MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

August 1, 2011

 

Mayor Darrell Mehlhaf called the city council to order at 7:30 p.m. on August 1, 2011 in the finance office at city hall. Roll Call: Darrell Mehlhaf, Ronald Diede, Jerry Fischer, Galen Guthmiller, Jerome Hoff, Jerome Kotalik and Scott Simonsen; quorum present. Finance Officer Peggy Thranum, Superintendent Fred Sayler and Dr. Chris Christensen, Daniel Mettler and Erik Kaufman were also present.

 

Fischer moved to approve the agenda with the following deletions: Police Air Conditioner and committee reports. Diede seconded; all ayes.

                                               

REGULAR MEETING ITEMS: Hoff moved to approve the minutes of the July 11 regular meeting and the July 28 budget meeting. Kotalik seconded; all ayes.

 

Hoff moved to approve the July finance report. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

FINANCE REPORT:

 

  General

  Water

   Sewer

Perpetual Care

Totals

Checking Balance 6/30/11

372,501.21

50,417.86

63,693.52

571.95

487,184.54

     Warrants:

(66,933.42)

(16,933.82)

(82,091.20)

0.00

(165,958.44)

     Receipts:

39,045.50

16,648.20

81,854.41

75.00

137,623.11

Cashed & Deposited CD's: Hwy 18 #42426

29,901.33

 

 

 

29,901.33

     Interest:

43.22

6.27

7.94

 

57.43

Month End Checking  Balance 7/29/11

374,557.84

50,138.51

63,464.67

646.95

488,807.97

Water Deposits Held

 

(4,450.00)

 

Restricted

(4,450.00)

Water Reserve $300/mo (1st 11/2010)

(2,700.00)

 

 

(2,700.00)

General Purpose CD

50,000.00

 

 

Account

50,000.00

Designated Purpose CD's

42,812.60

30,172.35

36,220.59

53,327.00

162,532.54

Total Cash Assets:

467,370.44

73,160.86

99,685.26

53,973.95

694,190.51

Profit or (Loss) for the month

(27,844.70)

(279.35)

(228.85)

75.00

(28,277.90)

 

Simonsen moved to approve the warrants. Fischer seconded; all ayes.

 

WARRANTS APPROVED: Payroll: Council 664.03; Mayor 283.05; Finance 1517.59; Building 130.18; Police 4089.42; Streets 2818.91; Garbage 775.02; Cemetery 126.39; West Nile 164.44; Ambulance 599.10; Pool 1896.31 (June) 5150.63 (July); Parks 307.08; Library 406.34; Development 214.98; Water 1618.69; Sewer 1622.91; Group Insurance: Wellmark BCBS, 2564.96; Principal Life 799.91; Avesis, vision 47.98; AFLAC 178.09; EFTPS, payroll taxes 5037.89; SDRS, retirement 2065.97. Professional Services: Rocky Zeeb’s Garbage Service, 294 residential 3675.00; Bonnie Heirigs, 4 cemetery cuts 2520.00. Utilities: Golden West, Phone 373.24; NorthWestern Energy, electricity 1987.43; Verizon Wireless, police cell phone 36.34; American Red Cross, seasonal aquatic affiliation fee 250.00; Arens Engineering, curb & gutter 1095.00, storm sewer-west side 405.00, feasibility study-water meters 750.00; A-Tech Sewer, televise Hwy 18 sewer lines 1425.00; BPI, paper-toner-stamp 220.09; B-Y Water 2.424 million gallons 7952.00; City of Sioux Falls, water samples 56.24; Classic Collision, R&M pool 27.60, Ford pickup 68.13; CLIA Lab, user fees 150.00; Dakota Pump, lift station pump R&M 1563.58; Dept of Revenue, samples pool 48.00, sewer 82.00; F.I.R.S.T., ambulance supplies 161.85; GovConnection, hard drive back-up 160.91; Hawkins, chemical pool 2578.48, water 613.97; Ken’s Electric, park bathroom R&M 45.92; Klaudt Service, fuel 827.00 R&M Ford pickup water pump 205.50 mower tire 8.00; Medicare, overpay mileage 327.36; Menno Food Market, supplies 21.27; Menno Lumber, supplies 50.81; Petty Cash-General, postage 68.46; Printed Impression, 400 water books 448.00; SCPI, publishing 242.33; Martin Sieverding, Tech work 75.00; Slowey Construction Hwy 18 sewer 944.30, water 1055.75, water change order 17,063.44; SD One Call, locates 83.40; Vantek, ambulance radio R&M 16.50; Glenda Bohlmann, Certify pool manager/CPR 19.00; SD State Treasurer, sales tax 299.44; Cardmember Services, 2 boxes stamped envelopes 543.70.

 

 

SCHEDULED BUSINESS:  Diede moved to approve a Temporary Malt Beverage Permit for the Menno Fire Department on September 10, 2011 from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. at the Menno Fire Hall. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

Dr. Christensen and Daniel Mettler explained to the council the repairs needed at the city/school gym. Pipes under the floors in the bathrooms need to be replaced and tuck pointing needs to be done to the building. They discussed removing the chimney if it is no longer needed. Dr. Chris will get us updated estimates after the school board meeting. The council decided they had budgeted enough money for 2012 to cover our share of expenses for these repairs. Installing air conditioning in the gym was also discussed.

 

8:13 p.m. City Engineer Vernon Arens had entered the meeting at 7:40 p.m. He updated the council on the highway construction and explained the change order for the water repairs. We had to lay an overland water line on the west side of town and lower the water mains in three places to accommodate the storm sewer. Improvements (riser and valves) need to be made to the new lift station as the breaker keeps tripping. They are getting ready to install curb & gutter along the highway. They will be building the drop structure for the storm sewer soon. The contractor is about 2 ˝ weeks behind.

 

The council will proceed with pouring the curb and gutter by the museum even thought the elevator has decided to wait and do theirs next year.

 

Arens, Christensen and Mettler left the meeting at 8:30 p.m.

 

The committee reports were removed from the agenda as no one had anything to report.

 

OLD BUSINESS: “To Do List” Locates need to be called in again for the drainage projects. The pool will be backwashed again to cool the water down. Firemen will wait until next month to open culverts with the jaws.

 

PUC Vice Chairman Chris Nelson has been contacted for assistance with Verizon Wireless to see if we can get them to install a repeater on the water tower to improve cell service. We had contacted Verizon and were told someone would be out to look at our tower, but have not been able to make contact with anyone since.

 

Because of the loans we will be required to pay, Simonsen moved to eliminate on/off fees, but require the minimum utility charge ($45 beginning September 1, 2011) be paid monthly by all residents regardless of whether their water is on or off. Guthmiller seconded; roll call-all ayes.

 

NEW BUSINESS: Diede moved to hold the September council meeting on the 7th at 7:30 p.m. because of the Labor Day Holiday. Fischer seconded; all ayes.

 

Hoff moved to approve the renewal rates for Principal Financial Group. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Diede moved to approve the first reading of Ordinance #2011-3, an ordinance setting the appropriations for the 2012 budget. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

Fischer moved to purchase a new vacuum for city hall. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes.

 

The police air conditioner has been cleaned and is now working.

 

Simonsen moved to allow Fifth Street to be blocked from Menno Mercantile to Walter Welding from 3 p.m. until after the Car Show on September 10. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

Fischer moved to hold a hearing September 7 for a temporary malt beverage permit for Oktoberfest to be held October 22 at the Menno city/school gym. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

Kotalik moved to pay expenses for the mayor and finance officer to attend the meeting of the Board of Water and Natural Resources in Pierre September 22-23. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes. Our Park Street Wastewater Utilities & Water Meter Replacement Projects will be on the agenda for funding consideration.

 

Diede moved to pay expenses for Thranum to attend the SDML convention in Sioux Falls October 4-7. Hoff seconded; all ayes.

 

We received a warning letter from DENR with a summary of violations that were reported on Discharge Monitoring Reports for May, 2011. The daily acceptable maximum pH is 9 SU. The reported value was 9.27 SU. Continuing to have violations can lead to an enforcement action which can include fines up to $10,000 per day per violation. The pH value of the water coming into town is higher than the value accepted by DENR. With all the rain, infiltration of the sewer lines and sump pumps being emptied into the system, the pH doesn’t have enough time to dissipate before the ponds are full and have to be discharged.

 

Superintendent Sayler went over the Surface Water Discharge Compliance Inspection report with the council. 

  1. The violations occurred because the ponds don’t have enough time to “turn over” before they are full and have to be emptied for the reasons explained above. These ponds were built to discharge every 180 days or twice a year. The past couple years, they have had to be discharged four times per year.
  2. A sample was taken and mailed on time, but failed to reach the lab within the allowable EPA holding time. (It took 4-5 days to get there.) We have no control over the USPS.
  3. Maintenance attends training courses as they are needed and when they are offered in our area, Sioux Falls, Mitchell or Yankton.
  4. We will consider establishing written emergency procedures to ensure city staff is prepared to address emergencies.
  5. The contractor had been contacted to spray weeds on the pond dikes, but was busy and didn’t get them done in a timely fashion.
  6. Pumping rates for the lift station will be determined.
  7. It is recommended the city enforce ordinances regarding flows from sump pumps. These excess inflows into the system result in unauthorized discharges from the collection system and treatment facility.

 

Collecting tires in September died for lack of a motion.

 

Sayler stated the controls in the broom get so hot he burned his fingers.

 

For Your Information: Stella Nusz of the Menno Museum sent us a thank you for our intent to install curb and gutter along the museum property.

 

The July MADC packet and SEFP report were distributed to the council.

 

Hoff moved to enter executive session with Sayler at 9.22 p.m. Fischer seconded; all ayes.

 

The mayor declared the council out of executive session at 9:37 p.m. No action was taken.

 

Diede moved to adjourn at 9:37 p.m. until Wednesday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m. Guthmiller seconded; all ayes

 

ATTEST:                                                                                               CITY OF MENNO, SOUTH DAKOTA

 

                                                                                                                                                                                               

Peggy Thranum, Finance Officer                                                       Darrell J. Mehlhaf, Mayor

 

Published once at the approximate cost of $________.