MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA
Council President Darrell Mehlhaf called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on December 7, 2009 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Jerry Fischer, Galen Guthmiller, Jerome Hoff, Jerome Kotalik, Darrell Mehlhaf and Scott Simonsen; Finance Officer Peggy Thranum, Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible, Attorney Ken Bertsch and Engineer Vernon Arens. Erik Kaufman, Aaron Matthaei and Brian McGinnis were also present.
Hoff moved to approve the agenda with the following addition: Workshop 12/9/09 to fill out IDSE reports. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.
REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Hoff moved to approve the minutes of the November 2 regular meeting. Kotalik seconded; all ayes.
Simonsen moved to approve the November finance report with the month end checking account balance date of November 30. Fischer seconded; all ayes.
|
|
General |
Water |
Sewer |
Perpetual Care |
Totals |
|
Checking Balance 10/30/09: |
167,393.43 |
19,087.71 |
27,479.94 |
369.28 |
214,330.36 |
|
Warrants: |
(23,116.26) |
(6,819.01) |
(5,305.42) |
0.00 |
(35,240.69) |
|
Receipts: |
69,728.19 |
8,590.55 |
5,533.71 |
75.00 |
83,927.45 |
|
Interest: |
40.25 |
3.92 |
5.20 |
|
49.37 |
|
Month End Checking Balance 11/30/09 |
214,045.61 |
20,863.17 |
27,713.43 |
444.28 |
263,066.49 |
|
Water Deposits Held |
|
(4,250.00) |
|
Restricted |
(4,250.00) |
|
General Purpose CD's |
50,000.00 |
|
|
Account |
50,000.00 |
|
Designated Purpose CD's |
90,193.39 |
43,405.04 |
41,085.20 |
50,327.00 |
225,010.63 |
|
Total Cash Assets: |
354,239.00 |
60,018.21 |
68,798.63 |
50,771.28 |
533,827.12 |
|
Profit or (Loss) for the month |
46,652.18 |
1,775.46 |
233.49 |
75.00 |
48,736.13 |
Fischer moved to approve the following warrants. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.
WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council 546.80; Finance 726.44; Building 122.47; Police 2589.48; Streets 2024.41; Garbage 881.16; Cemetery 118.90; Ambulance 406.92; Parks 128.88; Library 230.86; Development 143.31; Water 996.92; Sewer 996.95; Group Insurance, Wellmark BCBS 2489.88, AFLAC 135.34, Avesis 30.32 & Principal Life 696.76; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 2427.67; SDRS, Retirement 1246.66. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service, 284 Residential 3195.00. Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 326.65; NorthWestern Energy, Electricity 1622.56; Verizon Wireless, Police Cell Phone 45.40. Experience Works, contribution 500.00; Banyon Data Systems, Support, WinPay 770.00 & Back-up 99.00; Bertsch Law Office, Legal Fees 313.20; Business Forms & Accounting, payroll checks 86.68; BPI, phone-office supply 45.77; B-Y Water, 1.23 million gallons water 3878.00; Dust-Tex, paper towels for bathrooms 54.55; HD Supply Waterworks, hydrant-water R&M 916.59; JD Evans, maintainer blades 960.00; Klaudt Service, fuel 1314.97; Luikens Repair, I-H truck 428.22; Menno Lumber, supply 51.19; Menno School, election mileage 22.20; Mettler Implement, bar chain oil 14.85; One Call Systems, locates 46.80; Petty Cash, postage & supplies 48.80; SD State Treasurer, sales tax garbage 242.64 & park camping 13.25; SDWWA, dues 20.00; SCPI, publishing 163.73; Team Laboratory, lift station degreaser 835.31; Vantek, ambulance radio batteries and microphone 364.50; Walter Welding, hydrant R&M 24.00; Western Office Plus, paper & toner, 113.49; City of Menno, w-s-g John Stahl 39.00; Deposit Refund, Fenenga, DeSmet & Co., Inc. 100.00, Andrea Miller Plooster 100.00 & John Stahl 61.00; Heiman, fireman gear 986.43; Lower James RC&D Council Fund, contribution 200.00.
SCHEDULED BUSINESS: 7:33 p.m. Hoff moved to approve the following liquor license applications for renewal:
Kotalik seconded; roll call-all ayes.
Brian McGinnis from District III in Yankton spoke to the council to educate them about zoning. Pro: Zoning has evolved over several decades as a means to guide land use, encourage appropriate use of public and private property, promote stability, and encourage orderly development. Con: Zoning is another ordinance and will require financial support through administration, building permits and board hearings; it will not prevent all conflicts and development problems. Building permits are not required for most everyday things people do. You would need a permit for new construction that is permanently fixed to the ground or to expand the size of an existing structure. Interior remodeling would not involve a permit. McGinnis will send a cost analysis and ordinances from towns similar to Menno for our review.
McGinnis discussed adopting and enforcing National Building Code standards if we don’t have zoning. He said you would need to have a building inspector to enforce the code. Because of complications that could arise if things weren’t done properly, he didn’t think this would be a good thing for us to do. McGinnis left the meeting at 8:23 p.m.
Vernon Arens addressed the council about the revisions of his previous study concerning drainage on Railway Street. Three culverts empty into the ditch with only one culvert to carry the water away to the south. There is a 20’ drop to move the water west along Main Street and Water Street, then out of the town. He presented probable cost estimates for the storm sewer drainage projects: Railway/West Main Street to West Drainage Ditch $108,000 and US Highway 18 to Main Street plus Eastside Drainage $161,000; total probable costs for both projects $269,000.
Guthmiller moved to have Arens proceed with getting US Highway 18 to Main Street plus Eastside Drainage and Railway/West Main Street to West Drainage Ditch on the state water plan. Kotalik seconded; Roll call-all ayes. Once we are on the plan, we would be eligible to apply for loans and grants.
Hoff moved to approve a change order for the completion date of the Menno Wastewater System Engineering Study Proposal because the smoke testing didn’t get done this fall. The new completion date for the study will be September 17, 2010. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes. Arens left the meeting at 8:45 p.m.
OLD BUSINESS: “To Do List” Discussion was had on the problems with the pumps at the lift station because of female sanitary products. When the products are flushed, they break down, becoming a long rag and wrap around the impeller of the pump causing problems. Guthmiller moved to place an ad in the paper asking the public not to flush these products down the toilet. Hoff seconded; all ayes.
NEW BUSINESS: Our attorney advised us to appoint a mayor. Simonsen moved to appoint Darrell Mehlhaf as mayor. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.
Guthmiller moved to accept Darrell Mehlhaf’s resignation as councilman for Ward II. Fischer seconded; all ayes.
Mehlhaf received the oath of office for the mayoral position.
Hoff moved to table the appointment of a councilman for Ward II until the year end meeting. Simonsen seconded; all ayes. This will give interested persons a chance to come forward.
Fischer moved to hold our year end meeting on December 30 at 5:30 p.m. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.
After further clarification to the definition of “truck” Guthmiller moved to approve the 2nd reading of the Amended Truck Ordinance #2009-5. Kotalik seconded; roll call: Kotalik aye, Simonsen aye, Fischer aye, Guthmiller aye, Hoff aye. No nays. Motion passed.
Bertsch left the meeting at 9 p.m.
Kotalik moved to begin winter hours at the restricted use site immediately. Simonsen seconded; all ayes. Winter hours are the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Dates will be December 12 & 26, 2009; January 9 & 23, February 13 & 27, March 13 & 27 and April 10 & 24, 2010.
Quotes received for office furniture are as follows: Western Office Plus $6890.74, Brown & Saenger $8805.00 and Business Products, Inc. $8185.46. Fischer moved to order office furniture from Western Office Plus at the quoted price of $6890.74. Kotalik seconded; roll call – all ayes, no nays.
We received notice from B-Y Water that our rates will increase from $2.60/1,000 gallons to $3.00/1,000 gallons January 1, 2010.
Guthmiller moved to make a $200 contribution to the Lower James Council Fund. Fischer seconded; roll call-all ayes.
Guthmiller moved to allow Sayler to attend a workshop in Parker December 9 to get assistance in filling out the IDSE report that is due December 31. Simonsen seconded; all ayes.
For Your Information: The November MADC packets and SEFP report were handed out.
Heckenlaible stated Parkston relined 10 blocks of sewer at approximately $23,000/block. He informed the council of problems starting the I-H truck, possibly the fuel pump.
Fischer moved to adjourn at 9:30 p.m. until Monday, January 4, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. Kotalik seconded; all ayes.
Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer Darrell Mehlhaf, Mayor
Published once at the approximate cost of $__________.