HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-13 WS Minutes - Approved
City Council 2011-06-13 6:48 p.m.
Minutes of Work Session
Present were Mayor Tom Wilharber, Council members Jeff Paar, Steve King, D Love,
and Ben Fehrenbacher. Also present were Mark Statz of Bonestroo & Assoc., City
Attorney Kurt Glaser, Public Works Director Paul Palzer and Finance Director Mike
Jeziorski.
The purpose of the work session was to cover two agenda items, Stormwater Drainage
issues, 2013 Budget.
Stormwater.
Council discussed ditch and wet rear yard issues at Meadow Court,
Meadow Circler areas (north of Center Street). Public Works Director, Paul Palzer
recommended that the city clean the westerly 100 feet of the ditch along with the
ditch along Centerville Road to Center Street. This cleaning would cost about $2700,
but would not fully solve the problems in this location. It may reduce the upstream
water level, but it was noted that large areas are plugged up with cat tails which have
impeded drainage. Some members of the council wondered if city staff could dig a
narrow trench to get the water flowing again, but it would likely be a very labor
intensive solution and would not likely help for more than a year or two. Consensus
was to go ahead with the work recommended by staff and then see what impact that
work has, before doing anything further. This will be placed on the next agenda.
Budget 2013
. Finance Director, Mike Jeziorski reviewed a draft budget for 2013. The
draft would leave General Fund and bond levies at the present level. Minor increases
to account for inflation were included along with the cost of the street mill and
overlay program. The Council questioned the need for some of the smaller capital
items, such as vehicle replacement, and asked staff to justify the numbers before the
next meeting.
The council discussed whether it was worth the premium of $7,000 per year to insure
property in the open,” such as playground equipment, street lights, hockey rinks and
the like. Approximately $40,000 in damage claims have been paid from the insurance
to the city for damage to these kinds of equipment, over the past ten years. Consensus
was that the insurance coverage should be continued, except staff will see what
premium savings would be to accept a higher deductible.
The budget includes the street mill and overlay program expenditures of
approximately $390,000. Four of the streets were withdrawn from the 2009 Street
Project. Engineer Mark Statz questioned if these streets would be adequately
addressed with a simple mill and overlay. He presented options for consideration
which ran in cost from $55 per foot to $340 per foot. Consensus of the council was
that the intermediate work of full bituminous removal would be the best option for
those streets at an estimated cost of $145 per foot. The capital budget would be fully
exhausted with those streets so others planned for 2013 would likely be moved to
2014. Bidding some of the second group of streets as alternates would allow them to
be included in 2013, if bids came in favorably. Staff will revise the plan to make the
suggested changes and report back to council.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:25 p.m.
Dallas Larson, Administrator