The Pledge of Allegiance was said by those in attendance.

Agenda

Goebel moved and Joe Hennen seconded a motion approving the meeting agenda. Discussion offered. Motion carried.

Annual Area Fire Service Meeting

At 7:30 P.M. the Annual Meeting Area Fire Service was called to order. In attendance were the following:

City of Freeport

  • Matt Worms
  • Dave Humbert
  • Ken Goebel
  • Joe Hennen
  • Tim Hennen

City of St. Anthony

  • Herb and Irene Breth

City of St. Rosa

  • John Stoermann

Krain Township

  • Don Tembreull

Millwood Township

  • Adolph Wensmann
  • Steve Notch

Oak Township

  • Bob Timp
  • Bob Roelike
  • Giles Rieland

St. Martin Township

  • Do Rausch

Albany Township – not present

Also present were Fritz Hoeschen, Mike Renneker; John Beste; John Gilk, Fire Chief and Paul Hetland, City Clerk/Treasurer.

John Gilk and Paul Hetland gave a brief review of the agenda.

Fire Relief Association Presentation

Fritz Hoeschen, Freeport Fire Relief Association gave a presentation regarding the finances, structure and purpose of the relief association. He noted that the funding is driven primarily from premiums and state resources. He noted that Freeport is Defined Contribution formulated, which means the Freeport Area Fire Service or the City of Freeport has no responsibility for a deficit in the relief fund. He noted that the relief fund cannot be used for general fund functions, such as borrowing against it for trucks, equipment or building. In the area, he noted in provided documents that the Freeport Area Fire Service donates the second smallest amount to their fire fighters relief association.

Proposal - $100 truck fee on all calls, and fire and rescue fees.

Hetland provided documents from the League of Minnesota Cities that additional fees cannot be charged to those outside of the area, fees must be applied equally. Gilk gave a report regarding the fees charged by fire services in our area. The information is highlighted as follows: Melrose charges $300 per hour up to $1000; Kimball, Holdingford, and Cold Spring no medical fees and bill out fire calls; and we are the only department looking at a truck fee out of six local departments. Hoeschen commented that our rescue operations are not covered as an approved provider. It was noted that a minimum of five fire fighters are needed for medical rescue call. It was further noted that Freeport is the only one that pays for rescue calls and that our response time is one of the highest in the county. Gilk suggested dropping the truck charge.

Timp stated that it is hard for a fire service to rely on funding with fees. For fairness in billing rescue calls, it was discussed to place a cap on the number of staff time billed to $250. No formal action was taken on this matter. Extensive discussion followed regarding defining the best management practice between using fees and using levies to offset budgetary expenditures. St. Rose moved and Millwood seconded a motion to abolish all fees placed upon calls. Discussed followed and included a point made that the expenditure for staff time could be reduced based on the lack of work required in collecting payments. A roll call was requested. The votes were verbally cast as follows: Krain Township yes, Millwood Township yes, Oak Township yes, City of St. Rose yes, St. Martin Township yes, City of St. Anthony yes, and the City of Freeport no. Motion carried.

2006 Budget

Hetland gave a review of the revised budget from the February meeting. Updates were made to the electricity and heating lines to more accurately reflect proposed expenditures and the revenue streams indicated the various options discussed. Hetland provided at the meeting updated levy information based on the previous motion to remove all fees.

Millwood moved and Krain seconded a motion to add back into the revenue side the fire fees. Discussion followed regarding the differences between rescue and medical calls and when the fees would be applied. Some in attendance conveyed confusion of the last vote that they didn't understand that all fees would be removed. A roll call was requested. The votes were verbally cast as follows: Krain Township yes, Millwood Township yes, Oak Township yes, St. Martin Township yes, City of St. Rose yes, City of St. Anthony yes, and the City of Freeport yes. Motion carried.

St. Rose moved and Freeport seconded a motion to approve the proposed 2006 budget and allocating the remaining $8.85 to the vehicle sinking fund creating a balanced budget of $101,152.55. Discussion offered. Motion carried.

Proposal – Late fee, $10 per month, 60 day collection process begins, by August of every year those bills 6 months (Feb 1) outstanding, placed on tax roll (anyone in Stearns County not just fire district)

Krain moved and Freeport seconded the staff recommendation. Discussion included Hetland stating that there is no late fee imposed at all at the current time. Motion carried.

Extension of Fire Hall usage with City of Freeport

Hetland and Dasher gave overview of the need for a possible small extension for City usage of the fire hall to renovate the new city maintenance building by the water tower. Members of the Area Fire Service stated that the City should work out the arrangements with the fire fighters. Gilk stated that he didn't see a problem with the request and it was suggested that the City would like to be out by March 2006 at the latest.

Millwood moved and Freeport seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 9:42 P.M. .

Council recessed at 9:45 P.M. The City Council meeting resumed at 9:51 P.M.

Also in attendance were the following: Fritz Hoeschen, and Jim Schulz. Myron Knutson, Bruce Powell,

Staff person on hand was Paul Hetland.

New Business

Open Public Forum

No one was present to bring forward any issues.

Main Street Project

Regarding the electrical line relocation, Steve Huseby of Illum-A-Nation and Bruce Powell of Xcel Energy were present to discuss the details of the proposed project. Powell gave two scenarios being a westerly route and an easterly route. Both proposals were extensively discussed at prior meetings. The new information provided was that the westerly route could take upwards to nine months before completion and cost an additional $71,600 more to complete. Powell also stated that individual service lines affecting the customers would be approximately $1000 per residential customer to include all rewiring costs. There would be approximately 4 customers affected and one apartment house. Worm moved and Humbert seconded a motion to proceed with the easterly route to relocate the power lines at an estimated amount of $123,513.05 to be completed by the end of the road project. Discussion included Huseby noting that relocating the cable television line would be about half of the original amount quote of $11,500 based on a recent conversation with U.S. Cable. Motion carried 5-0.

Regarding the warning siren, Huseby and Hetland will work together to bring more information on the possible relocation and/or addition of another pole. Professional guidance will be sought and reported at a upcoming meeting.

Huseby noted that the light poles will be delivered by the following week. Worms moved and Goebel seconded a motion to approve of the time and material needed to unload the poles be done by the equipment operators of Vinco not to exceed $1000. Discussion offered. Motion carried.

Bond Presentation, Myron Knutson, Public Financial Management (PFM) Group

Knutson was present and presented background information regarding independent financial advisors and the services provided by the firm he represents. He noted that he and his company doesn't buy or sell bonds but drafts specifications and bids and places them out for competitive bids. He also noted that PFM is the largest financial advisor in Midwest, and is working on a bond for Stearns County. He provided a few examples of recent bonds that went to bid he coordinated. He noted that the fee would be exactly $7500 for the service and outlined the fee structure of bond sales.

Knutson also stated that under state law, governmental entities are required to go to competitive bid when bonds are proposed to go over $1.2 million.

Hetland strongly advised moving forward with bond using his services through PFM. . Humbert moved and Goebel seconded a motion to begin working with Myron Knutson of PFM regarding the 2006 Main Street Public Improvement Project and produce recommendations as soon as possible. Discussion followed with the intention to sell the bonds on June 29. Motion carried 5-0. Knutson noted that there was a $17,000 overall, bottom-line savings on the USDA bond if that was rolled into the bond at the same time. On June 29, that would also be reviewed for consideration.

Old business

Hetland explained the delay in the closing due to immense about of plats being reviewed by the Stearns County Recorder with no recommendation by that office on a time frame when the plat would be recorded. Hetland had worked with Scott Hamak, city attorney to produce an indemnity agreement to allow the Pierskallas to develop the land and construct their building on the site as approved by the EDA and Council. Humbert moved and Joe Hennen seconded a motion to approve the agreement and to allow Hetland to take all required measures to allow the Pierskallas to develop and construct as soon as possible. Discussion followed and Hetland noted that he had received an updated agreement from Hamak later that day and had not had time to review it. He also provided Pierskallas with a copy and they had not had sufficient time to review it either. Motion carried. 5-0. Schulz noted that per their request a 24" culvert would sufficiently meet their needs.

Report – Jim Schulz, SEH, City Engineer

Schulz reported on the Main Street Project that there will be a slight delay in the progress of the project due to the inability of CenterPoint Energy to locate a line in a timely manner. Schulz conveyed disappointment and frustration considering the company had the proposed plans since February.

Report – Joel Dasher, Public Works Director

Dasher gave a verbal report noting an update on the seal coat for the roads in the City and that he is working on the utility locations for road project.

Report – Paul Hetland, City Clerk/Treasurer

Hetland gave a verbal report. As an informational item a draft sketch, not a preliminary plat, was submitted by Graeme Mahler and Duffy Engineering regarding a proposed plat called Island Paradise for review for zoning compliance. He also noted that he had several conversations with them and provided the shore land zoning and subdivision ordinance for their review. He also informed them that the sketch does not conform with city zoning regulations. Hetland further requested updated maps and the proper information in accordance with the subdivision ordinance and in conformance with state statute. No formal action has been requested and no formal documents have been submitted at this time.

Humbert moved and Goebel seconded a motion to approve the claims as presented in the amount of $4533.39. Discussion offered. Motion carried 5-0.

Worms discussed his intention to create a Road Project Committee to gain greater public involvement with the project and to make timely decisions on matters not involving added expenditures, such as decisions involving landscaping the Main Street Park. A final committee list will be provided at a later date.

Joe Hennen requested a 3.2 malt beverage, non-intoxicating malt beverage license for June 3rd, 4th 5th and for June 17th, 18th, 19th. Tim Hennen moved and Worms seconded a motion to approve the request. Discussion offered. Motion carried 4-0. (Goebel needed to leave the meeting a few moments before adjournment.)

At 12:12 A.M. Thursday, June 2, Joe Hennen moved and Humbert seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried.