MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

August 7, 2006

 

Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on August 7, 2006 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Dennis Aisenbrey, Galen Guthmiller, Gary Herman, John Huber, Jerome Kotalik, and Darrell Mehlhaf, Finance Officer Peggy Thranum, City Attorney Kenneth D. Bertsch and Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible. Erik Kaufman, Christian Sorlien and Aaron Matthaei were also present.

 

Herman moved to approve the agenda with the following addition: Approve Wellmark BCBS Group Insurance. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Huber made a motion to approve the minutes of the July 3 regular meeting and the July 13 special meeting. Guthmiller seconded; all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Aisenbrey moved to approve the July finance report. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

FINANCE REPORT:

 

  General

  Water

   Sewer

Garbage

Perpetual Care

Sales Tax

Totals

Checking 6-29-06 Balance:

97,709.58

39,638.40

25,727.26

30,275.24

879.28

59,010.09

253,239.85

Ambulance CD #40692

6,792.36

 

 

 

 

 

6,792.36

     Warrants:

(27,184.84)

(13,763.78)

(2,458.04)

(5,694.22)

0.00

(42,426.81)

(91,527.69)

     Receipts:

14,949.48

9,282.00

3,674.17

5,718.75

0.00

6,274.60

39,899.00

     Interest:

75.40

28.46

21.81

24.53

 

18.50

168.70

Checking 7-28-06 Balance

92,341.98

35,185.08

26,965.20

30,324.30

879.28

22,876.38

208,572.22

Water Restricted Cash

 

(3,800.00)

 

 

Restricted

 

(3,800.00)

General Purpose CD's

50,000.00

 

 

 

Account

 

50,000.00

Designated Purpose CD's

51,522.95

20,179.49

11,755.91

1,518.19

45,321.50

 

130,298.04

Total Cash Assets:

193,864.93

51,564.57

38,721.11

31,842.49

46,200.78

22,876.38

385,070.26

Profit or (Loss) for the month

(12,159.96)

(4,453.32)

1,237.94

49.06

0.00

(36,133.71)

(51,459.99)

 

RECEIPTS: Water 8847.00; Sewer 3674.17; Garbage 5603.75; Late Fees 70.00; Ambulance 2648.63; Mervin Guthmiller (5) Copies .50; Tree & Park CD Interest 4.38; Pool Gate Receipts 860.00; Pool Concession Receipts 589.92; Audit Collection 42.67; Reimbursement-City of Tripp, Room-Finance Officers’ School 46.69; Alcohol Beverage Remittance Fund 937.51; Cemetery Donation, Archie Klaudt in memory of Eileen Klaudt 100.00; Cemetery CD Interest 136.50; Sales Tax, 1% 6274.60 & 2% 6274.59; Highway & Bridge 1168.58; 5% License 352.46; 25% Road Tax 209.18; Real Estate Taxes 1007.82; Penalty & Interest 6.29; Wheel Tax 493.76; Water-On/Off Fee, Don Zeeb 20.00, Hutchinson Conservation District 15.00; Water Deposit, Julie Andersen 100.00, Charles Wickstrom 100.00, Elver Hehn 100.00, & Hasz Financial 100.00; RU Site-Shingles, Gene Bender Construction 35.00; RU Site, White Goods, Lavern Wagner 10.00 & Jim Woehl 10.00; RU Site, Painted Wood, Ray Heckenlaible 15.00, Jim Woehl 10.00 & American Legion 35.00; Interest Earned 168.70. Total Receipts: $40,067.70.

 

WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council; 861.48; Mayor 403.67; Finance 1240.23; City Hall 109.11; Police 2441.82; Streets 2007.01; Cemetery 108.81; Ambulance 152.37; Pool 3530.34; Parks 555.21; Library 227.62; Development 260.61; Water 885.19; Sewer 793.16; Garbage 308.97; Wellmark BCBS, Group Insurance 1321.64; Principal Life, Group Insurance 314.29; SDRS, Retirement 1169.28; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 3473.62. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service 5022.25; Bonnie Heirigs, Mow Cemetery (2) 1060.00. Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 379.36; NorthWestern, Electricity 1795.55; Verizon Wireless, Police Cell Phone, 69.49. Water Fund: B-Y Water, 4.252 M. Gallons 9184.00; Deposit Refunds: Casper Dosch 50.00, Dustin Fischer 100.00; Deb Massey 100.00, Koni Sayler 50.00, Gail Swain 50.00, and Monica Woehl 50.00; Overpayment: Gail Swain 2.00; Morna Anderson 13.00, Ken Bertsch 133.16, Pit Stop 67.57, Tammy Liebl 46.87, Sam Nusz 22.58, Mike Smidt 19.90, Esther Winter 37.13, Monica Woehl 17.03, Alma Streyle 35.87, and Jim Woehl 24.78; Brown & Saenger, Supply 47.85; City of Sioux Falls, Sample Testing 39.00; Country Pride, Chop Saw 21.80; Dakota Supply Group, Meters & Supply 717.25; Menno Hardware, Supply 14.46; One Call Systems, Locates 22.43; Petty Cash, Postage 75.46; Printed Impressions, Water Books 129.00; Second Century Publishing, Ad 45.50; Walter Welding, R&M 15.00. Sewer Fund: Brown & Saenger, Supply 47.85; Jerome Kotalik Construction, R&M 969.39; Mettler Fertilizer, Spray-Lagoon 88.08; One Call Systems, Locates 22.42; Overpayment, Pit Stop 10.00; Printed Impressions, Sewer Books 129.00; Rural Medical Clinic, Hepatitis B Vaccine 98.00. Garbage Fund: Overpayment, Pit Stop 47.75; Brown & Saenger, supply 47.85; Printed Impressions, Garbage Books 129.00; SD State Treasurer, Sales Tax 306.02. General Fund: A.L. Mettler Construction, City Hall R&M 36.74; Banyon Data Systems, Utility Support 770.00; Bertsch Law Office, Legal Fees 448.20; Brown & Saenger, Supply 95.70; Classic Collision & Frame, Ambulance R&M 217.66; Department of Revenue, Pool Samples 120.00; Ed’s Food Market, Building, Street, Pool, Park supplies 172.60; Edelman Feed & Supply, Pool Supply 35.70; Fensel’s Electric, Fire Supply-Pool R&M 132.74; Hawkins, Pool Supply 1215.65; Klaudt Service, Police-Street-Cemetery-Ambulance-Park Supply-Street R&M 808.51; Jerome Kotalik Construction, Pool R&M 133.67; Kansas State Bank, Fire Truck Payment 8574.17; Luikens Repair, Street Sweeper-Maintainer R&M 2493.48; MC&R Pools, Umbrella 108.32; Menno Hardware, Supply 52.46; Menno Lumber, Street R&M 383.22; Petty Cash, Supplies 15.62; Postmaster, Stamped Envelopes 210.00; Rural Manufacturing, Cut Off Wheel 35.90; Rural Medical Clinic, Hepatitis B Vaccine 98.00; SD State Treasurer, Pool Sales Tax 82.07; Second Century Publishing, Minutes-Ads 465.97; Team Laboratory, Pool Supply 487.50; Titan Machinery, Chop Saw Blade 280.00; Vantek, Fire Radio R&M 446.25; Wholesale Supply, Pool Concessions 325.60, Elan, Computer Flash Card 19.88.

 

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

 

Discussion was had on using the city credit card to take advantage of discounts offered by vendors. No decision was made at this time.

 

Huber made a motion to transfer $20,000 from the Sales Tax Fund into the General Fund per the budget. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

SCHEDULED BUSINESS: 7:35 p.m. Guthmiller made a motion to approve the Temporary Malt Beverage Permit for the Menno Fire Department on August 26, 2006 from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Menno Fire Hall. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Dave Hoffman did not attend the meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS: “To Do List” Heckenlaible was instructed to patch the street by 115 N 5th Street. The curb on the southeast corner of Fifth and Main will need to be torn out and re-poured before school starts. Herman made a motion to have Kotalik fix the curbing on the southeast corner of Fifth and Main. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor (Kotalik recused himself); motion carried.

 

Mehlhaf made a motion to asphalt the block of Otela Street north of the sale barn between Pearl Street and East Street. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Thranum checked with Golden West and we may not have the same phone number in the city hall and fire hall, as they are both different 911 addresses. You may only have one DSL hook up per station. The possibility of a wireless connection will be checked into.

 

After visiting with legislative audit, it was decided an Equipment Replacement Fund would not be suitable for a city our size.

 

NEW BUSINESS: Guthmiller made a motion to hold the September council meeting on Thursday, September 7 beginning at 7:30 p.m. because of the Labor Day Holiday. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to set September 7 at 7:35 p.m. as the hearing date and time for a Temporary Malt Beverage Permit for Oktoberfest to be held at the Menno City/School Gym on October 7, 2006. Aisenbrey also moved to approve the Temporary Permit to Allow Consumption of Alcohol in a Public Place within the Menno City Limits. (This permit will allow the Beer Garden and Schnitz to hold a dance in the alley between their establishments on Saturday, August 26, 2006.) Huber seconded, all present in favor, motion carried.

 

Huber made a motion to approve the first reading of Appropriations Ordinance 2006-1 “An ordinance that sets the appropriations for the 2007 budget”. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried

 

Guthmiller made a motion to approve continuing our group insurance coverage with Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Dakota. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Kotalik made a motion to hire Tim Schelske for relief help at the pool and Jack Hertz and Harold Vis as temporary part-time help whenever Heckenlaible feels he needs help. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Guthmiller made a motion to pay temporary part-time help $6.43 an hour. Mehlhaf seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Herman made a motion to set August 21 as the closing date for the pool. Huber seconded, all in favor; motion carried.

 

Kotalik made a motion to approve having Twilah Stirling work in the finance office under the Experience Works program (which took the place of Green Thumb). Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Huber made a motion to pay expenses for Thranum and the council members who wish to attend the SDML convention in Spearfish October 4-6. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

The council was made aware of an Ambulance Hardship Exemption Hearing that will be held at the fire hall Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m. This exemption is needed so we may use EVOC drivers on the ambulance, as we do not have enough EMT’s.   

 

The council received a request to include bow and arrows in our weapons ordinance. Parties interested in having this added should have a petition drawn up and present it to the council. Thranum will find out how many signatures are needed.

 

Mehlhaf made a motion to accept the Notice of Taking Tax Deed by County for Daniel E & Tracy L. Hill property described as (Cert. #2148) Lot 11, Block 3 of Andreas Mettler’s Addition to the City of Menno. (The county purchased the tax deed for $269.42.) Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

The insurance company said they would have no problem with us renting the back room of the old fire station for Jack Knutson’s therapy. Mehlhaf made a motion to allow Knutson’s to rent the back room of the old fire station for Jack Knutson’s therapy for $25 per month. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

The results of the on-site pool evaluation conducted by Randolf Hilding from DENR were included in the council packets. Hilding strongly recommended installing a controller that automatically maintains both sanitizer ORP (oxidation-reduction potential) and water pH in pools and going to a tablet chlorination system. Huber made a motion to purchase the controller and tablet chlorination system for approximately $4000 from Hawkins. Herman seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Estimates for pool repair will be gathered to present at the next council meeting.

 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION: A thank you was received from the American Legion concerning the July 4 parade.

 

The packet from the July 18 MADC meeting and the SEFP report were included in the council packets.

 

8:10 p.m. Tolzin stated the council was dissatisfied with the clean up progress at Sorlien Manufacturing. Sorlien stated he had been working on it; he hauled out a load of wood, tires and iron, but it had been too hot the past weeks to do much and he had busy working. Bertsch asked if Sorlien would allow high school age kids or other help to assist in the clean up. Sorlien instead asked if he could put a fence up and was told when he got the business cleaned up, it would be discussed at that time. Tolzin proposed giving Sorlien two-weeks to finish the clean up or fine him $200 per day for not complying. Bertsch stated the city would be authorized to go in and clean up the property and assess the costs of the clean up against the property. Or, the city could treat it as a criminal offense, issue a citation and Sorlien could appear before the judge and make his appeal. The city wants Sorlien to work with them and asked for some timelines as to when things are going to be done, with noticeable improvement being made in the condition of the property until then. There has been some improvement in the front of the shop, but in the middle of the property and in the back, a lot remains to be done.

 

Huber made a motion to go into executive session at 8:25 p.m. to consult with the city attorney. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to come out of executive session at 8:55 p.m. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Guthmiller made a motion to have the city attorney start a civil action against Sorlien Manufacturing to force Christian Sorlien to clean up the property or allow the city to clean it up and assess the cost of the cleanup against the property. In addition, the Chief of Police is to issue a citation for one violation of the nuisance ordinance, the fine to be determined by the magistrate judge. The council will consider issuing additional citations at the September 7 council meeting if the property isn’t cleaned up. Kotalik seconded, all council present and voting aye; none voting nay. Motion carried.

 

Herman made a motion to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. until Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

ATTEST:                                                                    CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

                                                                                                                                               

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer                                    Larry Tolzin, Mayor