Mayor Ken Pankratz informs council members he is working on employee policy handbook
Members of the Butterfield City Council addressed downtown sidewalk issues at their Monday, June 9, regular monthly meeting. Sidewalk replacement is needed in front of Butterfield Foods, as well as alongside the south sidewalk of the Butterfield Liquor Store.
Mayor Ken Pankratz was to contact the Watonwan County engineer to explore in more depth why the sidewalk is caving in in those locations.
Employee policies being drafted
Mayor Pankratz informed the council that he is currently working on drafting an employee policy handbook for the regular July meeting of the council. He is using handbooks from Mountain Lake and St. James as models.
He also asked the council to split the minimum wage increases between this year and next year for those employees who will be affected. Pankratz additionally proposed a $.50 per hour change in the current library cleaning wage and also the part-time office assistant, as well as a $.10 an hour increase for the next lowest paid employees. No decision was made.
In other business
* Maintenance Manager Brandon Winch presented the maintenance report and a many-pronged needs/repairs listing.
Quotes were given to replace one of the pumps at the main lift station. The first was a Dakota Pump Control (DPC) for $21,979.23, which features a larger pump; an electric pump for $19,895.70 and a verbal quote bid from Motion Industries for $9,800, which did not include any piping. The decision was tabled until consultation with Butterfield Foods. Members also floated the idea of replacing both pumps and possibly receiving a price break.
Winch shared the information that the pig launch is still a couple of weeks out for installation.
Quotes to repair the storm sewer outlet and discharge pipe for the ponds were Winch’s next agenda item. The quote from Mathiowetz Construction was for $12,280 and from Civil Ag Group (CAG), the quote was $11,850, plus $6,440 for a terrace. This decision was also tabled until more information can be collected.
Council members approved the purchase of two tractor weights for maintenance use from Miller Sellner at a cost of $500.
Winch told the council that calcium chloride was slated to be put down on the city’s gravel roads during the second week of June.
The final maintenance information concerned the replacement work completed of the coils on the aerators.
* Discussion was held on the purchase of a vac truck from the City of St. James. Mike Linscheid, owner of Linscheid Pump, would have room for storage of the truck in the old car wash. The council made no decision on the matter.
* Approved the 3.2 off-sale license for Casey’s General Store.
* Heard a request from a tenant of the Economic Development Authority housing for the installation of a window shelf between the kitchen and living area to allow for air flow. The city’s building official will look at the request to see if it is feasible.
* Heard a concern from Tom Meyer about the gate getting locked at the compost site. Meyer explained that it appears people are helping themselves to the rock that is at the location.
* Approved the May financials and payment of bills.
