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Hugo City Council Minutes for September 21, 2009 <br />Page 4 of 7 <br />Approve Administrative Interpretation regarding Wind Powered Generators on Rooftops <br />Recently there's been a request to construct a roof -top wind power generator in the rural <br />residential district. The City's Municipal Code does not address regulation or the process of <br />approval for roof -top wind power generators. Because of that, staff does not have a way to <br />address the request for installation for that type of equipment. However, the zoning ordinance <br />does regulate antennas and pole mounted wind power generators. It's in staff's opinion that the <br />interpretation of the antenna ordinance and the regulation for installation of wind power <br />generators can be combined to allow for administrative approval of roof -top wind power <br />generators. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved staff's interpretation of wind powered <br />generators on rooftops. <br />Approve Revisions to the Employee Handbook for Leave of Absence for Firefighters <br />At its September 8, 2009 meeting, the Council approved revisions to the Employee Handbook <br />for leave of absences for firefighters. Subsequent to the revisions, staff determined that military <br />leave of absence was not include for accrual of service time. Staff notes specifically that "on- <br />call firefighters on military leave of absence DO accrue service time". Fire Chief Jim Compton <br />requested a revision to the policy to correct this error. Adoption of the Consent Agenda <br />approved the revision to the Employee Handbook for the Leave of Absence for firefighters. <br />Approve Rescheduling Date for CSAH 8 East Open House for Wednesday, October 14, <br />2009 <br />At its September 8, 2009 meeting, the Hugo City Council accepted the recommendation from the <br />Washington County Highway Department for the rescheduling of an Open House for the CSAH <br />8 east road improvement project for Tuesday, September 29, 2009. Since that time, Washington <br />County officials have requested the City of Hugo reschedule the date to October 14, 2009. <br />Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the rescheduling of the CSAH 8 East Open House for <br />Wednesday, October 14, 2009 from 4-7 p.m. at the City's Rice Lake Centre Community Room. <br />Discussion on Scoping Estimate for Undergrounding Power Lines on TH61 - John Wertish, <br />Xcel Energy <br />At its March 12, 2009 meeting, the Hugo City Council discussed the potential of undergrounding <br />the power lines on TH 61 on the east side along Egg Lake in the City's downtown area. Council <br />directed City staff to work with John Wertish at Xcel Energy to obtain a scoping estimate of <br />costs related to the undergrounding of the power lines. At the July 6, 2009 Council meeting, <br />City Engineer Jay Kennedy explained the details of the scoping estimate to the Council as well <br />as financing options after which Council asked a number of questions which staff noted and <br />discussed with John Wertish on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. John Wertish had been unable to attend <br />the last few Council meetings due to a family emergency but was in attendance this evening. <br />The Council asked John about using a design similar to the poles in Victor Gardens. John <br />explained the power poles through the Victor Gardens development held express feeder lines, <br />which deliver voltage with few taps going off it. The poles along Highway 61 in the downtown <br />area hold main line feeders with several taps. To underground the poles with taps would require <br />surface mounted transformers located in the right of way which require ten feet clearance for <br />operations. He further explained that both above and underground power lines need replaced <br />every 20-25 years, and it is an expense of Xcel's to install and maintain the lines. Xcel would <br />