MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

March 3, 2008

 

Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on March 3, 2008 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Dennis Aisenbrey (entered at 7:34 p.m.), Galen Guthmiller, John Huber, Jerome Kotalik and Darrell Mehlhaf (Gary Herman, absent) and Finance Officer Peggy Thranum, Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible. Erik Kaufman, Aaron Matthaei, Chris Qualm, and Dave Hoffman were also present.

 

Kotalik moved to approve the agenda. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Huber moved to approve the minutes of the February 4th regular meeting. Mehlhaf seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

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

 

FINANCE REPORT:

 

  General

  Water

   Sewer

Garbage

Perpetual Care

Sales Tax

Totals

Checking 1-31-08 Balance:

54,180.23

10,336.25

19,873.58

22,780.30

664.28

35,511.89

143,346.53

     Warrants:

(19,862.08)

(6,254.93)

(3,237.50)

(3,939.50)

0.00

0.00

(33,294.01)

     Receipts:

20,926.76

7,057.97

5,000.79

4,122.00

0.00

8,632.02

45,739.54

     Interest:

30.15

6.01

11.67

12.38

 

23.81

84.02

Checking 2/28/08 Balance

55,275.06

11,145.30

21,648.54

22,975.18

664.28

44,167.72

155,876.08

Water Deposits Held

 

(2,800.00)

 

 

Restricted

 

(2,800.00)

General Purpose CD's

50,000.00

 

 

 

Account

 

50,000.00

Designated Purpose CD's

117,606.40

31,338.12

43,478.99

2,643.72

47,667.62

 

242,734.85

Total Cash Assets:

222,881.46

39,683.42

65,127.53

25,618.90

48,331.90

44,167.72

445,810.93

Profit or (Loss) for the month

1,094.83

809.05

1,774.96

194.88

0.00

8,655.83

12,529.55

 

RECEIPTS: Water 6827.97; Sewer 5000.79; Garbage 4070.00; Late Fees 90.00; Ambulance 383.06; Ambulance Claims Interest .66; City Hall Rent, Connie Knodel 30.00, South Central Child Development 30.00, & Sand Dollar Pork 30.00;  Tree & Park CD Interest 4.52; Cemetery CD Interest 117.99; Sales Tax 1% 8632.02 & 2% 8632.01; Audit Collections 1593.58; 5% License 555.56; Real Estate Taxes 5298.63; Mobile Home Taxes 102.64; Bank Franchise 3423.45; Port of Entry 634.66; Water: On Fee, Jim Massey 10.00 & On/Off Fee, Nancy Zeeb 20.00; Deposits, Amber Taylor 100.00 & Ruth Bagley 100.00; RU Site Fees 52.00; Interest Earned 84.02. Total Receipts: $45,823.56.

 

7:34 p.m. Dennis Aisenbrey entered the meeting.

 

Guthmiller made a motion to approve the following warrants. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council 457.54; Mayor 138.52; Finance 671.13; Building 118.90; Police 2530.94; Streets 2159.92; Cemetery 115.44; Ambulance 503.88; Libraries 240.23; Development 165.85; Water 1101.51; Sewer 1101.50; Garbage 156.93; Group Insurance, Wellmark BCBS 1638.48, AFLAC 143.36 & Principal Life 610.20; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 2683.53; SDRS, Retirement 1252.61. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service 3228.75 Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 333.20; NorthWestern Energy, Electricity 2823.85; Verizon Wireless, Police Cell Phone 70.16. Water Fund: B-Y Water, 1.132 M. Gallons 2944.00; Deposit Refunds, Chris Swanson 100.00 and Twilah Stirling-Stephan McCrae 100.00; Dakota Supply Group, Water Meters & Supplies 488.22; Ed’s Food Market, Supplies 61.30; Petty Cash, Postage 2.32. Sewer Fund: Cummins Central Power, Generator R&M 2780.45. Garbage Fund: SD State Treasurer, Sales Tax 230.09. General Fund: Experience Works, Donation 500.00; Brown & Saenger, Office Supplies 24.57; Ed’s Food Market, Building Supplies 8.99; Roger Heckenlaible, Reimburse CDL 15.00; John Huber, Reimburse Fire Dept Label Maker 28.42; Klaudt Service, Police-Street R&M-Supplies 1200.95; Luikens Repair, Grader-Dump Truck R&M 711.84; Menno Hardware, Vice Grips 11.99; Menno Lumber, Truck R&M 14.00; Petty Cash, Postage 27.19; Reynolds Welding Supply, Ambulance Oxygen 14.37; SCPI, Minutes & Ads 621.01; Martin Sieverding, Computer R&M 30.00; Vantek, Fire Dept. Radio R&M 114.55; Western Office Plus, Fax Ribbon-Computer Mouse 53.90

 

Mehlhaf made a motion to purchase a $1000 Capital Outlay CD for digging new pits at the Restricted Use Site. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor.

 

SCHEDULED BUSINESS: 7:33 p.m. One quote was received for hay. Huber made a motion to accept the quote from Doug Lehr for $360 for the 2008 hay season. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

There were no applications for pool manager.

 

Mehlhaf made a motion to hire the following as full-time guards: Trevor Bertsch, Jenna Guthmiller and Melissa Wetzbarger and to continue to advertise for pool manager and lifeguards. Huber seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

7:38 p.m. Rocky Zeeb entered the meeting.

 

Chris Qualm, Public Health Coordinator with the SD Department of Health explained PODs to the council. One effective component to any emergency response is a way to rapidly dispense medications to populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) which is a cache of anti-infective, chemical antidotes, vaccines, and medical supplies that can be deployed anywhere in the United States in 12 hours or less. This inventory of medications and medical supplies assists public health agencies in the event of a large infectious disease outbreak or other public health emergency, including bioterrorism attacks and pandemic influenza. South Dakota is working to create strategic points of dispensing or “POD” sites in the state. Each POD relies heavily on volunteers to manage the operation including the dispensing of medications or vaccines. Community involvement in the development and implementation of PODs is essential to ensure proper support for the citizens of the POD region. Freeman High School has been identified as a POD location for both Hutchinson and Turner counties. The Freeman POD has a Tier 3 jurisdiction with a Level C treatment capacity, meaning they can treat up to 20,000 people in 48 hours. 2000 Census Figures show 8075 people in Hutchinson County and 8849 in Turner County. Radio, TV, newspapers, and the internet will provide information to the public about POD locations and operating procedures in the event of activation of PODs.

 

Hutchinson County Emergency Manager Dave Hoffman discussed the importance of NIMS (National Incident Management System). Our mayor, council, police chief, finance officer and firemen all have the ICS-100, ICS-200 and ICS-700 training. One councilman, the police chief, finance officer and one fireman have the ICS-300 and ICS-400 training. This training is a condition of receiving federal preparedness funding assistance.

 

We have received an AC/DC warning siren that was obtained through a Homeland Security Grant in Davison County. The cost of the siren was $11, 824. We will have to pay for the cost of installation. We are trying to obtain a pole through a donation from NorthWestern, but have not heard back from them at this time. We will try to have the siren operational before spring storm season.

 

Hoffman is working to obtain generators for the county. The generator will be stored in the county shed in Menno. It will be on wheels and have a male adaptor. Each city is to have a female plug and a safety shut off that will be compatible with the generator. The intent is to have the county responsible for generator repairs. Hoffman would like to have two generators; one east and one west of the James River.

 

OLD BUSINESS: 8:03 p.m. “To Do List”: Maintenance is to begin tearing out benches, partitions, toilets and sinks at the pool. Discussion was had on asking a youth group to paint the pool when repairs are completed.

 

Mehlhaf made a motion to accept the base bid from Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. in the amount of $11, 451 for tuck-pointing the bathhouse at the pool. Kotalik seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Kotalik made a motion to table further discussion on the Orion Water Meter Reading Systems until the April meeting. Huber seconded; all present in favor.

 

There was nothing new to report on the sidewalk by the Legion.

 

NEW BUSINESS: Guthmiller made a motion to set the date for the Equalization Meeting on Monday, March 17, 2008 beginning at 7 p.m. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Huber made a motion to table setting wages for pool personnel until they are all hired. Guthmiller seconded; all present in favor.

 

Huber made a motion to pay expenses for the city officers/employees who attend the following meetings: Legislative Dinner in Mitchell March 13 and the District III meeting in Beresford on April 3. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

Mayor Tolzin informed the council that relief police officer Harold Vis will attend Veteran Officers’ Training in Pierre May 5-9 at no cost to the city.

 

Mayor Tolzin state he had been gone and hadn’t had a chance to review the complaints and pictures presented at the February council meeting. Tolzin told Matthaei he would review them and take what action he felt was needed within the next couple weeks.

 

The council compared quotes received for general liability, property coverage, auto, Inland Marine and public officials liability insurance: SDPAA $11,323 and Continental Western Group $8879. Mehlhaf made a motion to accept the quote from Continental Western for $8879. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor. This quote is $4951 less than what we paid in 2007. Agent Rocky Zeeb stated there is a softer market since 9/11 and re-insurance is cheaper. As the profitability of the package goes up, then premium goes down. The company has had fewer large claims so they can pass the savings on to their customers.

 

Some discussion was had on draining sump pumps to the outside causing them to freeze in winter. No action was taken.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to pay expenses for Thranum to attend the SEAFOG meeting in Canistota on March 19. Mehlhaf seconded; all present in favor.

 

Huber contacted NorthWestern for a donation of a 50’ pole to mount the new warning siren on. Huber made a motion to purchase a pole if we do not receive one as a donation. Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.

 

The mayor stated he had spoken to someone in Yankton this afternoon and they said NorthWestern would replace Brad Knutson in Menno.

 

For Your Information: The minutes of the February 19 development meeting and SEFP report were included in the council packets.

 

Aisenbrey made a motion to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. until Monday, April 7, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. Guthmiller seconded, all present in favor.

 

ATTEST:                                                                    CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer                                   Larry Tolzin, Mayor