MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

June 1, 2009

 

Mayor Larry Tolzin called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on June 1, 2009 in the council room at city hall. Council present: Jerry Fischer, Galen Guthmiller, Jerome Hoff, Jerome Kotalik (entered at 7:32 p.m.), Darrell Mehlhaf and Scott Simonsen; Finance Officer Peggy Thranum, Superintendent Roger Heckenlaible and City Attorney Ken Bertsch. Greg Wilcoxon, Erik Kaufman, Galen Heckenlaible, Aaron Matthaei, and Dave Hoffman were also present.

 

Guthmiller moved to approve the agenda with the following additions: Office Space, Water Break-Dawn Redman’s and Pool. Simonsen seconded; all ayes.

 

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Mehlhaf moved to approve the minutes of the May 4 regular meeting. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

Galen Heckenlaible left the meeting.

 

Fischer moved to approve the May finance report. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

  General

  Water

   Sewer

Perpetual Care

Totals

Checking 4/30/09 Balance:

140,060.29

13,867.49

21,696.66

359.28

175,983.72

     Warrants:

(38,680.17)

(7,092.19)

(2,338.73)

0.00

(48,111.09)

     Receipts:

90,414.31

7,800.58

4,918.01

10.00

103,142.90

     Interest:

31.73

2.41

4.01

 

38.15

Checking 5/29/09 Balance

191,826.16

14,578.29

24,279.95

369.28

231,053.68

Water Deposits Held

 

(4,500.00)

 

Restricted

(4,500.00)

General Purpose CD's

50,000.00

 

 

Account

50,000.00

Designated Purpose CD's

114,292.89

42,772.79

40,599.47

50,327.00

247,992.15

Total Cash Assets:

356,119.05

52,851.08

64,879.42

50,696.28

524,545.83

Profit or (Loss) for the month

51,765.87

710.80

2,583.29

10.00

55,069.96

 

Hoff moved to accept the automatic supplement for West Nile Mosquito Control Grant supplies received from the SD Department of Health in the amount of $1100. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes. The state grant revenue and the West Nile supply expense of the general fund budget will be increased by this amount.

 

Fischer moved to approve the following warrants. Mehlhaf seconded; all ayes.

 

WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council 639.16; Mayor 161.61; Finance 833.72; Building 122.47; Police 2700.29; Streets 1980.16; Garbage 655.87; Cemetery 118.90; Ambulance 895.81; Parks 659.85; Library 251.84; Development 147.28; Water 1051.59; Sewer 1058.43; Group Insurance, Wellmark BCBS 2084.24, AFLAC 135.34, Avesis 30.32 & Principal Life 658.49; Menno State Bank, Payroll Taxes 2726.25; SDRS, Retirement 1344.49. Professional Services: Bonnie Heirgis, 3 cemetery mowing 1800.00; Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service 3150.00. Utilities: Golden West Co., Phone 353.67; NorthWestern Energy, Electricity 1588.71; Verizon Wireless, Police Cell Phone 45.32. SDGFOA, MCS registration 249.00; Unemployment Insurance, filing fee 5.00; Petty Cash-Pool 100.00; B & L Communications, police radio battery 79.10; Bertsch Law Office, Legal Fees 457.80; B-Y Water, 2.138 million gallons water 6238.80; City of Menno, ROA, Calvin Thompson Deposit 512 S 2nd, 84.85; Classic Collision, police car wheel alignment 65.00; DENR, drinking water fee 300.00; Deposit Refund, Calvin Thompson Deposit 512 S 2nd, 15.15; Dept of Revenue, sewer samples 169.00; Dust-Tex, paper towels for bathrooms 54.50; Fensel’s, mower R&M 4.49; Fred Haar Co., mower R&M 96.38; HD Supply Waterworks, water R&M 402.93; Jensen Insurance, insurance 15112.00; Ken’s Electric, vent plumbing 599.39 & wiring 1042.47-pool – stool R&M softball field 158.73; Klaudt Service, police, street, ambulance, park, garbage fuel 550.66 & police tires 162.72; Luikens Repair, sweeper R&M 383.40; MADC, portion SEFP dues 2189.46; Menno Food Market, building & pool supplies 50.14; Menno Lumber, bench grinder 130.99 & pool supplies 210.09; Mettler Implement, street supply 25.21 & pool R&M 12.83; One Call Systems, locates 54.60; Petty Cash-General, supplies-postage 62.44; Radar Shop, re-certify radar 39.00; RenoSys Corp., pool liner R&M 663.14; SD State Treasurer, sales tax garbage 242.13 & park camping fees 32.06; SCPI, publishing council 264.43 & sewer 43.46; Team Lab, lift station degreaser 678.15; Tom Ulmer, spray cemetery 430.00; Vantek, finance radio battery 74.00 & check sirens 185.20; Walter Welding, R&M pool 113.36, water 32.00 & parks 69.42; Western Office Plus, finance supplies 28.38 & police ink cartridges 62.18.

 

Greg Wilcoxon visited with the council about his concerns with the speeding on Fifth Street/431st Avenue through town as well as US Highway 18. The mayor said he would have the guys start patrolling.

 

SCHEDULED BUSINESS: Kotalik moved to approve the following malt beverage license renewals. Mehlhaf seconded; all ayes.

  • Renewal - Retail (on/off sale) Malt Beverage - Larry Klaudt, d.b.a., Klaudt Service, Lots 6 & 7, Block 4, A. Mettler’s Addition, City of Menno.
  • Renewal - Retail (on/off sale) Malt Beverage – Thomas R Fischer, d.b.a. The Schnitz. N. 24’ of Lot 3 & S. 27’ of Lot 2, Block 2, Original Plat, City of Menno.
  • Renewal - Package (off sale) Malt Beverage – Ruth Mettler, d.b.a., The Beer Garden, Lots 9-10, Block 2, Original Plat, City of Menno.
  • Renewal – Package (off sale) Malt Beverage – Country Pride Cooperative, Inc., d.b.a. Cenex-Pump 24, Lots 100 & 101 & Lot 101A of City of Menno.

 

Kotalik moved to approve a permit allowing consumption of alcohol in a public place with the stipulation they list the city as an additional insured on their insurance. If they do not list the city as an additional insured, the permit will not be issued. The permit will be used for a dance the night of July 3 from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m. July 4. The band must quit playing at 1 a.m. on July 4. The permit allows the alley between the Schnitz and the Beer Garden to be blocked off with barricades in the morning, but a fence must be put up prior to the dance. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Hutchinson County Emergency Manager Dave Hoffman summarized what has been happening in his office. In May of 2007 and June of 2008 we had floods in the county. Homeland Security money was used for the following: 2005-police & fire grants and sirens; 2006-schools in Freeman, Menno, Parkston & Tripp received security cameras-$75,000; 2007-sirens were purchased for Freeman, Menno, Parkston & Tripp-$65,000; 2008-a 125K generator was purchased to be used in case of an emergency in the county-$54,000. The generator will be owned by the county and stored in the shop in Menno. Cost to the towns using it will be the fuel used to run it and the cost of a transfer switch or wiring it into their well house. It will run their wells and 911 systems. Repairs will be done by the county unless caused by negligence; then those responsible will have to pay. He hopes to obtain a generator in 2010 for the west side of the river, to be housed in the county shop in Tripp. In 2006 the area was regionalized. Our regional headquarters is in Mitchell and consists of 8 counties – so money is split between all of them. Menno is participating in writing a new pre-mitigation disaster plan. Menno participated in an 80-20 grant where the police received new radios with a more reliable frequency. In 2009, money will all be given to the state to upgrade their radio towers for their communications system.

 

7:55 p.m. Fred Sayler entered the meeting.

 

Attorney Bertsch explained the proposed lease with Airwave Wireless. They wish to rent space on our water tower for 6 panel antennas and a small area on the ground for their equipment to provide wireless telephone service for a term of 5 years with the option to renew for 5 additional 5-year terms. Rent would be $500 per month with a 15% increase at each renewal. Several changes to the lease were discussed with Airwave’s representatives; they seemed open to all our suggestions. Mehlhaf moved to accept the lease proposal from Airwave Wireless with the option to renew for a total of 20 years; if they don’t agree to that, then for the full 30 years. If the terms of the revised lease meet with the city attorney’s approval, the mayor would be authorized to enter into the lease on behalf of the city. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

8:20 p.m. Dave Hoffman left the meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS: “To Do List” Clean out the ditch by Duane Knittel and north of Eugene Wollman and caulk and paint at the pool.

 

Fischer stated it would cost $1500 to clean up the Stahl property. Guthmiller moved to offer Stahl $1500 for his property at 129 N Pearl Street so the city could use the area as additional parking for the softball field. Simonsen seconded; all ayes.

 

A list of old meters is to be made during the annual water reading so they can be replaced. Mehlhaf moved to keep the $12 minimum for the first 1000 gallons of water and to charge $5.00 per thousand thereafter. Fischer seconded; all ayes. (Rates will be effective September 1, 2009.)

 

Guthmiller moved to raise the sewer rate minimum to $12 for the first 1000 gallons and $2 every thousand thereafter. Hoff seconded; all ayes. (Rates will be effective September 1, 2009.)

 

NEW BUSINESS: Mehlhaf moved to have the July 2 council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Fischer seconded; all ayes.

 

Mehlhaf moved to allow the Athletic Club to sell fireworks for the 2009 season. Kotalik seconded; all ayes.

 

Fischer moved to pay expenses for council wishing to attend the Elected Officials Workshop in either Brandon on June 16 or Pierre on July 10. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Hoff moved to apply for an ambulance hardship exemption. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Patrons don’t seem to be taking advantage of the extended hours at the restricted use site on Wednesday, which were extended to 8 p.m. If the inactivity continues, the hours will go back to 4 p.m. like before.

 

Hoff moved to approve the Statement of Extension to continue our Joint Cooperative Agreement with District III through December 31, 2010; dues will be $1066. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Mehlhaf moved to allow Jenna Guthmiller and Trevor Bertsch to give swim lessons at the pool. (They set the rates for lessons and collect all the money.) Fischer seconded; all ayes.

 

It was decided the city would absorb the cost of the repair for the water break at 224 S Pearl Street since the curb stop was bad.

 

After discussion, the council decided to move the finance office into the back room of the city hall.

 

Sayler informed the council the sweeper cab fills with smoke when it is being used. Apparently the hydraulic oil is over heating. He is to check if it pays to repair this one or look for a new one. Until a decision is made, they are to break up the sweeping so they don’t sweep so long at one time.

 

For Your Information: The May MADC packet and SEFP report were included in the council packets.

 

Simonsen moved to adjourn at 9:30 p.m. until Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

ATTEST:                                                                    CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer                                    Larry Tolzin, Mayor