MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

December 5, 2005

 

Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on December 5, 2005 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Dennis Aisenbrey, Galen Guthmiller, Gary Herman, John Huber, Jerome Kotalik, and Darrell Mehlhaf, along with Finance Officer Peggy Thranum and Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible. Erik Kaufman, and Glenn Kirschenman were also present.

 

Huber moved to approve the agenda with the following additions: Personnel Policy Manual Committee, Ambulance, and Request from the Hutchinson Herald. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS:  Herman made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 7 meeting.  Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to approve the November finance report. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

FINANCE REPORT:

 

 

  General

  Water

   Sewer

Garbage

Perpetual Care

Sales Tax

Totals

Checking 11-1-05 Balance:

35,765.40

49,792.17

14,315.10

30,333.99

1,606.28

12,271.04

144,083.98

     Warrants:

(22,326.05)

(4,999.25)

(1,496.07)

(6,570.89)

 

0.00

(35,392.26)

     Receipts:

82,365.20

8,173.92

4,007.75

5,789.52

20.00

5,683.89

106,040.28

     Interest:

38.61

20.99

6.67

11.71

 

7.11

85.09

Checking 11-30-05 Balance

95,843.16

52,987.83

16,833.45

29,564.33

1,626.28

17,962.04

214,817.09

Water Restricted Cash

 

(3,050.00)

 

 

Restricted

 

(3,050.00)

General Purpose CD's

50,000.00

 

 

 

Account

 

50,000.00

Designated Purpose CD's

46,081.24

 

11,447.46

500.00

43,501.14

 

101,529.84

Total Cash Assets:

191,924.40

49,937.83

28,280.91

30,064.33

45,127.42

17,962.04

363,296.93

Profit or (Loss) for the month

60,077.76

3,195.66

2,518.35

(769.66)

20.00

5,691.00

70,733.11

 

RECEIPTS: Water 7773.92; Sewer 4007.75; Garbage 5767.52; Late Fees 80.00; Ambulance 1920.71; City Hall Rent, South Central Child Development 45.00 & Richard Harbur 120.00; Tree & Park CD Interest 4.52; Wood Chips, Ray Beecher 24.96; Land & Water Conservation Grant (playground equipment) 17,387.00; Special Assessments, Principal 231.29; Special Assessments, Interest 41.11; Special Assessments, Penalty 13.62; Alcohol Beverage Fund Remittance 1079.51; Cemetery CD Interest 57.69; Sales Tax-1% 5683.89 & 2% 5682.68; 5% License 175.82; Mobile Home Tax-Oct. ’04 260.36; Penalty & Interest-Oct. ’04 91.40; Real Estate Taxes-Oct ’04 55,149.53; Water Deposit, Jeremy Fischer 100.00, Melissa Deckert 100.00, John/Lois Hazen 100.00, & Kimberlena Whitehurst 100.00; RU Site-Shingles, Doug Christian 12.00; RU Site-White Goods, Earl Schnabel 10.00; Perpetual Care Donation, Wilma Heer by Klaudt’s 20.00; Interest Earned 85.09. Total Receipts: $106,125.37.

 

WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council; 377.63; Mayor 83.11; Finance 1001.10; City Hall 95.12; Police 3170.66; Streets 1693.18; Cemetery 104.64; Ambulance 249.22; Parks 534.77; Library 252.66; Development 265.14; Water 782.71; Sewer 790.19; Garbage 662.56; Wellmark BCBS, Group Insurance 1321.64; Principal Life, Group Insurance 298.81; SDRS, Retirement 1073.99; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 2642.40. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service 4946.25. Utilities: NorthWestern, Electricity 1189.31; Golden West Co., Phone 271.08. Water Fund: B-Y Water, 1.644 Million Gallons 3326.84; Deposit Refunds: Patty Kastengren 50.00; Joanne Knutson Leys 50.00, Menno Hardware 50.00, & Delores Schoppert 50.00; Petty Cash, Supply 2.21; Bad Check, Lonnie Schultz 13.25. Sewer Fund: Dept. of Revenue, Samples 57.00; Menno Hardware, Supply 3.93; Petty Cash, Postage 27.95; Bad Check. Lonnie Schultz 7.00. Garbage Fund: SD State Treasurer, Sales Tax 214.41. General Fund: Banyon Data Systems, Payroll Support 695.00; Bertsch Law Office, Legal Fees 170.60; Brown & Saenger, Office Supply 3.06; Business Forms & Accounting Systems, Checks 129.53; Dust-Tex, City Hall Supply 44.00; Klaudt’s Service, Fuel-Tires-Rims 1502.61; Menno Hardware, Supplies 25.36; Mettler Implement, Maintainer R&M 166.47; Petty Cash, Supply 19.64; Postmaster, Stamps 37.00; Second Century Publishing, Minutes-Notices 190.54; Simonsen Plumbing & Heating, Furnace R&M 59.16; Clarence Simonsen, Ambulance Laundry-21#’s 47.25; Bob Ulmer, Tree Stump Removal (6) 125.00; Vantek, Police Radio R&M 63.00. Warrants Approved: $28,936.98.

 

Huber made a motion to approve the warrants as presented. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

SCHEDULED BUSINESS: Herman made a motion to approve the following applications for liquor license renewals:

  1. Renewal - Package (Off- Sale) Liquor – Glenn Kirschenman, d.b.a. The Pit Stop, E. 113’ of Lot B of Original Out Lot 33 & 34 & all of Out Lot 36, City of Menno.
  2. Renewal - Package (Off-Sale) Liquor – Thomas R. Fischer, d.b.a. The Schnitz, N. 24’ of Lot 3, Block 2 & S 27’ of Lot 2, Block 2, Original Plat, City of Menno.
  3. Renewal - Retail (On-Sale) Liquor with Sunday Privilege – Thomas R. Fischer, d.b.a. The Schnitz, N. 24’ of Lot 3, Block 2 & S 27’ of Lot 2, Block 2, Original Plat, City of Menno.
  4. Renewal - Retail (On-Sale) Liquor with Sunday Privilege – Ruth Mettler, d.b.a., The Beer Garden, Lots 9-10, Block 2, Original Plat, City of Menno.
  5. Renewal - Retail (On-Sale) Liquor - Rames-Bender Post 152, Lot 1, Block 4, Original Plat, City of Menno.

Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Glenn Kirschenman commended the city and employees on the good job they have done on snow removal. He then stated it is really dark around his place of business and asked the council for their permission to place a street light near the Pit Stop. A light would also benefit the Garden Gate. Mehlhaf made a motion to allow a street light to be placed near the Pit Stop. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

OLD BUSINESS: “To Do List” Nothing new was added to the list.

 

Chief Hento did some research on Neighborhood Watch programs. Information was passed out to the council and given to Kaufman to use for an article in the paper. Material that can be accessed over the Internet will be researched and made available to those interested. Mehlhaf made a motion to put an article in the paper about the Neighborhood Watch program. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Discussion was had on trying to figure out how to encourage new EMT’s. No resolution was reached. Further discussion was tabled to the next meeting.

 

NEW BUSINESS: Huber made a motion to approve the second reading of Supplemental Appropriations Ordinance #2005-4, an ordinance that supplements the Parks Department of the General Fund. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to hold a special meeting on Wednesday, December 28 at 5 p.m. in the council room at city hall to finish business for the year 2005. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried. Anyone the city owes money for debts incurred in the year 2005 should have the bills submitted to the city finance officer by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27, 2005.

 

Kotalik made a motion to hold the January meeting on Monday, January 9, 2006 at 7:30 p.m., because of the New Year’s Day Holiday. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Discussion was had on “solar moler repellers” for the sewer ponds. Burrowing animals cause havoc with the lagoon dikes. These devices are solar powered and emit sonic sound waves to cause rodents to flee the area covered by the vibrations. Any action was tabled until spring.

 

Mehlhaf reported members of the councils and mayors from Menno, Tripp, and Parkston meet with the county sheriff to discuss small cities needs and desires. Menno’s problems are very similar to those in the other towns. The sheriff’s department is available to the cities at any time, but local law enforcement needs to be contacted first. If necessary, the sheriff’s office will provide back up for the local police.

 

We received notice from B-Y Water that effective January 1, 2006, all bulk users (towns) will have the minimums on their water rates increased from $1.61/1,000 gallons to $2.00/1,000 gallons.

 

Mediacom informs us that effective December 31, 2005, they will cease carriage of RFD on channel 73. Mediacom will not have programming agreements in place to carry the channel after this date. We will be notified if agreements are completed to carry the programming in the future. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this change to the local channel line up, contact John Varvel, Government Relations Manager, at 605-665-8070.

 

The mayor stated he told the city employees they should work as they saw fit to stay ahead of the snow. He feels they have done a very commendable job.

 

Erik Kaufman, News Editor for the Hutchinson Herald, formally requests to be notified in the event of any special meeting of the Menno City Council and that this request be part of the official minutes of this meeting. Kaufman stated Thranum has always been good to let him know of any special meetings; this is just a formality to have it on record.

 

Tolzin appointed Herman, Huber, and Mehlhaf to serve on the personnel policy manual committee.

 

Heckenlaible was informed a new, vented heater for the pump house was approved at the last meeting. He should get quotes from Stepanek and Wollman and get it ordered.

 

For Your Information:

Minutes of the November development meeting and the SEFP report were included in the council packets.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to adjourn at 8:00 p.m. until Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

ATTEST:                                                                    CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

                                                                                                                                               

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer                                    Larry Tolzin, Mayor