CITY OF WANAMINGO
City Council Regular Meeting
Monday, February 13, 2023 7:00 P.M.
Wanamingo City Council Chambers – 401 Main Street
Wanamingo, MN
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Holmes.
PRESENT: Council: Ryan Holmes, Stuart Ohr, Eric Dierks, Jeremiah Flotterud, and Rebecca Haugen
City Administrator: Michael Boulton
Deputy Clerk: Karen Masters
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Brad Kennedy, Melissa Meyers – Zumbrota News-Record, and Joe Coffey Jr, and Jake Coffey.
ADOPT AGENDA: Ohr motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Dierks. Passed 5-0-0.
CONSENT AGENDA: Dierks motioned, seconded by Flotterud. Passed 5-0-0.
PRESENTERS:
A) Brad Kennedy reported on:
1) Plowed snow, moved snow from cul-de-sacs, and sanded the streets
2) Cleaned snow from around hydrants.
3) Replaced one-hundred thirty-one (131) water meters around town in the past month. Have additional appointments lined up to replace ten (10) more this week. Hoping to replace twenty-five (25) per month to complete the entire town in two years. Have roughly one hundred (100) meters and endpoints on hand, to be installed.
4) Constructed eight (8) new raised bed boxes for the community garden. Four (4) new raised bed boxes were constructed and placed last year. The eight (8) new raised bed boxes will replace the remaining original boxes (12 total) in which the wood has rotted out.
5) Maintenance repairs – manifold gaskets on leaf sucking machine. New shaft, couplers, bearings, and new rubber skids on street sweeper. New clutch and throw bearings on pressure plate.
6) New air lines installed at street shop building.
7) Worked on State Bid order for 550 style truck and box. Order window for truck may only be open for a day in May or June (until spaces run out). Working with Towmaster Truck Equipment and Crysteel Truck Equipment on prices for the box.
8) Communicating with Richard Hanson of Floorcoat Midwest LLC regarding manhole rehab work. Last year’s quote was for $1,200 to rehab each manhole. Looking to get a plan together and bundle manhole work which could lower price for each manhole rehab.
9) Schumacher completed the remove the sediment from the Nelson Drive storm water retention pond last week. Kennedy stated that Schumacher removed thirty-six (36) loads of excess sediment material from the storm water retention pond. The storm water retention pond to function normally again after the sediment covered the outflow pipe and disrupted discharge.
Administrator Boulton provided a memo regarding the proposed grader sale. Boulton explained that Jeff Enstrom came a couple of weeks ago to inspect the 1967 120G Caterpillar (12) Motor Grader for potential purchase. The grader was replaced when the City purchased the used 2008 Caterpillar Front End Pay Loader in 2018. In May 2018, the City Council passed a resolution declaring the grader surplus. The City attempted to sell the grader through IronPlanet (Ritchie Brothers Online Auction). Similar models at previous auctions had sold for over $20,000. The grader went through several auctions with a minimum of $10,500, without a sale. The City had missed the hot overseas market by a few months. The City was offered $3,000 by a local farmer. The City weighed the grader and estimated scrap price to be $1,500. The City opted to keep the grader as a backup snow removal piece of equipment.
The grader has been sitting for nearly five years. The Wanamingo maintenance staff have started the motor yearly, but have not utilized the grader. The batteries need replacement ($400) and one of the front rims needs replacement ($500). In order to get it running in cold weather it could take up to a day. The Wanamingo maintenance staff has no intentions of utilizing the grader as a backup snow removal piece of equipment. The City staff recommend selling the grader before it loses value by having additional maintenance needs from sitting.
Jeff Engstrom had approached Mayor Holmes in Fall 2022 and stated his interest in purchasing the grader. Jeff Engstrom lives close to Wanamingo and works for RDO Equipment Company. He is interested in preserving old pieces of iron equipment. The Wanamingo City Council had discussed and come to a consensus to ask $4,000 for the grader from Jeff Engstrom in November 2022. Jeff Engstrom was able to inspect the grader where he and City staff noticed the dead batteries and issues with front rims. Jeff Engstrom also looked at the obsolete roller in the Livery Barn. City staff have no intentions of utilizing the roller and deem it a safety hazard. The motor is the only thing of value and has not been run in years. Jeff Engstrom offered $4,000 for the roller and grader, with City purchasing new batteries.
Boulton stated that the Council should reconsider the agreed upon asking price of the grader. The staff did not realize that the grader needs new batteries and replacement rims. The Council could accept offer or counter offer. City staff requests that the City Council sell the roller to get rid of a safety hazard. City staff believe that packaging the grader and roller into a deal would simplify the sale process. Kennedy stated that Jeff Engstrom was fine with installing the batteries if the City purchased them. Kennedy stated that Engstrom collects and enjoys old pieces of equipment. Flotterud moved to accept $4,000 offer from Jeff Engstrom to purchase the grader and roller with the City purchasing two new batteries and the buyer installing them, seconded by Ohr, Passed 5-0-0.
Boulton provided a memo regarding the rear doors at City Hall and the Community Center. The rear doors of the Wanamingo City Hall and Community Center are in poor condition. The door handle broke off the City Hall door. Neither of the doors have automatic closers, so they shake the entire building when the doors are closed. The shifting of the building has led to issues with the seals having to be removed. The Community Center door held water at the entrance each year before the parking lot was replaced, leading to water damage. Both doors have significant wear and tear, including dents and rust showing.
The City Hall side door is the same style door (half glass residential steel bottom) as the door that was replaced with the aluminum frame glass door in 2018. The new City Hall front aluminum frame glass door was installed in 2018 by Red Wing Glass for $4,248. The Community Center rear door is a solid residential steel door. This door had been installed when the building was still a fire hall, prior to City Hall/Community Center renovations in 2005.
As per discussions with City Staff and Mayor Holmes it was decided to replace the doors with similar looking doors to the front and side of the City Hall/Community. These doors are aluminum frame with glass. The rear doors do not need full glass, but rather glass on top and aluminum on the bottom. There is concern with deliveries and snow removal hitting the bottom of the doors. Aluminum bottoms to the doors will absorb any impacts where glass would crack or shatter. The City requested to have aluminum openings, rim exit devices, offset pulls, and closers installed for each door. The City requested that the door locks ben keyed to match the current City Hall and Community Center keys. The installation of new frames to the existing door openings will be labor intensive.
Johnson Hardware Co., LLC out of Dodge Center provided the City a quote of $4,810/per door plus $3,360 for coordinating the installation. Johnson Hardware Co., LLC’s staff stated that the order will be placed for the materials. The materials will take at least six weeks to order. Once they arrive Johnson Hardware Co., LLC will coordinate with the City for installation.
NEW BUSINESS:
RESOLUTION:
23-010 = Accepting 2022 Employee Reviews: Flotterud moved to approve, Seconded by Dierks. Boulton stated that Holmes, Ohr, Kennedy, and himself would be getting together in the next two weeks in order to complete the reviews. Passed 5-0-0.
23-011 = Adopting a Proclamation for School Bus Driver Appreciation Day: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Holmes expressed his appreciation for school bus drivers going back to Sigurd Ree. Boulton stated that he has been working with Lorin Pohlman of Held Bus Services with the sample language. Boulton stated that a photo would be taken and placed on the City Facebook page and sent to the newspaper. Passed 5-0-0.
23-012 = Approving Hiring a Part-Time Pool Manager and a Part-Time Assistant Pool Manager: Haugen moved to approve, Seconded by Ohr. Boulton stated that Dylan Steberg was coming back to be the swimming pool manager one more year with Julie Steberg as the assistant swimming pool manager. Ohr stated that the Water Lilly’s (water aerobics participants) would be pleased with both returning. Haugen stated that Dylan & Julie have done a great job managing the swimming pool the past few years. Passed 5-0-0.
23-013 = Approving Pay Requests No. 2 & 3 to The Joseph Company, Inc. for the Well House Portion of the 2022 Utility Improvements: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Boulton stated that Pay Request No. 2 is for $36,125.65 and Pay Request No. 3 is for $53,949.55. The Pay requests are for a majority of the electrical supplies that are being warehoused at The Joseph Company. Boulton stated that the project delay was due to the variable drive for the automatic controls being on back order. Kennedy stated that Northfield, MN was waiting three years on variable drive for their controls. Holmes stated that it is difficult to pay for items when no site work has been completed and the supplies are not onsite/in town. Boulton stated that the contract, as it is written, requires the City to pay the contractor for the supplies since they have been purchased and are being warehoused. Passed 5-0-0.
23-014 = Approving Support For a North Zumbro Sanitary District Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility Project General Fund and G.O. Bonding Bill Request: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Boulton stated that the Senate and House File Numbers would be added to the resolution once they are assigned. Boulton stated that the lobbyist, Prairie Island Indian Community, and area legislators are working to obtain DFL sponsors for the legislation in hopes of gaining majority party support and having broader appeal and making the final bonding bill list. Passed 5-0-0.
OLD BUSINESS:
The City Council reviewed the 2021 & 2022 swimming pool financials for comparisons. In 2022 the swimming pool brought in $20,300.53 in revenue compared with $20,128.57 in 2021 revenue. In 2022 the swimming pool had $68,380.69 in expenses compared with $69,212.02 in 2021 expenses. The swimming pool lost $48,080.16 in 2022 compared with $49,083.45 in 2021. The losses are funded by the general fund. Utility expenses were higher in 2022 compared to 2021. Work comp costs were lower from 2022 compared to 2021. Building R & M was higher in 2022 compared to 2021. Income was down for vending in 2022 compared to 2021.
Haugen attended the League of Minnesota Cities (LMNC) newly elected officials conference in Mankato on February 10th and 11th. Haugen stated that there were over one hundred (100) attendees. The topics included budgets, levies, legals, open meeting law, ethics, and discussions regarding scenarios. Haugen stated that the conference was informative and enjoyed discussions with fellow attendees. Flotterud and Dierks expressed their gratitude for having attended past LMNC newly elected officials’ conferences.
*Next City Council meeting on 3/13/2023 at 7:00pm.
Adjourn: At 7:42PM a motion to adjourn was made by Ohr and seconded by Dierks. Passed 5-0-0.
Signed: Attest:
_____________________ ____________________________________
Ryan Holmes, Mayor Michael Boulton, City Administrator
