Nowthen City Council Workshop meeting, April 5, 2018

City Council

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Agenda

Not on file

What was on the agenda.

Packet

Not on file

The supporting materials the board reviewed.

Minutes

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The official record of what happened.

One-line summary

Council held a workshop reconvening the Old Viking Blvd public improvement hearing, heard a 2017 audit presentation, reviewed code enforcement updates, discussed multiple consent-agenda items for a future council meeting, covered annexation and seasonal hiring concerns, and adjourned.

What was on the agenda

22 items as recorded in the minutes, each with a short summary of what was at issue.

1Public Improvement Hearing - Old Viking Blvd (reconvened)
Public comments and council discussion on assessment approach, possible agricultural land deferral/exemption concepts, speed limits, project bundling/maintenance, and next steps to consider proceeding for actual cost information at the April 10 council meeting.
Council reconvened the public improvement hearing for Old Viking Blvd to hear resident questions about how assessments would be calculated (discussed as "one assessment per PID number"), whether agricultural land might be deferred or treated differently, how the City pays its share (including mention of a $200k transfer to the Road Improvement Fund), and whether special uses like the Threshing Show or businesses could be assessed differently. Residents also raised speed limit questions and provided information suggesting the City may be able to change local road speed limits; staff said they would seek clarification and look into advisory speeds. The hearing was closed and the Mayor noted the April 10 council meeting would address whether to proceed with additional information to determine actual cost; no votes were taken at this workshop.
Minutes state this was a workshop with no voting; hearing was closed.
- Old Viking Blvd improvement
- assessments
- speed limit
Discussion only
p. 1p. 5
2Presentation of 2017 Audit Report
Auditor presented the 2017 audited financial statements; copy available at City offices.
Michael Pofahl presented the City’s 2017 audited financial statements, with a copy available at the City offices. Later in the listed consent agenda items, council members discussed whether an amended audit report would be available by the April 10 council meeting and whether the approval item might need to be removed from the consent agenda if the amended report was not ready.
Presentation only; approval referenced later as a consent agenda item for a future meeting.
- 2017 audit
Discussion only
p. 6
3aPlanning & Zoning: Code Enforcement Updates
Planner presented April code enforcement summary including Anderson property cleanup issues, Madson CUP/wetland issues, Dubneque matter, and compliance checks for Burns Auto and nearby business.
Planner Liz Stockman provided April code enforcement updates, including issues at the Anderson household on Nowthen Blvd (cleanup after a structure fire and potential letters/citations), CUP and wetland concerns with Mr. Madson on Norris Lake Rd, and an unresolved matter involving Mr. Dubneque’s attorney. The Mayor directed staff to check compliance conditions for Burns Auto such as lighting, number of cars, and parking, and also discussed concerns about another business north of Burns Auto and the goal of keeping main corridors attractive within legal limits.
- code enforcement
Discussion only
p. 6p. 7
4.1Consent Agenda: Approve January 16th Joint Meeting and March 13, 2018 City Council Meeting Minutes
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.2Consent Agenda: Financial Report
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
- financial report
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.3Consent Agenda: Approve all audited bills Claim #670 through Claim #701 plus net distribution reports dated March 14 and 19, and April 2, 2018
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
- claims
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.4Consent Agenda: Resolution 2018-08 accepting a donation from the Ham Lake Chamber of Commerce
Rainville requested assurance donation not expended without prior Council approval of where it is to be spent.
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
- donation
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.5Consent Agenda: Resolution 2018-09 ordering plans and specifications - Pinnaker Lake Estates
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
- Pinnaker Lake Estates
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.6Consent Agenda: Resolution 2018-10 ordering plans and specifications - Old Viking Blvd
This workshop minutes list consent agenda items but do not record a vote/approval here.
- consent agenda
- Old Viking Blvd improvement
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.7Consent Agenda: Audit report approval (amended report question for April 10 meeting)
Breyen asked whether amended audit report would be available by April 10 and whether to remove from consent agenda then.
Michael Pofahl presented the City’s 2017 audited financial statements, with a copy available at the City offices. Later in the listed consent agenda items, council members discussed whether an amended audit report would be available by the April 10 council meeting and whether the approval item might need to be removed from the consent agenda if the amended report was not ready.
This workshop minutes list the item but do not record approval here.
- consent agenda
- 2017 audit
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.8Consent Agenda: Ratify the 2019 URRWMO Budget
Discussion that the budget is based on land amount; Council should monitor watershed spending.
This workshop minutes list the item but do not record ratification here.
- consent agenda
- URRWMO
Outcome unrecorded
p. 7
4.9Consent Agenda: Adopt Ordinance 2018-03 relating to disturbances at City meetings
Based on Attorney Ruppe draft; Council directed typo fix and change Rule 1 time limit to 3 minutes instead of 5 minutes.
This workshop minutes list the item and discussion but do not record adoption here.
- consent agenda
- meeting conduct ordinance
Outcome unrecorded
p. 8p. 8
4.10Consent Agenda: Resolution 2018-11 clarifying Tony Elfelt August 29, 2017 findings and decision regarding sale of firearms (for State)
Clarification for State purposes related to FFL application and wording of findings.
This workshop minutes list the item but do not record adoption here.
- consent agenda
- firearms
- FFL
Outcome unrecorded
p. 8
4.11Consent Agenda: Use of the softball fields at Nowthen Memorial Park and Twin Lakes Park
Listed as a consent agenda RCA item with no recorded action in these workshop minutes.
- consent agenda
- parks
Outcome unrecorded
p. 8
4.12Consent Agenda: Approval to attend the Minnesota Mayor's Association
Listed as a consent agenda RCA item with no recorded action in these workshop minutes.
- consent agenda
- training
Outcome unrecorded
p. 8
5aCouncil Items: Deputy Clerk position update
No update reported.
No update at this time.
- staffing
No action
p. 8
5bCouncil Items: Day to day operating expenditure authorization
Pilon suggested Breyen work with LaDoucer to align policy documents; proposed tabling discussion until consistent.
Discussed as a workshop item with proposal to table further work until coordinated with staff; no motion recorded.
- purchasing policy
Discussion only
p. 8
5cCouncil Items: RCA - Approve hiring seasonal employees
Discussion of hiring truck driver for hauling gravel; Rainville raised concern about prior year non-hauling hours and requested assurances; discussion of pre-authorization for additional duties.
Council discussed an RCA item to approve hiring seasonal employees, focusing on a truck driver for hauling gravel. Rainville raised concerns that the prior year truck driver worked substantial non-hauling hours and requested assurances that the role this year would be limited to hauling unless additional duties were pre-approved. The discussion included a possible compromise where any work beyond hauling would require permission in advance, and a suggestion that two council members be designated to provide pre-authorization so needed work is not delayed.
Discussion only in workshop minutes; no vote recorded here.
- seasonal hiring
- public works
Discussion only
p. 9p. 10
5dCouncil Items: Annexation update
Discussion of Union Herald article; Oak Grove support/party status and possible costs; Roessler potential $20,000 spend; letter from Eldon Farb; Moritz property abutting issue; decision needed on city legal representation.
Council discussed an Anoka Union Herald article about annexation/detachment, including a quoted statistic that "only 791 acres have been transferred between two incorporated municipalities since 1959." The Mayor described communications suggesting Oak Grove might hire outside counsel and that Oak Grove’s participation could make it a party subject to deposition and related costs; he also stated Roessler planned to spend $20,000 on his own costs. Council also discussed a letter from Eldon Farb, uncertainty about whether the Moritz property would qualify as abutting, and that the City would need to decide what attorney representation to use if the matter proceeds.
- annexation
- detachment
- Oak Grove
Discussion only
p. 11p. 11p. 11
5eCouncil Items: Old Viking Blvd assessment options/considerations
No options yet; to be discussed at council meeting; discussion included agricultural land deferral/exclusion ideas, map parcel discrepancies, and whether business/event traffic could affect assessments.
Council reconvened the public improvement hearing for Old Viking Blvd to hear resident questions about how assessments would be calculated (discussed as "one assessment per PID number"), whether agricultural land might be deferred or treated differently, how the City pays its share (including mention of a $200k transfer to the Road Improvement Fund), and whether special uses like the Threshing Show or businesses could be assessed differently. Residents also raised speed limit questions and provided information suggesting the City may be able to change local road speed limits; staff said they would seek clarification and look into advisory speeds. The hearing was closed and the Mayor noted the April 10 council meeting would address whether to proceed with additional information to determine actual cost; no votes were taken at this workshop.
No action taken; deferred to council meeting discussion.
- Old Viking Blvd improvement
- assessments
Discussion only
p. 12
5fCouncil Items: Reschedule Comp Plan workshop
Delayed due to absence of members; Stockman to provide unavailable dates by April 10.
Rescheduling deferred until more members present.
- comprehensive plan
Continued
p. 14
6Introduction of new items
The minutes show the heading but do not describe any items introduced.
Outcome unrecorded
p. 14

Motions and votes

1 motion on the record.

M1Rainville made a motion to Adjourn.
moved by Rainville, seconded by Breyen
Passed
p. 14

Sources

Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.

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