March 5, 2012 Council Meeting

  1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Reinhardt calls the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
  2. ROLL CALL – Stone, Williamson, Hughes, Reinhardt.  Widmer is excused.
  3. INTRODUCTIONS – Administrator Tolsma, Clerk Lewin, Engineer Ellingson, Attorney Beck, AJ Chouinaard in the audience.
  4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -
  5. ADOPT AGENDA – Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to adopt the agenda.  All votes ayes, motion carries.
  6. ADOPT CONSENT AGENDA – Hughes makes a motion and Stone seconds to adopt the consent agenda.  All votes ayes, motion carries.
    1. City Council Meeting Minutes from February 6, 2012
    2. Accept Administration Committee Minutes from February 15, 2012
    3. City Council Work Session Minutes from February 27, 2012
    4. Amendment of Public Works Director Employment Contract Regarding Vehicle Use
  7. PUBLIC FORUM – No one.
  8. PRESENTATIONS AND & GUEST SPEAKERS – None.
  9. PETITIONS, REQUESTS & APPLICATIONS
    1. CUP Extension Request: Linder’s Greenhouses, Inc. – Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to accept the continuation of the CUP application.  All votes ayes, motion carries.
  10. ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
    1. Resolution 12-09: Reestablishing Unchanged Precincts and Polling Places – Reinhardt explained this is a standard resolution that is required to be adopted by all cities after redistricting.  Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to approve the resolution.  All votes ayes, motion carries.
    2. Resolution 12-10: Appointing Gary Hughes To Serve On LMCD Board – Reinhardt explains our previous representative had to step down and Hughes has volunteered to serve on a permanent basis.  Stone makes a motion and Williamson seconds to approve the resolution.  All votes ayes, motion carries. Reinhardt said the LMCD is a time commitment and she appreciates Hughes willingness to serve.
  11. REPORTS OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEES
    1. Mayor and Council – Reinhardt states that the Water Patrol building in Spring Park now accepts unused prescription drugs for proper disposal.  She also added the Celebrate Greater Mound group might come to the council in the near future regarding a banner program to promote area businesses.  Reinhardt said these banners would be displayed along Shoreline Drive. 

                                          i.    Proposed Bill S.F. 1190 Regarding Vacation Rentals – Reinhardt said there is proposed legislation at the capitol that addresses vacation rental and zoning which prohibits cities from prohibiting short-term rentals.  Reinhardt said she thinks the city should follow this closely especially due to the small lots in our city and the desirability of the lake access.  Hughes asks about the 30 day time period.  Williamson said that is the key defect in this proposed legislation.  Reinhardt said she’ll try to keep her eye on this.  Williamson said this will allow someone to purchase a lake home and then rent the premise out to vacationers.  He said that puts pressure on the residents in private neighborhoods.  Williamson said this is not prudent legislation for our area. 

                                        ii.    Lake Minnetonka Permitted Service Providers

Hughes said at the last LMCD meeting it was noted that yellow stickers will be issued for dock installers to display on their vehicles.  Hughes said the Water Patrol attended the meeting and there is discussion about the Save the Lake program and to promote fund raising for an underwater camera that can search the lake bottom.  He said this can be a search tool and various attachments can be added for other purposes.  Hughes asked the Water Patrol how many times in the past year would a tool such as this have been helpful and he was told about six times.  Williamson said he thinks this might be a good tool for public safety purposes.  Reinhardt agrees but thinks it would be beneficial.  Williamson said the question is if the service is applied to the correct funding source.  Hughes said another promotion being looked at is fuel stations at docks and a fund raising campaign.  He said there might be a discount on fuel if a donation is made to Save the Lake fund. 

    1. City Administrator

                                          i.    Insurance Liability Waiver Form – Tolsma said this is an annual form the council needs to vote on.  Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to not waive the monetary limits on tort liability.  All votes ayes, motion carries.

    1. City Engineer

                                          i.    Black Lake Discussion – Engineer Ellingson said the report presented tonight reflects what was discussed at the study session.  He said ten bores were taken with two control bores.  All bores were then reviewed.  Of the ten, nine were found to be typical existing “muck.”  One sample about 60 feet SW of the pipe outlet showed a silty sand layer of about an inch.  There were no large deposits found.  Based upon the previous dredging done, the sampling demonstrates no other action is warranted at this time.  Ellingson said there was some sediment at the pipe outlet but Pres Homes will be taking care of that.  Williamson asked about removing the sand deposits in rip rap; he wonders if it’s vacuumed.  Ellingson said it will mostly be hand work.  They may remove the rocks and hand shovel the sediment out and replace the rock.  Reinhardt said a letter was received from the Watershed that confirms these findings and states the Watershed will monitor the site and measurable sediment adjacent to the shoreline will be removed.  Tolsma said the Watershed stated the test results were what was expected and that if the city revisited a dredging action, it most likely would not be allowed.  Reinhardt recommends directing staff to draft a letter to the resident of Black Lake including the data.  She said the letter should state the city feels there is no further obligation other than the clean up expected by Pres Homes.  Williamson doesn’t believe a motion is necessary. 

                                        ii.    Reconditioning of Wells 1 & 2 (Documents will be provided at meeting) – Ellingson said this was a late delivery.  He said wells 1 and 2 are scheduled for routine maintenance as they were last done in 2000.  He said normal is seven to ten years and well 1 has a leaking packing gland.  Ellingson said this was included in the 2012 budget and $20,000 was designated.  Ellingson said it could end up $12-15,000 per well.  He said also well 1 has sand in the well.  Ellingson said with pumping at 250 gpm it pulls sand and it causes wear and tear.  Ellingson said this has been a chronic problem with this well and it needs to be addressed.  He said increased reliability for both wells should be explored.  Well 1 is 640 feet deep.  Williamson said the estimated cost per well is $12-15,000 but he wonders about the projected fees quoted on the second page.  He said according to the figures it could go as high as $25,000 per well.  Williamson said this has been an on-going issue for many years yet this is the first time he’s heard of it.  Williamson said if this was such a big deal, why wasn’t it mentioned prior to this?  Ellingson explained a complete overhaul makes sense at this time. Williamson said he understands the wear and tear on the wells is spread around.  Ellingson said right now well 1 can’t pump enough on its own.  Wells 1 and 2 turn on at the same time, they are not separated.  Williamson thinks this is important and more thinking and examination needs to be done on this.  Hughes wonders about the feasibility report for increasing pumping capacity and removing sand.  Ellingson said they’d be looking to increase the capacity above 250 gpm so the well could be run separately.  Hughes wondered if a larger drill would be required.  Ellingson said possibly.  Stone asked how sand is removed.  Ellingson said one method is air lifting.  Water is forced down and the sand comes to the surface.  Another method is a crane and drilling equipment.  Televising would be done to examine the casing and the condition of the well.  Reinhardt asked about well 3.  Ellingson said in 2000 all three wells were done.  In 2004 there was an electrical problem in well 3 and the motor was replaced so it would not need maintenance at this time. 

 

Williamson asked how this relates to the separate project for well head protection.  Ellingson said this is not related at all.  He said well head protection is looking at the land use around the well, drinking water supply management, surface protection preventing pollution, etc.  Reinhardt asked Tolsma to look through the budget to see where funds could be gathered.  Tolsma said he can look through the budget to find some money for this project. 
Reinhardt wonders about timing of the project.  Ellingson said peak watering times should be avoided.  He said the packing gland on well 1 is failing.  He thinks this needs to be done sooner than fall.  Ellingson said he can refine the costs estimates for the rehab.  Hughes wonders about the costs for televising and Ellingson said it isn’t included in the bid.  He said the project will have unknowns built in.  Reinhardt asked how long this will take.  Ellingson said it could take a month to six weeks to get the motors rebuilt.  Williamson asks if this will affect the control panel in the water plant.  Ellingson said nothing needs to be changed other than a slight modification to the wiring. 

    1. City Attorney – Nothing.
    2. Utility Superintendent – Nothing.
  1. UPCOMING MEETINGS & TRAINING
    1. March 6, 2012 – City Administrator Six Month Review – 10:00 AM – Reinhardt reminds the council that Tolsma’s review is on schedule. 
    2. March 14, 2012 – Administration Committee – 11:00 AM – Reinhardt wonders about changing the meeting as she will be gone next week.  She’s looking at the following week. 
    3. March 14, 2012 – Planning Commission – 7:00 PM
    4. March 19, 2012 – City Council Meeting – 7:30 PM
  2. UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
  3. NEW BUSINESS & COMMUNICATION
    1. Bills & Payroll – Williamson asked about A1 Electric Service claim of $3500 for well #2 and #3.  Tolsma said it’s work to the electrical components of the well system.  He said he doesn’t have specifics but it’s related to issues with corrosion with the electrical system because of the fans drying out the water in the drains and the sewer gas escaping.  Williamson asked about vacuuming of lift 6 with Infratech.  He wondered how often we have those charges.  Tolsma said he’d have to research how often this is done.  Reinhardt recommends this going in the next dispatch.  Ellingson said he thinks it’s once a year.  He said because of the volume for lift 6 it might be more than once a year.  Williamson would like information on lift 1 too.  Williamson asks about Morton Salt.  He said there has been a lot of salt purchased and it’s stored at city hall.  He wonders what the plan is for the salt that is presently stored as it probably won’t be used this season.  Tolsma said he believes the salt can be returned.  Tolsma said this is the first time the city has purchased salt in bulk.  Williamson makes a motion to pay the bills and Stone seconds.  All votes ayes, motion carries.
  4. MISCELLANEOUS (Information Only)
    1. New Email Account Information – Reinhardt said these e-mails have not been activated yet.  She said it is the next step if the Ipads are decided and a password is needed.
    2. January Financial Report
    3. Recycling Information – A tour of the facility is scheduled for March 23rd. 

 

  1. ADJOURNMENT –  Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm.  All votes ayes, motion carries.