Untitled Document

Bertha City Council

by Carolynne Bisel

All council members were present for the regular meeting held on June 9. Guests present were: John Blashack, Blayne Brisson, Elverna Gossell, James Gritz, Tyson Hajicek, Dean Klebs, Gary Kleen, Jim Mares, Joe Oyster, David Rokes, Adam Shamp, Bob Wieber and Mark Woelfel. The long meeting lasted four hours.

Actions

ï Approved the May 12 City Council minutes and the May 15 emergency council meeting minutes as well as the May disbursements and the population estimate for LGA formula resolution.

ï Approved the request from the police department to purchase a squad car, a 2007 Dodge Charger, for $22,400 plus accessories and installation of the radio.

ï Designated the amount of $40,000 for Ditch 15 Fund.

ï Heard a presentation from Tyson Hajicek, P.E., Moore Engineering, Inc. concerning the proposed wastewater improvement project. Hajicek encouraged the city to start the process for the project by officially selecting an engineering firm..

ï Approved the request from the liquor store to create an outdoor smoking and drinking patio.

ï Tabled the Linescape Linestriping quote decision until the July council meeting in order to have more information about the locations of the intersections involved.

ï Approved to accept the quote of $5,037.50 from Quality Paving & Sealcoating of Deer Creek for blacktopping the alley north of the fire hall.

Discussion Without Action

ï Selection of an engineering firm was discussed for the improvement projects, and the council came to the consensus that the City of Bertha needed to advertise.

ï The liquor store report was explained by Mayor Larson. The off sale is doing OK, but the figures are still down. The council agreed that they would consider changing the assistant manager position to full-time manager.

ï Mayor Larson explained that during the Dairy Days celebration, the Friday night music will be karaoke, not live music as previously reported.

ï The council members discussed the properties in the community that were a hazard to the public. The noncompliance to the nuisance ordinances of these properties will not be tolerated anymore. The council will turn over the matter to the city attorney, who will be contacting the property owners about the intent to have the property removed at the ownerís expense.

ï Councilman Klebs lead a discussion about the pay the council members receive and some of the conflicts of being a member of the council. The members agreed that at times it was a thankless job and that the council meetings tend to be too long. One solution to long meetings was to consider two meetings a month. Another solution was to consider a pay increase for council members. No decision was made yet.

Eagle Valley School Board

by Karin L. Nauber

Two members of the board, Kim Lind and newly appointed member Mark Johnson, were not at the regular meeting on June 9. Lind had been called to work and Johnson had previously told the board that he may not be able to make this meeting.

Actions

Approved consent agenda items which included first readings of the employee-student relationships and the disposition of obsolete equipment and material policies; student supplemental insurance for $4865.50; membership in the vocational rehab program at a cost of $1288.57; membership in MREA at a cost of $1382; membership in the Minnesota School Boards Association; a ten week maternity leave for Tabitha Bartels around September 15.

Approved appointing board members to fill Tom Eckelís positions on committees.

Approved the proposal from Climate Makers to redo the heating system in the elementary, Phase 2 and 3 for a total cost of $67,887. Payment of $20,000 will be delayed until fiscal year 2010.

Approved the proposal from Jack Josephson to remodel part of the lobby of the elementary gymnasium to make the two current bathrooms handicap accessible. Josephsonís estimate is $20,000 to $22,000. This will be put out for local contractors to quote or bid.

Approved the funded and unfunded activities. Unfunded continues to include the NFL, dance line, elementary football.

Adopted the resolution giving notice of filing dates for election.

Approved a contract with Central Lakes College for College in the Schools/Concurrent Enrollment Agreement. This will allow the school to get some business classes into the curriculum.

Approved policy services from MSBA for $924. Second year cost will be $455.

Discussion Without Action

The board was presented with the 2008-2009 proposed budget. It is currently a deficit budget with a difference between revenue and expenditures of -$360,108. Twitchell said that he and Bookkeeper Pam Pontius budget low on revenue and high on expenditures to be on the safe side when budget planning. Part of the deficit is coming from the food service.

Elementary Dean of Students Duane Motzko reported that there are 72 students in summer school.

Principal Deanna Mattson-Millar reported that a couple of senior students are working on making up credits or time in the high school so they can get their diplomas signed.

The board offered their appreciation to Millar for her two years of service to the district. This was Millarís last meeting as principal.

Discussed the entry way door by the industrial arts classroom. Water comes in under the door and has washed away newly applied wax. The door is rotted also.

For discussion, Twitchell talked about an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune which talked about a school which went to a four day week to save money. That district estimated they will save $65,000 in heating and busing costs.

Heard the technology committee report from Board Member Jay Eckel. Several staff members received website training and will be able to train others.

There was some discussion about why the district funds winter cheerleading when no Eagle Valley students are involved. This is for wrestling cheerleading. Millar said she talked to the coach and six EV girls had tried out and didnít make the squad. She said she was told the girls were not good enough, but she felt the girls would have done fine with the squad. They will have Athletic Director Andy Lancaster talk to the Coach Peggy Stone about it.

Talked about online classes. Freshwater will be more prepared this year. The classes are a lot of work for the students and it really pushes them, but it also keeps them in the building instead of going to post secondary options.

Discussed the reality of rising food costs and the fact that the food service program consistently loses money.

The state no longer funds the breakfast program.

The board will be looking at price increases at their next meeting.

On June 23 at 6 p.m. will be a special meeting with architects.

Hewitt City Council

by Karin L. Nauber

All members of the Hewitt Council were present for the regular meeting held on June 10. The meeting was two hours and 38 minutes long.

Actions

Discussed a water and sewer extension to the Cary Jasmer property. The water will be done. After discussion, it was decided that the city sewer would cost too much to put in and so the council granted approval to put in an individual septic sewer system.

Approved a bid from Oberg Fence for $995 to fix the softball field fence.

Approved the resolution to appoint Thomas Meszaros to the council. He will begin on July 8.

City Maintenance Head Blayne Brisson will make a blueprint of a design for a crane to lift pumps that have recently been plugged by cloth materials in the sewage line. The initial cost to pull up the pumps and remove the debris was $1404.46. Brisson did get $380 knocked off the bill. If they could pull the pumps themselves, Brisson said may be able to fix them.

Discussion Without Action

Heard the annual financial audit from Julie Nelson from Mayer, Porter, Beinhorn and Rawlings. One of the findings was that the enterprise funds for water and sewer are consistently losing money, approximately $18,000 a year. She suggested the city will either have to raise the rates or find a way to cut expenses.

Council Member Alice Schweninger said she would like to get an agenda for all meetings prior to the meetings. She said she didnít even know what a special meeting held on Tuesday, June 3 was about. Collom said the notice for the meeting had been posted for three days. No notice was submitted to the Independent News Herald.