These are Unofficial Minutes.
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. Johnson welcomed everyone to the first City Council Meeting at the new City Hall location at 105 South Main Street Suite 2.
On roll call members present were: Mayor Rollie Johnson, Brian Lange, Lana Bartells, and Dennis Westrich. Absent, Joan Olson. People present: Morrison County Commissioner Candidate Greg Blaine, Attorney Joe Krueger, MC Record reporter Sheila McCoy, First Response President Steve Hansen, First Response Vice President Garrett Doucette, Public Works Frank Koopmeiners, City Intern Susie Strusz, and City Clerk/Treasurer Michelle Stevens.
Minutes: Lange moved to approve minutes from February 5, 2018 City Council, 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
Added agenda items: Lange moved to approve the agenda, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Presentation, Citizen Appeals: Greg Blaine is running for District 5 County Commissioner. The election is April 10 at Upsala Fire Hall from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Greg shared his points on why he is running and encouraged everyone to get out and vote.
Attorney Joe Krueger from Long Prairie share his skills in serving small cities.
Bartells moved to approve Joe Krueger as the City’s attorney- agreeing with his contract including an hourly fee of $115.00, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Department Reports:
Maintenance Report: Koopmeiners reported on water and sewer levels.
The computer in the Public Works Department needs replacing in the immediate future. Koopmeiners presented a quote through Preferred Controls Corp.; this is the same company that set up the previous computer and created the connections to the water plant computer.
Lange moved to approve to purchase a new computer for the Public Works Department at a cost of $3,799.00, 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
Fire Department Report: The Fire Department presented their January minutes.
Training on Forced Entry and Roof ventilation is Saturday, April 7.
First Responders: Nick Miller tendered his resignation from the First Response Team in February.
Interviews for four new First Responder members was hugely successful.
Doucette requested on behalf of the First Response Team to have Andrea Douvier, Jim Douvier, Andrew Wensmann, and James Warga be put on the roster as probationary First Responders. Their full membership after Council approval, will require background check and passing of their skills testing.
Due to the unplanned resignation from Nick, the Team would also like to request one additional probationary above the four spaces requested by the Team in February to get the Department back to full membership. Doucette requested on behalf of the First Response Team to have Seth Strausberg be put on the roster along with the other probationary First Responders.
Battells moved to approve the five recommended probationary members, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Doucette explained the need for equipment for the probationary team members such as pagers, batteries, chargers, etc. Doucette reported the total cost for this refurbished equipment comes to $1,498.52. The Upsala EMS Club would like to donated 25% of the cost for this equipment; the City would only have to pay approximately $1,000.
Doucette also requested the purchase of ten First In ‘ditch bags’. These bags are for members who are first on scene to provide immediate care without the need to wait for the First Response Rig or an ambulance. The total cost for ten bags is approximately $750.00. The Upsala EMS Club is again offering to pay 25% of the cost for these bags; with the City paying approximately $600.00.
Lange moved to approve the purchase of equipment for the First Response Team up to $1,800.00, 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
City Office Report: Stevens reviewed the March Calendar.
The keys for City Hall are limited. Johnson and Stevens will work on making the various Committee Meetings available at the new City Hall location.
Planning Commission: No Meeting held.
UCDC: The minutes from the February meeting was presented. Bartells shared the progress of Heritage Days which is set for August 10-12.
Lange move to approve Missy Cramlet to join the UCDC Committee, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Recreation Board: No meeting held.
Safety Committee: Hanson reported that the committee did a safety audit at the Rec Building and the Community Center. They will continue to the other city owned buildings and report back to the council when they are completed.
Hanson noted that there is no AED at the Toning Plus exercise facility.
Johnson reported on the training Steve Hanson, Brian Lange, and he attended on Long-Term Disaster Recovery offered by the Initiative Foundation.
Lange moved to have Larry Bartells, Steve Hansen, Rollie Johnson, Michelle Stevens, Frank Koopmeiners and himself to meet on March 19 at 6:30 at City Hall to come up with key members of the community to be on the Disaster Recovery Team, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Unfinished Business
Maintenance Building: Westrich gave an update on the progress of the Maintenance Building.
Lettering for the Maintenance Building was discussed. Ed Signs proposed lettering at a cost of $720.00 Johnson will contact Everything Signs in Holdingford for a second quote.
Deadman’s Corner: The corner located at Highway 238 and 4th Avenue West, also known as Deadman’s Corner, was poorly lit; Brad Desormey from Minnesota Power said he installed a 250 Watt Sodium Vapor light as close to the corner as he can; the north side of 4th Street is owned by Great River Energy and Minnesota Power cannot use their poles or space.
Speed Signs: Lange directed staff to research the cost of 2 solar powered, MNDOT approved, no data speed signs for the April 2 Council Meeting.
Open House for new facilities: The date for an open house for the new City Hall location and the new Maintenance Building is tabled until the April 2 meeting.
7:15 Public Hearing, Right-of-Way Ordinance: Mayor Johnson recessed the regular city council meeting and opened the public hearing at 8:48 p.m.; a hearing on the City adopting Ordinance 3-12-18-1 an ordinance regulating the city’s Right-of-Ways.
No comments were heard from the community.
Lange moved to close the public hearing, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Johnson called the regular City Council meeting back to order.
Lange moved to approve and adopt Ordinance 3-12-18-1 regulating the Right-of-Ways in the City Limits, 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
7:30 Public Hearing, Small Cell Antenna Use for Internet Access: Mayor Johnson recessed the regular city council meeting and opened the public hearing at 8:50 p.m.; a hearing on the City adopting Ordinance 3-12-18-2 an ordinance regulating the use of Small Cell Antenna for internet access in the City’s Limits.
No comments were heard from the community.
Lange moved to close the public hearing, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Johnson called the regular City Council meeting back to order.
Lange moved to approve and adopt Ordinance 3-12-18-2 regulating the use of Small Cell Antenna in the City Limits, 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
New Business:
Morrison County Cleanup Day Grant: Westrich moved to set the City Wide Cleanup Day for Saturday, June 2, 2018 and to approve the Morrison County Cleanup Day Grant of $376.00, 2nd by Lange. Motion carried unanimously.
Morrison County Recycling Grant: Bartells moved to approve the Morrison county recycling grant of $1,427.00, 2nd by Lange. Motion carried unanimously.
Library Book Drop: The book drop at the Library is in disrepair and no longer safe to use. Johnson reported he is researching a quality book drop to replace the current one located in the Sytek/Library entryway.
The council directed Johnson to purchase a new book drop for approximately $600.00 or less.
Community Economic Development Associates: Reva Mische attended the Morrison County Cities meeting. She explained her roll in Community Economic Development Associates. Johnson brought information about this resource to the Council.
Johnson stated he would ask Mische to attend the April 2 meeting to offer a presentation of their product.
Added agenda Items: No items were added.
Thank you and Acknowledgements
Thank you to Nick Miller for his service and dedication while serving on the First Response Team.
Thank you to Annette Lange, Stearns Bank Manager, for making it such an easy transition for City Hall to relocate into the Bank’s space.
Financial: Lange moved to approve the bills as presented, 2nd by Westrich. Motion carried unanimously.
Updates/FYI: None.
Adjourn: Lange moved to adjourn at 9:14 p.m., 2nd by Bartells. Motion carried unanimously.
Michelle Stevens, Clerk/Treasurer