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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017.10.16 CC Minutes MINUTES FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 16,2017 Call to Order Mayor Weidt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PRESENT: Haas, Klein, Miron, Petryk, Weidt ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: City Administrator Bryan Bear, Finance Director Ron Otkin, History Intern Olivia Schiffman, and City Clerk Michele Lindau October 2, 2017 Planning Commission Interviews Miron made motion, Klein seconded, to approve the minutes for the Planning Commission interviews on October 2, 2017, as presented. October 2, 2017 City Council Meeting Klein made motion, Petryk seconded, to approve the minutes for the City Council meeting on October 2, 2017, as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried October 5, 2017 Water Quality Meeting Klein made motion, Miron seconded, to approve the minutes for the Water Quality Meeting on October 5, 2017, as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried October 6, 2017 Wilson Tool Open House Petryk made motion, Klein seconded, to approve the minutes for the Wilson Tool Open House on October 6, 2017, as amended to add Miron in attendance. All Ayes. Motion carried October 7, 2017 Citywide Bus Tour Klein made motion, Miron seconded, to approve the minutes for the Citywide Bus Tour on October 7, 2017, as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for October 16,2017 Page 2 of 5 October 7, 2017 Fire Department Open House as presented Klein made motion, Petryk seconded, to approve the minutes for the Fire Department Open House on October 7, 2017, as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried Approval of the Agenda Weidt made motion, Klein seconded, to approve the agenda as amended to include a discussion on the charitable gambling contributions report. All Ayes. Motion carried. Approval of the Consent Agenda Haas made motion, Klein seconded, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. 1. Approval of Claims 2. Approve Annual Performance Review for Accounting Clerk Anna Wobse 3. Approve Notice of Retirement from Senior Engineering Technician Steve Duff and Authorize Advertisement for Engineering Technician 4. Approve Appointment of Kim Luchsinger and Matthew Derr to the Planning Commission All Ayes. Motion carried. Approval of Claims Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the Claims Roster as presented. Approve Annual Performance Review for Accounting Clerk Anna Wobse The City of Hugo hired Anna Wobse as the City's new Accounting Clerk on October 27, 2008. Over the past nine years, Anna has worked under the direction of Finance Director Ron Otkin in accounts payable and payroll functions. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the annual performance review for Accounting Clerk Anna Wobse. Approve Notice of Retirement from Senior Enaineerina Technician Steve Duff and Advertisement for Replacement Senior Engineering Technician Steve Duff had submitted his notice of retirement effective January 31, 2018. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved this notice and approved the advertisement for his replacement. Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for October 16,2017 Page 3 of 5 Approve Appointment of Kim Luchsin2er and Matthew Derr to the Planning Commission On October 2, 2017, the Council interviewed three individuals for two vacancies on the Planning Commission due to the resignation of Chantell Knauss and Bob Rosenquist this past June. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the appointment of Kim Luchsinger and Matthew Derr as new members of the Planning Commissions with terms to expire on December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2020 respectively. Update on Hopkins Schoolhouse—History Intern Olivia Schiffman History Intern Oliva Schiffman provided Council an update on the Hopkins schoolhouse, located at 5970 170th Street North, beginning with a brief history on the structure. The schoolhouse was built in 1927 on land donated to the school district by the Hopkins family. The district changed multiple times ending in the Forest Lake School District. It served as an ungraded one room elementary school, teaching Grades 1-6 until it was closed in the spring of 1962. After that, it was used as the Oneka Town Hall in the late sixties and early seventies, and more recently was used by the boy scouts as a youth center in the early 2000s. Olivia spoke about the open house held on September 8, 2017, where approximately 33 people attended to provide input on what the future of the structure should be. Oliva explained the City received an$8,000 Legacy Grant through the State of Minnesota and the MN Historical Society to hire a contractor to come out and evaluate the historic value of the schoolhouse. The City could then be eligible for more grants for an in-depth analysis on the building and possible inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. If it's not seen as historical on a national level, the City could seek money through the Legacy Grant to preserve it on a local level. City Administrator Bryan Bear added that the Historical Commission will be making a recommendation to the Council in the future concerning options for the future of the schoolhouse. Discussion on MN Department of Health-Advancing Safe and Sustainable Water Reuse in Minnesota City Administrator Bryan Bear informed Council the MN Department of Health had released a draft report regarding water reuse in Minnesota. The City has been using stormwater reuse tools, and there has been some difficulty getting these projects through. The MN Legislature had recently removed the appropriation permit process with the DNR to allow reuse project without requiring their extensive process first. State agencies have been grappling with how to regulate these activities, and an interagency work group had been formed with its primary objective to eliminate barriers. WSB Engineering had provided Council their review on the report, and Bear explained there was an opportunity for the Council to provide comments to the state agencies and legislature on this issue as well. City Engineer Mark Ericson explained the Minnesota Legislature directed the Minnesota Department of Health to"prepare a comprehensive study of and recommendations for regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to water reuse for use in the development of state policy for water reuse in Minnesota,"with funding through the Clean Water Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The MN Department of Health had completed its final draft of the report on Advancing Safe and Sustainable Water Reuse in Minnesota. He talked about the group's main objectives: to define successful implementation of water reuse; identify current conditions that Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for October 16,2017 Page 4 of 5 support water reuse;identify barriers and solutions to the barriers; and develop recommendations for safe and sustainable water reuse practices and policies. Erichson highlighted items in the report including the strong focus on public health that will likely lead to additional permitting requirements. In the report,water reused for irrigation was viewed similarly to drinking water, and it was recommend that similar standards be adopted. Erichson stated that such treatment would add a lot of expense and feels this needs to be studied further. He talked about the review of the report by the MN Cities Stormwater Coalition and their fear that information in the report will become regulatory in absence of other guidance. Erichson recommended that certain language regarding treatment requirements be removed from the report until research is completed and that the workgroup focus on its original purpose of promoting water reuse. City Administrator Bryan Bear explained the concern was that there is a chance stormwater reuse could provide people or animals exposure to something in the water that could be a health danger, and in the report they are providing precautionary recommendations without scientific basis. He expects the workgroup to be reporting back to the legislators in the spring, and he recommended a letter be sent to the interagency working group with copies going to legislators. Haas said they should not be asking regulators for permission; a great conflict of interest exists there. If there is a health concern about water that is being reused, they should be doing something about what is in the water now. In the absence of scientific data,jurisdiction, and imagining problems that don't exist, obstacles will created. Weidt agreed and said rules are made up for everything possible instead of probable and things are being done without any scientific fact. They need to be redirected back to their purpose. Miron also agreed, and he talked about the 25 by 25 workshop last week where Hugo was pointed out as a positive example in water reuses, and this report seemed to be contradictory to the messages from that workshop. Miron fully supported sending the letter, and he suggested broadening the list of recipients. Miron made motion, Klein seconded, to direct staff to draft a letter in response to the working group's report. All Ayes. Motion carried. Yellow Ribbon Network Report Council Member Chuck Haas and Council Member Phil Klein reported to Council on the Yellow Ribbon Network activities held recently. The YRN assisted a woman by connecting her with someone to do daycare. They received toys in response to a request from a soldier. A check was received from Mark Schwope, and the Fry Group had raised $757 from the BBQ Rib Cook-off. Care packages are still being sent, and Ryan Companies wants to assist in packaging. Next week is burger night, and it will be sponsored by Wilson Tool. Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for October 16,2017 Page 5 of 5 Discussion on Contributions from Charitable Gambling Haas added this to the agenda to reference the report provided by the City Clerk on disbursements made by organizations conducting charitable gambling in establishment in Hugo. It was noted that some organizations are not donating the requested 15-100% back into the Hugo Community. Haas made motion, Klein seconded, to direct staff to send a"thank you" to those organizations and a reminder to donate the requested percentages. All Ayes. Motion carried. Oneka/Harrow Road Proiect Neighborhood Meeting on Thursdav, October 19, 2017 City Administrator Bryan Bear reminded Council a meeting had been scheduled with property owners on Oneka Lake Boulevard and Harrow Avenue to discuss a potential 2018 street improvement project. The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the Rice Lake Centre. Ground Breaking Event on October 23, 2017 City Administrator Bryan Bear informed Council they had been invited to attend the ground breaking ceremony at the site of the future Good Life Senior Living at the southeast corner of TH61 and 130th Street on Monday, October 23, at noon. Klein made motion, Petryk seconded, to schedule the Good Life Senior Living Ground Breaking on October 23, 2017. All Ayes. Motion carried. Adiournment Klein made motion, Miron seconded to adjourn at 7:49 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Michele Lindau City Clerk