Claim submitted to LMCIT for sealcoating runoff clean-up cost
THE MOUNTAIN LAKE City Council. Seated front, from left, Council Member Dana Kass, Mayor Mike Nelson and Council Member Darla Kruser. Standing back, Council Member Andrew Ysker, left and Council Member David Savage, right.
The request to direct the Planning and Zoning Commissio to study the amending of city ordinance to permit the raising of chickens anywhere within the city limits was made at the Mountain Lake City Council’s Monday, August 1 meeting – and died for lack of a second.
Discussion on the topic included a look at ordinances that allow chickens in the cities of New Ulm, Rushford and Spring Valley.
The city’s current ordinance was written by the Planning and Zoning Commission when they were directed to do so by the council in 2013. That commission held a number of special meetings prior to the writing of the ordinance. The ordinance – allowing for raising animals, including chickens, in an area on the outskirts surrounding the city – was eventually adopted in 2014.
Former Mountain Lake Mayor Dean Janzen was at the meeting to speak against changing the ordinance. He cited odor, noise and appearance concerns, felt the current ordinance is adequate.
Reasons to revise the ordinance were also listed. Discussion continued on also allowing other farm animals. The number of properties already illegally housing chickens was also tackled.
Mountain Lake Mayor Mike Nelson led the motion to directed the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the possibility of allowing chickens in all areas of the city and consider revising the ordinance, but there was no second.
Claims submitted on sealcoating runoff
A claim has been submitted to the League of Minnesota Insurance Trust (LMCIT) to cover the expenses of hiring WCEC (West Central Environmental Consultants Inc.), a hazmat cleaning company, to clean up sealcoating that had entered the storm sewer system, travelled to the Lawcon Park plunge pool and into Mountain Lake. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) had been notified.
Sealcoating requires two hours of drying time. However, two hours had not yet elapsed when rains fell late Thursday afternoon on August 4 on the sealcoating applied earlier in the day on 8th Street, 9th Street and Prince Street.
In other business
+ Reviewed and discussed the mayor and city council salaries of area cities.
- It was noted that members of the Library Board, Planning and Zoning Commission, Police Commission and Utility Commission receive a stipend when they attend a meeting. The members of the Lake Commission, Tree Commission and Economic Development Authority do not.
- Several cities compensate council members for day-long, out-of-town meetings. Those who were required to represent the city and council at the Kuechle mediation in Minneapolis received no compensation the day. In addition, a stipend for an all-day, out-of-town meeting would also encourage more attendance at League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) meetings.
- The council directed Mountain Lake City Administrator/Clerk Wendy Meyer to prepare an ordinance establishing a $10 stipend for all board, commission and committee meetings, and a $75 stipend for day-long out-of-town meetings.
- The ordinance will need to be read at three council meetings before it can be adopted. By state statute, the ordinance cannot go into effect until January 2017.
+ Agreed that the city’s responsibility for the out-of-court Kuechle Underground Inc. Settlement payment of $62,500 should be made from the Public Facilities Authority (PFA) loan fund. Determination of the amounts to be repaid by the city and utility will be made after the Thursday, August 25 Utility Commission meeting.
+ Reviewed the rates and policies of Island View Campground as well as neighboring campgrounds. The current rates are $20/night, $120/week, $450/month and $1,300/seasonal year. The council decided to increase the seasonal rate to $1,600, and leave all the other rates as they are.
+ Reviewed the budgets of the city office, street department, street lights, storm sewer, sidewalks, paved streets, parks, campground, cemetery, Economic Development Authority and library.
- It was noted that 2017 health insurance premiums will be increasing 7.5%.
- The labor contracts for the 10 employees that are either members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) expire at the end of the year. Until the new contracts are settled, a 3% budget increase is being used in the budget.
- All of the budgets stayed mostly flat, with the exception of salary and benefits lines, which saw increases.
- Discussed increasing legal fees and compost site salary.
- A salary line of $2,500, plus benefits, will be added to the Mountain Lake Walking/Biking Trail’s budget so that a seasonal trail employee could be hired in 2017.
- Agreed that there should be money in the budget for the outdoor skating rink, support of the public school swimming pool and a highway sign.
- Increased the sealcoat/crack-filling budget by $10,000 so that RePlay, an eco-friendly soy-based sealant sold and applied by Bargen Inc., can be applied to a city street.
- Raised the city-wide clean-up budget to $8,000.
+ Directed Administrator Meyer to adjust the 91% city/9% employee contribution to the health insurance premium to 80% city/20% employee in the draft budget.
+ Learned that the city’s second quarter of 2016 contribution to the Mountain Lake Public School swimming pool is $3,881.19.
+ Appointed election judges for the Tuesday, November 8 general election.
+ Briefly reviewed an ordinance amending Mountain Lake City Cemetery regulations during a second reading, with no action taken. The ordinance would not allow pre-placement of headstones.
+ Heard from Mountain Lake City Attorney Maryellen Suhrhoff on several sections of an ordinance establishing a temporary family health care dwelling during its second reading. No action was taken.
+ Attorney Suhrhoff outlined the next steps in abating the public nuisance at 1406 3rd Avenue.
+ Approved the Minnesota Municipal Utility Association Safety Contract for October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, at a cost of $15,700.
+ Reviewed the invitation for the Tuesday, October 4 CMPAS (Central Municipal Power Agency/Services) annual membership meeting.
+ Closed the open meeting and opened a closed meeting pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 179A.01-179A.25 to consider union contract negotiation strategies. Closed the closed meeting and reopened the open meeting, following the 19-minute closed meeting.
City of Mountain Lake Meeting Dates
+ Mountain Lake City Council meets the first and third Mondays of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Utilities Commission meets the second and fourth Thursdays of every month at 7 a.m.
+ Economic Development Authority (EDA) meets the second Friday of every month at 12 noon.
+ Lake Commission meets the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Library Board meets the second Wednesday of every month at 4:45 p.m.
+ Police Commission meets the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.
+ Planning and Zoning meets the last Monday of the month, if needed.
+ Tree Commission meets quarterly – January, April, July and October – at 7:45 p.m.
