Call to Order/Attendance: The City Council meeting was called to order at Upsala City Hall by Mayor Rollie Johnson at 7:00 P.M. The pledge of allegiance was said.
On roll call members present were: Mayor Rollie Johnson, Brian Lange, Dennis Westrich and Crystal Benson; Absent: Lana Bartells
People present: MC Record reporter Sheila McCoy, First Response Team members Seth Strassberg, Steve Hansen, Kyle Breth, Garrett Doucette, Jim Warga, Marybeth Doucette, Bill Koopmeiners, and Amber Koopmeiners; Jason Anderson, Darlene Maciej, Public Works Director Mike Tschida, and City Clerk/Treasurer Michelle Stevens.
Minutes: Lange moved to approve minutes from July 1, 2019 City Council meeting, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Westrich moved to approve minutes from July 1, 2019 Closed Council meeting, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Benson moved to approve minutes from July 1, 2019 Special Budget Council meeting, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Added agenda items: Lange moved to approve the agenda as presented, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Department Reports:
Economic Development: Community Economic Development Associates could not make the meeting; she will be here for the September meeting. Johnson gave an update on what CEDA has been working on.
Fire Department Report: Fire Department minutes were presented. Lange explained the Upsala Fire Department has a plan for Heritage Days.
First Responders: The First Response Team minutes were presented. Strassberg explained they will be having a gun raffle, they will also be helping out on Heritage Days.
Maintenance Report: Tschida reported on water and sewer levels. He also reported on the discharge samples.
Tschida explained the need to replace the Programmable Logic Controller for the computer at the Water Plant. Westrich moved to purchase PLC from Preferred Controls at a cost of $1500.00, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
City Office Report: Stevens reviewed the August Calendar.
Planning Commission: Lange updated the Council on what the Planning & Zoning Commissioners have been working including a sump pump ordinance, have an open house meeting for the community, and home occupation permits.
UCDC: Benson shared the progress of Heritage Days which is set for August 9-11.
Recreation Board: Rec Board Minutes were reviewed. Toning Plus is looking for someone to become the owner operator of the business; they are hoping some younger people would be interested.
7:15 Public Hearing – First Response Team Ordinance
Mayor Johnson recessed the regular city council meeting and opened the public hearing at 7:17 pm; a hearing on the City adopting Ordinance 60 – an ordinance regulating the city’s First Response Team.
Comments were heard from the community. Garrett Doucette offered some suggestions that were collated by a handful of First Response Team.
Lange moved to close the public hearing, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Johnson called the regular City Council meeting back to order.
Unfinished Business
First Response Team Ordinance 60: Lange moved to approve the proposed Ordinance 60 and to adopt the Ordinance with the changes as presented, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Benson moved to add Kyle Breth as Safety Office of the First Response Team effective immediately, 2nd by Lange. Motion carried unanimously.
Crack/Fill/ Pothole Repairs: Johnson stated that Central Minnesota Paving finished filling in the potholes and dug up a section on Olson Boulevard to repair a service line.
New Business:
Resolution 8-5-19-1: Lange moved to approve Resolution 8-5-19-1, a resolution accepting a donation from the Upsala Lions for Fireworks and a new flag in the park, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution 8-5-19-2: Lange moved to approve Resolution 8-5-19-2, a resolution accepting a donation from the Upsala Lions for Heritage Days monies from meat raffles, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution 8-5-19-3: Lange moved to approve Resolution 8-5-19-3, a resolution accepting a donation from the Upsala Lions for a donation to the Upsala American Legion Memorial Park, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution 8-5-19-4: Benson moved to approve Resolution 8-5-19-4, a resolution providing for the issuance, sale and delivery of $678,000 General Obligation Tax Increment Financing Refunding Note, Series 2019A, 2nd by Westrich. Poll vote showing: Bartells – absent; Benson- aye; Lange- aye; Westrich –aye; and Johsnon –aye. Motion carried unanimously.
Resolution 8-5-19-5: Lange moved to approve Resolution 8-5-19-5, a resolution accepting a donation from the Upsala area businesses for Heritage Days Raffle Prizes, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Short-Term Disability: Johnson discussed the desire for the City’s employees to have short-term disability. Lange moved to approve full-time City employees to purchase short-term disability with the cost taken out of their paychecks, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
September City Council Meeting Moved. Lange moved to move the regularly schedule City Council Meeting in September from Monday, September 2 to Tuesday, September 3 due to Labor Day landing on the first Monday of the month, 2nd by Benson. Motion carried unanimously.
Cleaning Up After Horses in Town: Mayor Rollie Johnson explained how frustrating it can be when the dog owners in town take care to clean up their pet’s droppings, but horse riders do not clean up after their horses. It is not the Public Works Department’s responsibility to clean up after the horses make a mess on the City’s streets.
Acknowledgements
The Morrison County Sentenced-To-Serve Crew did an incredible job painting the City’s curbs and crosswalks. They are a great group of people to work with.
Frank Koopmeiners has officially retired as the Full-Time Public Works Director for the City of Upsala. He has worked for the City for over 30 years and we are grateful for his dedication and service to our community for all these years. There will be an official retirement party after the regular City Council Meeting on September 3. Everyone in the Community is welcome!!
Financials: Benson moved to approve the bills as presented, 2nd by Lange. Motion carried unanimously.
Updates/FYI
Next regular Council Meeting – Tuesday, September 3
Heritage Days – August 9-11
The Fireworks on Saturday, August 10 at 10:00 pm will be launched from the west end of Walnut Avenue, west of the townhomes.
Adjourn: Lange moved to adjourn at 8:30 p.m., 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Michelle Stevens, Clerk/Treasurer
-
-
-
-
-
-
-