03-11-2014 CCMMINUTES
REGULAR MEETING —HUTCH I NSON CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014
1. CALL TO ORDER —5:30 P.M.
Mayor Steve Crook cal I ed the meeting to order. Members present were Mary Christensen, B i l l Arndt,
Gary Forci er and Chad Czmowski . Others present were Jeremy Carter, City Admi ni strator, Kent Exner,
City Engineer and Marc Sebora, City Attorney.
2. INVOCATION —Father Jerry M ei dl , St. Anastasia Catholic Church, delivered the invocation.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. RECOGNITION OF GIFTS. DONATI ONSAND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THE CITY
5. PUBLI C COM M ENTS
Jeanette K rommenhoek — 544 M adson Ave SW, had f rozen water I i nes on M arch 6t" after hours. She
was abl a to get Eri c f rom Water Dept. on cad I and had a contractor come out. They were unsuccessf ul at
thaNVi ng the I i ne possibly due to a different material used in the street repair. She was tot d to connect a
garden hose to the nei ghbor' s house unti I her I i nes broke I oose. Juul Contracti ng was abl a to come out
the next day and break I oose the f reeze. She wants the publ i c to know what they shout d be doi ng to
prevent thi s and what thei r responsi bi I i ti es are for repai r.
Kent Exner, Ci ty Engi neer, read the ci ty ordi nance regardi ng f rozen water I i nes and sewer I i nes whi ch
states that i t i s the property owner's response bi I i ty f rom the house to the mai n. Counci I M ember
Chri stensen i nqui red about the reason the pi pe was a di fferent materi a1 and woul d not conduct heat to
thaw the I ne. M r. Exner explai ned that different materials can be used and it is no fault to anyone.
There was di scussi on about I etti ng the water "tri ckl e" to keep the pi pes f rom f reezi ng. M rs.
K rommenhoek stated she was unaware of the precautions she should be taking. City Administrator,
Jeremy Carter, menti oned that there was an arti cl e i n the paper about f rozen I i nes and the precauti ons
one can take. They tad ked about taki ng the temperature of the water and I etti ng the water "tri ckl e" i f
needed. There is a Tri ckl e Credit the city is offering to residents if they are experiencing problems and
resi dents shout d call the Utility Billing Department. John Olson, Public Works Manager, stated that is
about an extra $45 a month to let the water trickle. 52 degrees F is a good temperature of water, low
40's is when you may want to start precautionary measures.
M rs. K rommenhoek menti oned i t may be a good i dea to contract wi th an outsi de company for probl ems
I i ke thi s. M ayor Cook sai d they coul d possibly put a I i st of contractors on the city web site. M r. OI son
had a I i st of contractors i n the area that work on water or sewer I i nes or both. M r. OI son a1 so menti oned
that the f rost i n some areas i s about 7 f eet deep and that thi s i s the I owest the f rost has been i n M cL eod
County for 20 years.
6. MINUTES
(a) REGULAR M EETI N OF FEBRUARY 25, 2014
Motion by Christensen, second by Arndt, to approve the minutes as presented. Motion carried
unanimously.
CONSENTAGENDA (Purpose: only for items requi ring Council approval by external entities that would
otherwi se have been del egated to the Ci ty Admi ni strator. Tradi ti onal I y, i term are not di scussed.)
(a) RESOLUTIONSAND ORDINANCES
1. RESOLUTION NO. 14243- RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 13853 DATED
Cl TY COU NCI L AGENDA — MARCH 11, 2014
FEBRUARY 22, 2011 RENAMING THE EMERALD ASH BORER FUND TO THE TREE
DISEASE/INFESTATION MITIGATION FUND IN THE CITY OFHUTCHINSON
2. ORDINANCE NO. 14 -722 - ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 53,
SECTION 53.070 INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER: PRETREATMENT (SECOND READING
AND ADOPTION)
(b) CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL OF ITEMS FOR LYNN ROAD SW IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT (LETTI N N0.2, PROJECT NO. 14 -02) — DECLARI N COST TO BE
ASSESSED, ORDERING PREPARATION OF PROPOSED ASSESSMENT AND SETTING
HEARING ON PROPOSED ASSESSMENT
(c) CLAIMS, APPROPRIATIONSAND CONTRACT PAYMENTS— REGISTERA
(d) CLAIMS, A PPROPRI AT I ON S A N D CONTRACT PAYMENTS — REGISTER B
I tem 7(d) was pul I ed for separate act on.
M oti on by A rndt, second by Cook, to approve consent agendawi th the excepti on of the i tems noted
above. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion by Czmowski , second by Christensen, with Forci er abstai ni ng, to approve Item 7(d). Motion
carried unanimously.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS-6:00 P.M. -NONE
9. COM M UNICATIONS, REQUESTSAND PETITIONS (Purpose: toprovideCouncil with information
necessary to craft wise policy. Always looking toward the tuture, not monitoring past)
(a) FORESTRY UPDATE —MIKE BAHE, NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST
Mike Bahe, Natural Resources Specialist, presented before the Council. Mr. Bahe provided an
overvi ew of the forestry program from 2013. Some of the highlights i ncl ude an Arbor Day at Park
Elementary and New Discovery Schools. Planting trees and identifying trees with the students.
PI anti ng trees at 3M and doi ng some memori a1 tree pl anti ng. There was speci all i st f rom I owa State
University who came out and helped with Burr Oak Blight and we have a Green Core intern this
year helping with a project identifying the 14,000 city trees. Last year 467 trees were planted, 85
were removed. 278 trees are esti mated to be planted in 2014. Expensed seem to beway down from
2007 and are expected to stay down. The Energy Tree program wi I I be i n affect agai n i n 2014. 207
treeswere planted I ast year from this program donated by H utchi nson Uti I iti es Commission. Weare
starting to see a good effect of the trees planting in the late 90's, so this program i s worki ng wel I .
In 2014, an Arbor Day celebration is in theworksfor June 16th. Mikewillalsobeofferingthesame
publ i c outreach as he had i n 2013 as wel I as appl yi ng for another Green Core i ntern.
Therewas di scussi on about protecting the new trees that are planted in town with a I asti c protector
at the base to hel p the tree to be safe f rom weed whi ppi ng. There was a1 so discussi on about
knowi ng where out trees come f rom and maki ng sure they are tagged or have certi if i cates (even i n
the retail stores) to hel p wi th di sue. M i ke i nformed usthat we do not grow any of your treesf rom
seed, only helping along the bare -root trees purchased in bulk. There are no ferti I i zers added to the
trees after pl anti ng, they seem to do wel I i n the ri ch soi 1.
(b) REVIEW OF 2013/2014 WI NTER ROADWAY OPERATIONS
John OI son, Publ i c Works M anager, presented before the Counci I and gave an overvi env of the
winter roadway operations. Due to weather conditions so far they are ahead of schedule in man
K
Cl TY COU NCI L AGENDA — MARCH 11, 2014
hours and f uel used. They have not used as much sand and sal t thi s far i nto the season and for
the use to remai n as schedul ed. We have had 57 days bel ow 0 (the average i s 28) and snow f a1 I i s 4"
above average. The department bel i eves they have a1 I the f rozen water and sever I i nes cl eared.
They had some troubl e wi th equi pment on some of the nev roads thi s wi nter so the a1 ready
" narrowed" streets got a bi t ti ght, but wi I I be better next year. The department i s a1 so getti ng ready
to start repai ri ng pot hol es and encourages the publ i c to report probl em areas wi ther by phone cad I or
on the city web site. Mr. Exner and Mr. Olson will be in contact with MNDOT to make sure
highway pot hod es are fixed.
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
(a) REVIEW OF ITEMS RELATED TO 2ND AVENUE SE BRIDGE FEASIBILITY STUDY
Kent Exner, City Engineer, presented again before the Council. There was a resource a1 location
meeting on March 6t". They are looking at either going with option 1 of a "Band -Aid" fix to the
bri dge, or opti on 4 of a f ul I repl acement wi th a bi ketwal ki ng trai 1. M r. Ex ner di d expl ai n that opti on
1 would give the city about 10 years unti I option 4 would need to happen. Mayor Cook expressed
his concern that option 4 could be more costl y in 10 years and we maybe better to go ahead with it
now. Council Member Forci er questioned if we should also include pricing and information on
option 3 when receiving bids. Mr. Exner explained that we could do this and ask the bid not to
exceed $60,000. M r. Ex ner a1 so expl ai ned that we are I ooki ng at grant money and wi I I know before
the proj ect i f the ci ty wi I I recei ve the f undi ng. A new bri dge shout d I ast about 50 years. There was
di scussi on of f I ood ref i of at the bri dge and i f the bri dge woul d need to be rai sed.
M oti on by Forci er, second by Cook, to recei ve bi ds f or both opti ons 3 and 4. M oti on carri ed
unanimously.
11. NEW BUS] NESS
12. GOVERNANCE (Purpose: to assess past organizational performance, develop policy that guides the
organization and Council and manage the logistics of the Council. May include monitoring reports, policy
devel opment and governance
process i terns.)
(a) HUTCHINSON UTILITIES COMMISSION MINUTESFROM JANUARY 29, 2013
(b) SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL MONTHLY REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2014
(c) PLANNING, ZONING, BUILDING DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT FOR FEBRUARY
2014
13. M I SCELLANEOUS
Jeremy Carter —Mr. Carter mentioned there i s an Ethics Council Workshop on March 25, 2014.
A I so there wi I I be more discussion about the Civic Arena repairs and he wi I I address the council
when he I earns more about the topic.
Kent Exner — M r. Exner brought up the Origin Destination Study the engi peen ng department sent
out last year. They have compiled results and are working with M N DOT. The joint power
agreement had expired the end of February and therefore staff will be requesti ng an extension until
June 27, 2014.
M oti on by Forci er, second by A rndt, to approve the extensi on. M oti on carri ed unani mousl y. M r.
Exner a1 so brought up the School Road South and Roberts Road trai I proj ect. There was grant
approval of $200,000 for the project.
M
Cl TY COU NCI L AGENDA — MARCH 11, 2014
Council Member Arndt had more questions about the property owner's responsibility with frozen
water I i nes. Mr. Olson explained the ordi nance and showed a di agram of who is responsible in the
cast of frozen I i ne vs. a leak. Mr. Olson explained why the" insurance policy" was put in pl ace for
I eaks to help the property owner and said the policy i s worki ng well.
Steve Cook — Mayor Cook mentioned the opportuni ties to volunteer.
14. ADJOURN
Motion by Arndt, second by Cook, to adjourn at 7:30 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.
Steven W. Cook
M ayor
►.1
ATTEST:
Jeremy J. Carter
City Administrator