MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

January 3, 2005

Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on January 3, 2005 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Dennis Aisenbrey, Gary Herman, John Huber, Jerome Kotalik, and Darrell Mehlhaf and Finance Officer Peggy Thranum. Superintendent Fred Sayler entered the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Councilman Galen Guthmiller was absent. Erik Kaufman was also present.

Aisenbrey moved to approve the agenda with the following addition: New Operating System & Memory for Computer. Herman seconded, all present in favor.

YEARLY BUSINESS: Kotalik made a motion to name Menno State Bank as the official depository for 2005. Huber seconded, all present in favor.

Mehlhaf made a motion to name the Hutchinson Herald as the official publication for 2005. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor.

Huber made a motion to set the 2005 bond for the finance officer at $150,000. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor.

Huber made a motion to place an ad in the paper for the following council terms expiring May 2, 2005 – Alderman, Ward I, Dennis Aisenbrey, 2-year term; Alderman, Ward II, Darrel Mehlhaf, 2-year term; Alderman, Ward III, Jerome Kotalik, 2-year term. Herman seconded, all present in favor.

Herman made a motion to appoint the following to the election board: Joan Nusz, Judge, Ward I; Joyce Heirigs, Clerk, Ward II; and Lorraine Mammenga, Superintendent, Ward III. They will be paid $75 for the day and $10 for election school. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor.

Kotalik made a motion to designate the meeting room at city hall as the official polling place for all wards of the City of Menno for the municipal election to be held Tuesday, April 12, 2005. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mehlhaf seconded, all present in favor.

Mehlhaf made a motion to approve the following wage listing for 2005:

Salaried Monthly: Mayor $ 70.00 p/mo (Have to be present at meetings to be paid.) $ 20.00 p/mtg

(Have to be present at meetings to be paid.) $ 20.00 p/sp mtg

Council Members $ 35.00 p/mo

(Have to be present at meetings to be paid.) $ 20.00 p/mtg

(Have to be present at meetings to be paid.) $ 20.00 p/sp mtg

Adella Auch, Cleans City Hall $103.00 p/mo

Cemetery Sexton $113.30 p/mo

Any council member (including the Mayor) that attends a meeting for the city will be paid $25.00 per day.

Salaried Hourly: Finance Officer $ 9.79 p/hr

Police Chief $12.51 p/hr

Relief Police, Certified $10.50 p/hr

Relief Police, Part-time (Uncertified) $ 8.00 p/hr

Street Superintendent $12.51 p/hr

Ambulance Personnel $11.00 1^st hr @ trip $ 9.00 @ add/hr

Ambulance Personnel –EMT-1 (ALS Trips Only) $12.00 1^st hr @ trip $10.00 @ add/hr

Maintenance - Parks $ 6.18 p/hr

Economic Development Coordinator $ 9.79 p/hr

Librarian $ 8.00 p/hr

Water/Sewer Superintendent $12.51 p/hr

RU Site Manager $ 6.70 p/hr

Other RU Site Personnel $ 5.92 p/hr

Clean “Old Fire Station” Meeting Room $ 5.30 p/hr

Huber seconded, all present in favor, motion carried.

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Herman moved to approve the minutes of the December 6 regular meeting. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

Huber made a motion to approve the December finance report. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

FINANCE REPORT:

	General	Water	Sewer	Garbage	Cemetery	Perpetual Care	Sales Tax	Totals
Checking 12-1-04 Balance:	61,804.99	30,627.85	26,541.88	26,431.37	556.86	611.28	15,914.10	162,488.33
Warrants:	(48,379.83)	(6,227.76)	(5,144.36)	(5,125.52)	(118.42)		0.00	(64,995.89)
Receipts:	24,840.48	6,739.64	3,513.28	5,499.25	17.96	0.00	5,639.01	46,249.62
Interest:	9.37	7.63	6.10	6.57	0.26		5.28	35.21
Checking 12-31-04 Balance	38,275.00	31,147.36	24,916.90	26,811.67	456.66	611.28	21,558.39	143,777.26
Water Restricted Cash		(2,400.00)				Restricted		(2,400.00)
General Purpose CD's	100,294.11					Account		100,294.11
Designated Purpose CD's	48,366.73		10,848.53	1,580.00		43,653.74		104,449.00
Total Cash Assets:	186,935.84	28,747.36	35,765.43	28,391.67	456.66	44,265.02	21,558.39	346,120.37
*Profit or (Loss) for the month*	(23,529.98)	519.51	(1,624.98)	380.30	(100.20)	0.00	5,644.29	(18,711.06)

RECEIPTS: Water 6534.64; Sewer 3513.28; Garbage 5479.25; Late Fees 120.00; Ambulance 2077.42; City Hall Rent, Cindy Aisenbrey (Extension Club) 30.00 & South Central Child Development 30.00; Tree & Park CD Interest 3.08; Gravel, Alfred Hauck 10.00, Jim Sattler 10.00, & NorthWestern 40.00; Equipment Hire, NorthWestern 25.00; Copies, Mary Rook (14) 1.40; Culvert, POA Deb Block 25.00; Liquor License Renewals-Off Sale Schnitz 400.00 & Prairie Pumper 400.00 – On Sale Legion 100.00, Beer Garden 1400.00, & Schnitz 1400.00; Rural Fire District, ½ Work Comp-Firemen (2005) 487.50; Bad Check Fee 20.00; Principal Financial Group, Dividend 125.40; Sales Tax 5639.01; 5% License 485.86; Real Estate Taxes Nov. ’03, 17,570.69; Penalty & Interest 79.13; Water-Off Fee, Edgar Schaeffer 5.00; Deposits, Daniel Walker 50.00, Menno Hardware-Tom Fischer 50.00, & Victor Auch 50.00; Water-Reconnect Fees-After Hours Leland Whitehurst I 50.00; RU Site-Shingles, White Goods Ken Aisenbrey 10.00 & Daniel Mehlhaf 10.00; Cemetery CD Interest 17.96; Interest Earned 35.21. Total Receipts: $46,284.83.

WARRANTS APPROVED: Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 243.64. Water Fund: B-Y Water, 1.448 M. Gallons 3011.28; Board of Operator Certification, License Renewal-Fred Sayler 12.00 & Roger Heckenlaible 6.00. Sewer Fund: Board of Operator Certification, License Renewal-Fred Sayler 12.00 & Roger Heckenlaible 12.00; DENR, Wastewater Permit Fee 750.00. Garbage Fund: SD State Treasurer, Sales Tax 203.90. General Fund: Hutchinson Herald, 1 year subscription 30.00; Menno Community Library, Annual Contribution 2000.00; Menno Historical Society Museum, Annual Contribution 500.00; Menno Public School, Annual Contribution-Gym 2000.00; Municipal Street Maintenance, 2005 Dues 35.00; Planning & Development-District III, 2005 Dues 910.00; Principal Life, Group Insurance 245.96; SD Assoc. Of Code Enforcement, 2005 Dues 40.00; SD Government Finance Officers’ Assoc.. 2005 Dues 20.00; SD Municipal Attorneys’ Assoc., 2005 Dues 20.00; SD Municipal League, 2005 Dues 541.77; SD Police Chiefs’ Assoc., 2005 Dues 96.02; SDML Workers’ Comp Fund, 2005 Work Comp 4714.00. Warrants Approved: $15,403.57.

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

Mehlhaf made a motion to release the annual contributions to the Library-2000.00, School-Gym-2000.00, and Museum 500.00. Huber seconded, all present in favor.

SCHEDULED BUSINESS: 7:40 p.m. Herman made a motion to accept the appraisals for the ’96 Arens Riding Mower: Bruce Anderson $600, Lynne Ulmer $670, & Ammon Auch $625. Huber seconded, all present in favor.

Two bids were received for the mower and opened: Milo Hauck $501 and Dennis Aisenbrey $459. Mehlhaf made a motion to sell the mower to the highest bidder, Milo Hauck for $501. Huber seconded, all present in favor.

OLD BUSINESS: There was nothing to add to the “To Do List”.

The John Deere riding mower has been ordered.

Herman made a motion to adopt the following Pool-Chlorine Policy. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor.

What is Chlorine?

Handling of Chlorine Gas Containers

Emergency Procedures for Chlorine Gas Leaks

Responding to a Leak

What is Chlorine?

The chemical symbol for elemental chlorine is C1. Chlorine gas is not explosive or flammable, but as a liquid or gas it can react violently with many substances. Chlorine is slightly soluble in water. As a gas it has a greenish-yellow color and has a characteristic disagreeable and pungent odor, similar to chlorine-based laundry bleaches and is detectable by smell at concentrations as low as 0.02 to 0.2ppm. It is about 2 times as heavy as air. Consequently, if chlorine gas escapes from a container or system, it will seek the lowest level in the building or area.

Liquid chlorine is amber in color and is about 1 times as heavy as water. Chlorine is seldom seen as a liquid because it boils and converts to a gas at about –30 degrees Fahrenheit at atmospheric pressure.

Handling of Chlorine Gas Containers.

It will be the policy of the City of Menno to handle the changing of the chlorine gas containers at the city swimming pool in the following manner:

City maintenance personnel will change chlorine gas containers when the pool is closed. If it becomes necessary to change a tank during pool operating hours, the following steps will be followed:

All pool patrons and pool personnel will be removed from the pool area before the “chlorine room” is opened.
The “chlorine room” will be ventilated before it is entered and the tank is changed.
When the tank is changed and operational, pool patrons and pool personnel will be allowed back in the pool area.
Personal protective equipment shall be used as needed.

Emergency Procedures for Chlorine Gas Leaks

When a chlorine gas leak is detected, the following procedures will be followed IMMEDIATELY!

EVACUATE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY.

Go to the up-wind side of the gas leak immediately so the dangerous gas flows away from people.
Remove people from the hazard area immediately, preferably to an area with a 70 degree Fahrenheit temperature.
Chlorine is a deadly gas and is extremely dangerous, so it must be avoided.
Chlorine gas is heavier than air so it remains near the ground unless it is blown around by the wind.

TAKE A “HEAD COUNT” of all swimming pool personnel and swimmers to insure no one is in danger or still in the pool. Designate at the beginning of each shift which lifeguard will take the head count

3. CALL FOR HELP IMMEDIATELY, EITHER BY PHONE OR RUNNER. Designate at the beginning of each shift which lifeguard will make the phone calls.

The first number to call is 911, for the Menno Ambulance and Fire Department
Other persons to be called:

1. Rural Medical Clinic 387-5435

Doug Shafer, P.A.C. (Home) 387-5378

2. Pump House 387-5414

a. Roger Heckenlaible (Home) 387-5614

b. Fred Sayler (Home) 387-5643

IF NO ANSWER – LEAVE A MESSAGE!

3. Pool Manager

4. Mayor

5. Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer (Office) 387-2427

(Home) 387-5533

6. Pool Committee

7. Council President

GIVE FIRST AID TO ANYONE WHO IS INJURED. Normally this will consist of taking the subject to fresh air at the pre-designated triage area for evaluations and possible transfer to the hospital. The pre-designated triage area will be the city park near the Veteran’s Memorial. Trained personnel should administer oxygen as soon as possible. Remember-chlorine may do severe damage to the respiratory system-have the patient checked out!

Chlorine gas is very irritating to the mucus membranes of the nose, throat, and lungs. Small exposures may cause severe coughing. Heavy exposures may be fatal.

Initial symptoms of exposure include general restlessness, panic, irritation of the throat/nose, sneezing and increased production of saliva. Continued exposure may result in a severe cough, retching and vomiting, and breathing difficulty.

Persons with asthma or chronic bronchitis may find chlorine especially irritating.

If breathing has ceased, begin artificial respiration and check for the victim’s pulse. If necessary, provide CPR.
Treat for shock! If breathing, the person should be placed in a comfortable position, either seated or lying down with the head and body trunk elevated at a 45-60 degree angle. Encourage the person to take slow, deep, regular breaths. Administer oxygen as soon as possible. Keep the person warm and at rest.
For cases resulting in throat irritation, milk may help relieve discomfort. Chewing gum and spirits of peppermint may also provide some relief.
If chlorine has been splashed in a person’s eyes, flush for at least 15 minutes under warm water. Any amount of chlorine in the eyes can be critical. Do not apply any medications unless directed by a physician because ointments may make it difficult to remove contaminants.
If chlorine gets on a person’s clothing, begin showering immediately. Clothing may be removed during the shower. Wash affected areas with soap and cool water. Do not apply any salves or ointments or attempt to neutralize the chemical.

Mark off any area where a chlorine leak is detected to prevent people from accidental exposure.

If traffic must be controlled in a leak area notify law enforcement for assistance at 387-2426.

Responding to a Chlorine Gas Leak

Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and appropriate protective suits are required when responding to a leak. Chlorine can penetrate most street clothing and may cause skin problems. Contaminated clothing will continue to release gas and irritate the skin even after leaving a contaminated area. To prevent continued exposure and skin damage, remove clothing immediately and wash irritated skin with large amounts of cool water.

If chlorine is escaping as a liquid from a cylinder or a ton container, align the tank so that the leaking side is up. In this position the chlorine will escape only as a gas, greatly minimizing the leak.

If a valve is leaking through the valve outlet, install an outlet cap with gasket and open and close the valve. Sometimes this will clean the stem seat and stop the leak. After closing the valve, remove the outlet cap and check for leaks. If the leak will not stop, put the outlet cap back on and notify the chlorine supplier.

When the packing gland is the source of the leak, first close the valve and then tighten the packing nut. If it still leaks, make sure the valve is closed and retighten the packing gland. Care must be taken when tightening the packing gland. Over tightening may bind the valve or strip the threads and it will not close or open. Testing for leakage must be repeated after every attempt to stop the leak. Fifty foot-pounds of torque should stop most leaks.

If the source of the leak is at the valve threads, use a crowfoot wrench to tighten the valve into the container. Care should be taken to avoid stripping the threads. Do not tighten the valve if its integrity is in question. Application of other suitable devices from kits to cap leaks or use of a cylinder containment vessel may be necessary.

Regular training with SCBA and the use of appropriate emergency kits or cylinder containment vessels is essential. Comply with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations relating to both training and response requirements.

NEW BUSINESS: Huber made a motion to advertise for a pool manager. Herman seconded, all present in favor.

7:45 p.m. Fred Sayler entered the meeting.

Kotalik made a motion to advertise for cemetery mowing for 2-years. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor.

Mehlhaf made a motion to pay expenses for those city officers’ that wish to attend Municipal Government Day in Pierre February 1-2. Herman seconded, all present in favor.

Huber made a motion to approve the Sweeping Contract with the SD DOT. The contract is to pay the city for sweeping the curb & gutter on US Highway 18 through the City of Menno from milepost 394.5 to 395.0 and through the City of Olivet from milepost 389.5 to 390.0 at the rate of $60 per hour up to 30 hours. Herman seconded, all present in favor.

The Inspection Summary from the Surface Water Discharge Compliance Inspection of our wastewater treatment facility conducted by DENR was included in the council packet for their information. It contains several comments and corrective actions. One such comment is: “The current sewer rate may not generate enough revenue to operate and maintain the wastewater system and pay for system improvements.” The recommended corrective action: “Menno should review its wastewater rates and give serous consideration to raising them. You may be facing upgrade, rehabilitation, or new construction in your wastewater system. Construction costs are typically very large and cannot be accomplished without the community leaders having the foresight to set appropriate wastewater rates to cover these costs as well as the cost of operation and maintenance. Many communities facing construction projects are finding that an appropriate rate is approximately $17 per household per month. Menno may want to consider annual increases to the sewer use rates over a period of several years to reach a more appropriate level.”

A letter from the Department of Revenue was included in the council packets. It outlines the fees and charges for implementing the additional 1% sales tax. The 2% sales tax will take effect July 1, 2005.

Huber made a motion to accept Fire Chief Simonsen’s Fire Report. Fire Calls: A garage fire in the city with a $200 loss. The other 12 fires were rural-3 vehicle fires-$6800 loss, 1 combine fire-$200 loss, 1 electrical fire-$800 loss, 1 grass-silage fire-$50 loss, 1 wood-hay fire-$1700 loss, and a structure fire-$1200 loss. The following had no dollar loss: a chimney fire, 2 grass fires and a combine fire. A total of 11 hours 28 minutes was spent on the 13 fires with an average of 11 firemen per fire. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor.

Thranum was asked to call Dakota Salvage at Mitchell to see when they are going to come again to pick up the rest of our white goods.

For Your Information: The minutes of the December development meeting were included in the council packets, along with the SEFP report.

New software, the payroll program and the utilities program, have been loaded on the computer and we have connected to DSL Internet service. Since all this has been done, Thranum has been having problems with the computer crashing. Menno Computer Service suggested changing the operating system and adding more memory. Mehlhaf made a motion to have the operating system changed and the memory increased on the finance office computer. Huber seconded, all present in favor.

Mehlhaf made a motion to approve the agreement between the City of Menno and the State of South Dakota, Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Division of Parks and Recreation. The State obligates funds from the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) apportionment by agreeing to pay the City of Menno an amount equal to 50% of the total eligible costs, but in no event shall such amount exceed $17,387, for playground equipment for the city park. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor.

Ordinance Revisions: Discussion was had on Chapter 5, Section 5-5. It was the consensus of the group to add the words “or a business” to the last line, immediately following “human beings as a residence”. The council will review Chapters 6-17, pages 26-47 for the next council meeting.

Sayler suggested putting a thank you in the paper to Randy Quast for all the work he does on the Christmas lights. Randy goes through them every year and makes sure all the bulbs are working before maintenance puts them up. The council agreed to do this.

Herman made a motion to adjourn at 8:20 p.m. until Monday, February 7, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor.

ATTEST: CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer Larry Tolzin, Mayor