County’s 2011 curbside replacement project and Hawkinson will discuss the
damage costs with the County.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
City Administrator Soltis reported to the Council on a legacy grant application that Bolton &
Menk is working on for wetland restoration at Lilleskogen Park in 2019. A 10% match is
required that will be included in the 2019 budget. The Ford Ranger used by Public Works was
sold on a public surplus website at a closing bid of $6,300. The City received notice from the
DNR that the Emerald Ash borer grant was not awarded. The County’s CDA Open to Business
program helped a broad range of businesses in the past year, including 7 Scandia businesses.
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH DNR FOR DESIGN OF THE GATEWAY
TRAIL SEGMENT (RESOLUTION NO. 09-18-18-02)
Administrator Soltis described the agreement proposed by the DNR that provides for the City to
act as the fiscal agent in the appropriation of funds to design a one-mile segment of the Gateway
Trail from the tunnel at Oakhill Road to the trailhead at the old fire station (the annex). The
DNR has funding of up to $100,000 for the design work, to be completed by September 2019.
Engineer Goodman said that his firm has experience with DNR trails, and is preparing a proposal
for the scope of work that will have the project shovel ready once the DNR has construction
funds secured.
Mary Bailey, 15210 Oakhill Road, said that the trail runs adjacent to her property and she has
had no input to the DNR’s plan for the Gateway Trail. No notification was made to her when the
neighboring property owner granted the trail easement to the DNR. Bailey asked that affected
landowners be included in the next phase of the trail design. Administrator Soltis advised that
the Engineer’s proposal include a public input component during the preliminary design phase.
Ness, seconded by Hegland, moved to adopt Resolution No. 09-18-18-02, Authorizing
Execution of a Cooperative Agreement with MN DNR for Design of the Scandia to Oakhill
Road Gateway Trail Segment. The motion carried 5-0.
AMENDING 2018 BUDGET FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND
(RESOLUTION NO. 09-18-18-03)
Administrator Soltis presented a resolution for a budget amendment to appropriate up to
$100,000 to the Capital Improvement Fund, offset by the DNR’s grant to fund final design and
construction plans of the one-mile Gateway Trail segment into Scandia.
Ness, seconded by Hegland, moved to adopt Resolution No. 09-18-18-03, Amending the
2018 Budget for the Capital Improvement Fund. The motion carried 5-0.
CERTIFYING THE MAXIMUM TAX LEVY FOR 2019 (RESOLUTION NO. 09-18-18-04)
As discussed at the September 5th Work Session, a resolution was prepared with the Council’s
recommendation to certify a maximum tax levy of $2,313,880 for property taxes payable in
2019. Soltis explained that excess revenue from building permits led to a reduction in the final
levy amount last year, and that may be the case again this year. The Council may continue to
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make changes to the 2019 budget before its final adoption in December. Soltis noted the Debt
Service levy provides payment towards this year’s considerable street improvement project, with
the Local Road Improvement Fund levy of $378,930 going towards a future street project while
keeping the overall levy relatively flat.
Kronmiller, seconded by Hegland, moved to adopt Resolution No. 09-18-18-04, Certifying
the Maximum Property Tax Payable in 2019. The motion carried 5-0.
SETTING DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON 2019 BUDGET
Ness, seconded by Maefsky, moved to hold the public hearing on the 2019 budget on
December 5, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. to coincide with the Council Work Session. The motion
carried 5-0.
FIRE SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MAY TOWNSHIP
An agreement was presented for contracted fire department services between May Township and
the City of Scandia. The 3-year contract calls for May Township to pay a yearly rate that will be
adjusted each year after 2018 with a factor determined by the change in the Consumer Price
Index-U.
Kronmiller, seconded by Schneider, moved to approve the Fire Department Service
Agreement with May Township as presented. The motion carried 5-0.
REVIEW OF FALL NEWSLETTER DRAFT
Council reviewed a draft of the fall newsletter, being mailed to all residents in early October.
Articles will include a summary of the 2018 street project, the 2019 tax levy and budget, future
capital improvements, and other pertinent information.
DISCUSSION ON FIRE DEPARTMENT COMPRESSOR REPLACEMENT
Fire Chief Hinz explained the proposed purchase of a replacement SCBA compressor used by
the department to fill self-contained breathing packs during fire events and training. The
compressor, purchased in 2001, was scheduled for replacement in 2017 and is beyond its 15-year
life expectancy and in need of repairs.
Hinz explained the option for an enclosed compressor and 5 replacement bottles which can be
purchased off the government purchasing program for $27,640, which exceeds the CIP budget
allocation of $17,000. Administrator Soltis stated that capital appropriations do not lapse, but a
budget amendment would be needed as the purchase is $10,000 higher than estimated. Hinz
explained the benefits of the selected option as having less noise and heat generated, and being
less costly in the long run with the purchase of the 5 replacement cascade cylinders installed.
The Bauer Mini Verticus 6000 psi compressor with 3-stage pump has a 20-year life expectancy.
Ness, seconded by Hegland, moved to approve the purchase an enclosed compressor and 5
replacement storage bottles at a cost of $27,640 as recommended by Fire Chief Hinz. The
motion carried 5-0.
Staff will prepare a budget amendment for the October 16th Council meeting.
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ADJOURNMENT
Ness, seconded by Kronmiller, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
Deputy Clerk