HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.02.79 Council Minutes
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MINUTES
COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR
JULY 2,1979
1. The meeting was called to order by the Mayor at 7:00 P.M.
Present: Mayor Akin, Councilmen Johnson, Kuchera, Orr and Whittier
Also Present: Administrator Ford, Attorney Gorgos
2. Motion by Kuchera, second by Johnson to approve the minutes of June 18, 1979.
APIF, motion carried.
3. Former Councilman Harry McElmury had been invited to this meeting for the
purpose of making a presentation to him of a plaque in recognition of his many
years of service on the City Council prior to his retirement from public service
on 12/31/78, and at this time in the meeting, the Mayor made the presentation to
Mr. McElmury who was congratulated by all members of the council.
4. The Mayor and members of the council expressed their sadness and conveyed their
condolences to Officer Bud Steigauf, whose 13 year old son had been tragically
killed when struck by an automobi!le while riding a bicycle within the previous week.
5. The council reviewed a letter dated June 21, 1979, from Officer Dan Churchill,
Union Steward, Teamsters Local 320, concerning the 1978 award of merit pay. The
council unanimously took the position that this dispute was not a greivable dispute
under the terms of the contract and that the points raised in the letter by Mr.
Churchill, did not go directly to the question of language interpretation or applica-
tion of conditions within the contract. The Administrator was requested to inform
Mr. Churchill of this matter. Motion by Akin, second by Orr that the council officially
take the position as expressed above and that Mr. Churchill be so notified. APIF,
motion carried.
6. Motion by Johnson, second by Kuchera that the application for non-profit organiza-
tion Gambling License for the Legion Auxiliary at 313 3rd Street, be referred to the
City Attorney for his opinion and that the 30 day delay period start as of July 2,
1979, and further that the City Administrator notify the applicant to contact the
City Attorney. APIF, motion carried.
7. The City Attorney informed the council that he had contacted the Attorney for
Davis Electronics in regard to the Pager dispute and was awaiting a reply from him.
He stated that he had informed the Attorney of the various improvements that had
been made in the pager alert system and the fact that the system was still inadequate.
8. Motion by Kuchera, second by Orr that two capital outlay purchase requests by the
Park Department be approved: (a) $500 for basketball concrete matte and (b) purchase
of material for playground equipment for Westview Acres in the amount of $300. APIF,
mot i on carri ed.
9. A letter was reviewed which had been received from Mr. Wayne Murphy, District
Maintenance Engineer, Minnesota Department of Transportation, informing the City
of their intention to sealcoat Elm Street (Highway 50), from T.H. 3 to Vermillion
River Bridge, and requesting the council's approval for a detour, the specifics of
which would be left to the City and the Highway Department. Motion by Whittier,
second by Kuchera that the council concur in the traffic proposal as presented in
the above letter. AP1F, motion carried.
10. The Council agreed to deal with a list of questions to be presented by the
City Administrator peripherally related to, and prior to, the budget meetings
to deal with the 1980 budget.
11. Motion by Kuchera, second by Johnson to approve the bills as presented.
APIF, motion carried.
12. The Administrator informed the council of the position taken by the Metropolitan
Waste Control Commission concerning connection of the City and Mid America Dairy to
the new interceptor and authorized his meeting with various parties to sort out the
problems and suggested solutions involved in that change over.
13. Administrator advised the council that Sid Miller, Building Inspector, presently
employed by Apple Valley, whose services had been made available to the City of
Farmington by a contractural arrangement with Apple Valley had taken a full time
job of Building Inspector with the City of Lakeville. The Council was advised that
the Administrator was attempting to work out some arrangement with both of those
cities to obtain interim services until Apple Valley had acquired and trained a
replacement. All were cautioned that this occurence would probably result in un-
even services being made available but that the inconvenience to builders would
be kept to an absolute minimum.
14. The council reviewed a letter received from Dakota County informing the City
that a meeting would be held on July 11, 1979, at the Government Center in Hastings
to deal with the possible future organization of a Civil Defense capability in
Dakota County. The council took the position that (a) the civil defense structure
should not be a separate organization but should be assigned as additional duties
to an existing department of government (b) that the county look into the possibility
of assigning these duties and responsibilities to the present Sheriffs office
Traning Officer, Mike Blanche (c) that one of the primary concerns of the Dakota
County Civil Defense Organization be an examination of the system of alerting by
sirens and the possible improvement of same, county wide.
15. The Administrator informed the council that he had not been able to pursue
the proposed move of the Library into the Youth Center because of lack of time and
lack of expertise. The Administrator felt that a point had been reached where
technical assistance was needed in the drawing up of some sort of proposed plan and
cost estimating. The council requested the Administrator to contact the Library
Board to ascertain whether or not they would prepare their own plans and cost
estimates for remodeling which would be required by them in the Youth Center and
the City would proceed from there.
16. The Administrator informed the council that he had placed ads in approximately
25 newspapers within a 350 mile radius in a search for a Deputy Treasurer. He stated
to the council that 11 responses had been received from people who did not possess
the minimum qualifications and of the 6 who responded who possessed the minimum
qualifications, it was his intention to interview three. The council asked to be
kept informed.
17. Motion by Whittier, second by Orr that the filing date required for the Fairhills
Plat be extended from July 7, 1979 to August 7, 1979 and that the necessary signatures
on behalf of the City are hereby authorized and directed to be placed on the final
plat upon receipt of payment from the developer in the amount of $6981.13. Voting
for: Johnson, Kuchera, Orr, Whittier. Voting against: Akin. Motion carried.
18. The council reviewed and discussed two offers which had been received independently
- "
,
Minutes of 7/2/79 cont.
to purchase the City owned land on Linden Street, commonly referred to as liThe Village
Acre". After considerable discussion amongst the members of the council and after
consultation with the City Attorney a motion was made. Motion by Akin, second by
Kuchera that the offer to purchase, dated July 2, 1979, by Jeannine Erickson in the
total amount of $22,500 be accepted and the matter turned over to the City Attorney
for processing. APIF, motion carried.
19. In the matter of correspondence from ADS, Advertiser Distribution Services, Inc.,
the Council agreed that there would be no objection to this firm erecting boxes for
delivery of newspapers and magazines as they proposed but that it would be a good
idea for that firm to furnish to the City a Hold Harmless Agreement.
20. Consideration of the proposed changes in the hourly rate schedule for General
Services Equipment was deferred to the next meeting.
21. The proposed purchase by the Fi re Department for a 4~1' valve was deferred to
the next meeting.
22. Motion by Akin, second by Johnson that the request of the Downtown Bussiness
Men to block off the immediate central business district for the annual Rid~culous
Days celebration on July 27-28, 1979, was approved and the Police Department was
instructed to coordinate with the General Services Dept in this matter. APIF,
motion carried.
23. The request of the Downtown Businessmen Professional People that the City
reconsider acquiring municipal parking rights to a privately owned vacant lot
in the downtown area was deferred to the next meeting.
24. The Administrator was requested to take up with the Police Department reports
of a hazardous condition existing on Co. Rd. 31 brought about by tame geese
wandering on and over the highway.
25. The Mayor reported to the council, results of a meeting which he recently
attended with the Minnesota Historical Society in which he was unsuccesful in
obtaining the removal from the Historical list of the Railroad Depot and the
Exchange building in Farmington.
26. Motion made and seconded to adjourn at 9:15 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
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Wi 11 iam J. Ford-'-
City Administrator
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