MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA
Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on April 3, 2006 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Dennis Aisenbrey, Galen Guthmiller, Gary Herman, Jerome Kotalik, and Darrell Mehlhaf, Finance Officer Peggy Thranum and Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible. Sue Stoll, Lori Cowman, Greg Henderson, Jerome Hoff, Erik Kaufman, Greg Wilcoxon, and Bill Headley were also present.
Aisenbrey moved to approve the agenda with the following additions: Remove Wing Apparatus from Tandem, Camera Sewers, Alleys, and Delores Bender. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Herman made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 13 regular meeting and the March 20 special meeting. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Mehlhaf moved to approve the March finance report. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried. Galen Guthmiller entered the meeting at 7:33 p.m.
FINANCE REPORT:
|
|
General |
Water |
Sewer |
Garbage |
Perpetual Care |
Sales Tax |
Totals |
|
Checking 2-28-06 Balance: |
72,024.36 |
57,237.13 |
20,974.74 |
31,273.11 |
276.28 |
32,965.01 |
214,750.63 |
|
Warrants: |
(30,525.33) |
(24,432.21) |
(1,547.03) |
(6,270.60) |
0.00 |
0.00 |
(62,775.17) |
|
Receipts: |
17,265.50 |
6,625.93 |
3,821.84 |
5,786.00 |
0.00 |
5,716.63 |
39,215.90 |
|
Interest: |
43.73 |
29.20 |
17.22 |
22.80 |
|
28.65 |
141.60 |
|
Checking 3-30-06 Balance |
58,808.26 |
39,460.05 |
23,266.77 |
30,811.31 |
276.28 |
38,710.29 |
191,332.96 |
|
Water Restricted Cash |
|
(3,100.00) |
|
|
Restricted |
|
(3,100.00) |
|
General Purpose CD's |
50,000.00 |
|
|
|
Account |
|
50,000.00 |
|
Designated Purpose CD's |
58,582.46 |
20,000.00 |
11,605.41 |
1,502.03 |
45,146.00 |
|
136,835.90 |
|
Total Cash Assets: |
167,390.72 |
56,360.05 |
34,872.18 |
32,313.34 |
45,422.28 |
38,710.29 |
375,068.86 |
|
Profit or (Loss) for the month |
(13,216.10) |
(17,777.08) |
2,292.03 |
(461.80) |
0.00 |
5,745.28 |
(23,417.67) |
RECEIPTS: Water 6285.93; Sewer 3821.84; Garbage 5776.00; Late Fees 95.00; Ambulance 2077.77; City Hall Rent, South Central Child Development 30.00; Tree & Park CD Interest 4.08; Ruben Mehlhaf, Professional Services 60.00; Betty Guthmiller 2 Copies .20; General Fund CD Interest 610.82; Doug Lehr, Brome Hay 290.00; Zeeb Insurance, Refund 1.00; Mediacom, Cable Franchise Fee 3158.86; Bad Check Fees, Mona Haase 20.00 & Stephan McCrae 20.00; Cemetery CD Interest 58.09; Sales Tax, 1% 5716.63 & 2% 5716.63; 5% License 235.12; Prior Taxes 1262.41; Penalty & Interest 137.84; Real Estate Taxes 3267.68; Mowing Assessment 2002, Quinn Chenelle 220.00; Water-On/Off Fees Victor Mehlhaf 20.00 & Howard Kuhlmann 20.00; Water Deposits-Krista Scott/Ron Derby 100.00; Jim/Deb Massey 100.00, & Lisa James 100.00; RU Site-After Hours Admit, Lynne Ulmer 10.00; Interest Earned 141.60. Total Receipts: $39,357.50.
WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council; 704.03; Mayor 184.70; Finance 1017.97; City Hall 98.93; Police 2813.73; Streets 2516.82; Cemetery 108.81; Ambulance 167.89; Library 279.02; Development 262.27; Garbage 67.17; Wellmark BCBS, Group Insurance 1321.64; Principal Life, Group Insurance 314.29; SDRS, Retirement 1050.73; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 2492.83. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service 4868.25. Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 268.11; Verizon Wireless, Police Cell Phone 71.19; NorthWestern, Electricity 2709.22. Water Fund: B-Y Water, 1.298 M. Gallons 32760.00; Deposit Refund, Ryan Kenjalo 50.00; Postmaster, Stamps 100.00; Work Comp 30.00; Menno State Bank, CD 20,000; Returned Check, Mona Haase 35.00. Sewer Fund: Menno Clinic, Hepatitis B Tests Fred 21.00 & Roger 21.00; Work Comp 2.00; Sioux Valley Clinical Labs, Read Hepatitis B Tests Fred 48.80 & Roger 48.80. Garbage Fund: Menno State Bank, CD 1000.00; SD State Treasurer, Sales Tax 321.85; Work Comp 15.00; Second Century Publishing, Ad 15.75. General Fund: SDML, District III Meeting Registration 18.00; Menno State Bank, Highway 18 Improvement CD 12,000.00; AB Dick, Imaging Unit-Copier 385.79; Bertsch Law Office, Legal Fees 201.98; GOED, Conference Registration 125.00; Klaudt’s Service, Police-Street Supply 1030.64; Menno Lumber, Street Supply 27.34; Petty Cash, Supplies 53.06; Postmaster, Stamps 39.00; Work Comp, 97.00; Second Century Publishing, Publishing 378.86; Vern’s Service 349.49; Zeeb Insurance, Finance Officer’s Bond 525.00. Warrants Approved: $61,533.96.
Kotalik made a motion to approve the warrants as presented. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
SCHEDULED BUSINESS: District III Director Greg Henderson was invited to speak about economic development. He introduced Lori Cowman, Economic Development Administration and Sue Stoll, Director of the Small Business Development Center. Greg would like to help us access outside resources to help with our development, such as an intern to do a marketing plan or research. He stated it is very important to attend conferences to network and meet people from across the state that may have resources for us and to get our name noticed. We need to develop an action plan. A community assessment done by the South Dakota Rural Development Council would be a good idea. A Community Resource Team comes to the community to develop a “big-picture” objective assessment of challenges and opportunities – socially, economically and environmentally. We could raise funds to add to the revolving loan fund at District III. They would dedicate those funds to Menno. They have an unbiased board to make decisions about who may have a loan and a staff to manage the fund. One advantage we already have is membership with SEFP. Mayor Tolzin invited Ron Kraft, retired development coordinator from Yankton, to our next council meeting and Sue and Lori to our next development meeting.
Daniel Mettler entered the meeting at 7:55 p.m. and James Mettler entered at 8 p.m.
Henderson discussed the Pandemic Influenza Community Planning Grant to develop response plans and encouraged us to partner with surrounding communities and the counties, as cooperatives efforts will receive the most money. Tolzin and Thranum will attend the meeting in Freeman April 11. Henderson, Cowman and Stoll left at 8:15 p.m.
There had been some discussion of annexing Mettler Fertilizer to the city limits since annexing Jeremy Zeeb’s property. Daniel Mettler stated they would be opposed to this for various reasons. The tax advantage to the city would only be a little over $3000 and there would be no advantage to them. Following more discussion, Aisenbrey made a motion against annexing Mettler Fertilizer into the city limits. Guthmiller seconded; motion carried.
Daniel Mettler asked if the city had any intention of moving the fence between his property and the restricted use site and was told there were none at this time.
OLD BUSINESS: Tolzin asked maintenance to replace the missing signs on High Street.
Huber reported problems with the computer at the fire hall and suggested getting DSL Internet service due to the firemen all having to take the IS 100, IS 200, and IS 700 training and tests for the Incident Command System which is associated with the National Incident Management System. This computer is also used to file fire reports and ambulance runs. Kotalik made a motion to install DSL Internet service at the fire hall. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
A sign will be installed at the camper dump station stating the water at that site is for campers only. People are not to be using it to fill their spray tanks, etc. Doing so is a theft of services and is a punishable offense.
Alton Mettler will install a new door and insulate the attic at the pump house sometime next week.
Mehlhaf made a motion to charge the owner of a structure fire for the ambulance personnel’s time. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS: Huber made a motion to have city wide clean up on Monday, April 24 and to pay the garbage contractor $150 per load and tipping fees. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Huber made a motion to pay expenses for councilmen and personnel who wish to attend the GOED Convention in Pierre April 11-12-13, the Code Enforcement Training in Pierre on May 3-4, and the SEFP Investors Reception in Parkston on April 19. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
The Loss Control Survey from Safety Benefits was presented to the council. Personnel will meet with the mayor to determine target dates for the improvement suggestions.
We received a complaint that the snowplow chipped the asphalt on someone’s driveway while plowing snow. The mats on the driveways are higher than the road surface and extend into the right-of-way making it impossible for the plows to miss them. Since they shouldn’t extend onto the city’s right-of-way in the first place, there is nothing to be done about it.
Mehlhaf made a motion to allow Jody Fischer to run the concession stand at the softball field again this year. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Mehlhaf made a motion to accept Julie Bender’s resignation as lifeguard and water safety instructor for the 2006 season and to re-advertise the position. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Huber made a motion to set the following wages for pool personnel for the 2006 season: Manager $7.50, Full-time returning lifeguards $6.75, $6.50 if this is the first time they have guarded full-time, $6.50 for certified relief guards and $6 for uncertified. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION: A Mosquito Grant has been applied for to help defray the cost of the chemicals used to spray for West Nile.
The council was given a copy of a Resolution of Opposition adopted by the Brule County Commissioners opposing Amendment E that will appear on the ballot in November. A resident of California drafted this amendment and petitions were circulated primarily by paid out-of-state persons. If this amendment is approved, it would allow lawsuits against all South Dakota citizen boards, including county commissioners, school board members, city council members, planning and zoning board members, township board members, public utilities commissioners, professional licensing board members, jurors, judges, prosecutors, and all other citizen boards. Any defense against these suits could not be paid for with public money, meaning the insurance carried by these boards for errors and omissions would be no good, thus causing the person being sued to pay for their defense out of their own pocket.
The restricted use site opened for summer hours beginning April 1. Summer hours are Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1-4 p.m.
Mediacom will increase the monthly price of Home Wire Maintenance from $1.40 to $2.95 effective May 1, 2006. The increase reflects additional labor, fuel and technology expenses. Home Wire Maintenance is an optional service. Customers will be notified through a message on their monthly statement.
Kotalik stated the “Y” was broken on the sewer main by the Waldemar Bender residence. Following discussion, Mehlhaf made a motion to pay half the expenses incurred fixing the sewer main by the Waldemar Bender residence. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Tolzin asked if when maintenance is finished plowing snow on the streets if they could plow the alleys that have garages in them. The council decided NO they cannot do this.
Heckenlaible asked for and received permission to remove the wing apparatus on the tandem truck.
We were quoted a price of $150 to come to Menno and $100 a block to have South Dakota Rural Water camera the sewers Huber made a motion to randomly camera 10 blocks of sewer to determine what shape they are in. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Greg Wilcoxon mentioned he has been making contacts concerning development and will continue to do so and report back at the next meeting.
Guthmiller made a motion to adjourn at 9:15 p.m. until Monday, May 1, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. Huber seconded, all present in favor.
Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer Larry Tolzin, Mayor