Minutes - 1999/03/08 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council March 8, 1999 Regular Meeting Page 5 • C. Approve Resolution No. 5321, Authorizing the Golf Course Superintendent to Investigate the Process of Placing Billboards on Golf Course and Adjacent Property, Including Making Application to the Planning Commission. D. Set a Public Hearing for March 22, 1999, at 7:10 P.M., Concerning a Conditional Use Permit for an Outdoor Flower Mart for Linders Greenhouses, Inc. to be Located at Moundsview Square. Mayor Coughlin asked the Council if anyone would like to remove Items for discussion. Council Member Stigney requested Item A and C be removed from the Consent Agenda for additional discussion. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney/Marty. To Approve the Consent Agenda for Items B and D, as presented. Ayes - 4 Nays - 0 Motion carried. • Council Member Stigney requested clarification regarding a claim settlement the City paid to the League of Minnesota Cities in the amount of $2,124.50. He stated it was his understanding that this matter pertained to a pickup truck which was impounded by the City, and towed to the impound lot, where it was crushed, and this amount was to settle the resulting legal suit, because the City was not supposed to have done this. He indicated he had asked the City Administrator what the City's policy was, and how they could insure that this would not happen again. Council Member Stigney stated he further understood that the League of Minnesota Cities, as the City's insurer, made this settlement unbeknownst to the City, and paid the claimant. He requested clarification regarding these points. City Administrator Whiting stated this was essentially correct, and this incident occurred at some time during the last two years. He indicated he contacted the League of Minnesota Cities, and spoke to the insurance agent that was overseeing this matter. He explained that at some point between impounding the vehicle and settling this case, the vehicle remained on the lot, however, due to the procedural understanding between the City and the impound lot, the vehicle was inadvertently destroyed, unbeknownst to staff. City Administrator Whiting stated the vehicle owner made a claim against the City, and the attorneys for the League of Minnesota Cities arrived at this amount as a settlement. He noted since he had spoken with Council Member Stigney regarding this matter that date, he had been unable to contact the attorneys who pursued this case. He stated the League of Minnesota Cities was working on the City's behalf, even though this settlement would come out of the City's $10,000 deductible, which is why it was listed on the bills and warrants. City Administrator Whiting stated he was not aware that anything of this nature had occurred in the past, and it certainly has not happened since, however, staff may have to review the policy and procedure with the Chief of Police, in order to prevent it from ever reoccurring. He • indicated that the League of Minnesota Cities felt that blame was not obvious to the City or to the impound vendor, however, there was a lack of communication or understanding regarding what was supposed to happen, and this resulted in the vehicle being crushed.