Council Minutes, December 7, 2020

Posted: December 7, 2020

City of LeRoy MN – Council Meeting Minutes, December 7, 2020

A regular meeting of the LeRoy City Council was called to order by Mayor Brian Thiel on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 6:30 PM at the LeRoy Community Center with the following members present:  Mayor Brian Thiel, Council Members Ashley Huntley, Jan Whisler (by telephone), Harold Shipman, Daisie Fox, Maintenance Employee John Jones, and City Clerk Patty White.
Also attending: Axel Gumbel, Alice Darland, Deputy Sawyer Weiss, Cassidy Milks, and Ed Koppen.  All stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Truth in Taxation Hearing:

  • Thiel read the due call for the Truth in Taxation hearing and opened the hearing at 6:33 PM. No one in attendance was present for the Truth in Taxation hearing.  Thiel noted the city’s levy has not been increased or decreased for many years.  The hearing was closed at 6:34 PM.

Consent Agenda:

  • Council reviewed the items included in the consent agenda. Huntley questioned if any council action was required for the issue with the dogs and fence at a Main Street residence.  Jones reported the dogs are not usually at this residence anymore.
  • Motion by Huntley, second by Fox to approve the consent agenda. Motion carried 5-0.

Police Report:

  • Deputy Weiss reviewed his written report. He noted there has been a broad number of calls covering a wide range of offenses.  Council thanked Deputy Weiss for his report.

Public Input:

  • The city maintenance employees were thanked for beautifying the city with the Christmas decorations.

Standing Committee Reports:

  • EDA Appointment, EDA Bylaws, WWG Bonds
  • Thiel reported the EDA met this morning and adopted revised bylaws based on Minnesota Statutes. Motion by Thiel, second by Whisler to accept this revision of the EDA bylaws.  Motion carried 5-0.
  • Thiel reported the EDA had received a letter of interest from Jan Dohlman for the open EDA seat. The EDA has recommended the appointment of Jan Dohlman.  Whisler noted Ms. Dohlman certainly has knowledge of WWG and would hope there would be no conflict between her and the WWG administrator.  Motion by Whisler, second by Shipman to appoint Jan Dohlman to the unexpired term of Craig Jacobson.  Motion carried 5-0.
  • White reported she had researched the possibility of refinancing the WWG bonds. Due to lower interest rates some savings could be realized.  Motion by Huntley to look into refinancing the WWG bonds.  Second by Fox.  Motion carried 5-0.
  • Other Standing Committee Reports
  • Huntley reported the ambulance board had met. She reported that there are some issues with some areas of the building that need attention; this was caused when the roof leaked.  The maintenance department was directed to get these issues taken care of.  Huntley also reported there may by a first responder class offered in Adams after the first of the year.
  • Shipman reported Prairie Visions did not meet due to COVID-19.

State Highway 56 Project:

  • There was no new information to review on this project.

2021 Pay Package/Pay Scale:

  • Thiel presented a computed pay per point schedule based on pay equity compliance. He noted this would balance out job classes and point values for the job classes.  Council would then set the target pay per point.  Motion by Huntley to adopt the proposed system.  Second by Shipman.  Motion carried 5-0.  Huntley noted this is the most organized system she has seen.
  • Motion by Huntley, second by Shipman to adopt the point system as stated and the point rate as .123 and moving employee John Jones to the job class Maintenance Senior effective 01/01/2021. Motion carried 5-0.

2021 Budget & Final Levy Adoption:

  • Council had no further questions about the proposed 2021 budget or proposed 2021 levy. Motion by Shipman, second by Huntley to adopt the proposed 2021 budget.  Motion carried 5-0.
  • Motion by Shipman to pass Resolution 2020-11, a resolution adopting the final levy at $500,000. Second by Fox.  Motion carried 5-0.

Aerial Photo of LeRoy Presentation:

  • No one was present to give this presentation. No action was taken.

Library-Letter of Resignation:

  • Council reviewed the letter of resignation from Librarian Rhonda Barnes. Gerald Payne, a member of the library board, reported the library board has accepted the letter of resignation effective 12/31/2020.  Payne also reported a sub-committee of the library board has met and will be advertising for a librarian; this advertising will be sometime after the first of January, 2021.  He reported SELCO was contacted about this pending resignation.  The library will remain open for the stated hours during this time of transition.
  • Motion by Huntley, second by Shipman to accept, with regret, the resignation of Rhonda Barnes. Motion carried 5-0.

2021 Liquor Licenses:

  • Council reviewed the 2021 liquor licenses. Motion by Huntley, second by Shipman to approve the 2021 liquor licenses.  Motion carried 5-0.

Location for TV for Community Center:

  • Council discussed the best location for the TV and cabinet to be installed. It was originally thought to have the TV and cabinet installed on the east lower banquet room wall.  Concern was expressed that this might be in the way for people using the center for gatherings.  It was the consensus of the council to have the TV and cabinet installed on the north wall of the lower banquet room wall.

Land Use Permits:

  • There were no land use permits for council review.

Communications File:

  • Resolutions for Donations
  • Jones reported that Glenn Young had donated a small utility trailer to the city. Motion by Huntley, second by Shipman to pass Resolution 2020-12, a resolution accepting this donation.  Motion carried 5-0.
  • Other Communications
  • Other items included in the communications file included a letter from Mediacom pertaining to rate increases. A thank you from Nicole Freerksen was read; Ms. Freerksen had received one of the Pangborn scholarships.  A thank you from the LeRoy FFA was read; this thank you thanked the maintenance employees for their assistance with the Fall Frolic for Food event.

Street Project for 2021:

  • Council reviewed the proposal from Heartland Asphalt for a mill and overlay of East Lowell Street from the intersection of Lowell Street and Broadway Street to the intersection of Lowell Street and Benton Street. The proposal was in the amount of $149,599.75.
  • Council consensus to hold this proposal over for the new council to review in 2021.

Snow Removal:

  • White reminded council they had entered into an agreement with MnDOT last year for snow removal on Main Street. Jones noted he would like to work with Koch, Inc. and Cordell’s Dozing & Excavating for snow removal on Main Street.  Motion by Shipman to work with Koch, Inc. and Cordell’s Dozing & Excavating for snow removal on Main Street.  Second by Huntley.  Motion carried 5-0.

Cleaning of Blocked Catch Basins:

  • Jones reported he and Sweeney had cleaned and jetted the plugged storm sewer line located near 321 East Lowell Street; the line was plugged with leaves and debris. Jones noted he and Sweeney are working cleaning out the other catch basins as time and weather allows.

Well House Controls Update:

  • Jones reported the repairs have been made to the well house controls. He reported the company is to install the new pump motors sometime next week.  Most of the bills for this have been submitted to the city insurance provider due to these issues being caused by a lightning strike.

Volunteer of the Month Recognition:

  • There have been no new nominations for the volunteer of the month recognition.

North Baumbach Park-Court Fence:

  • White reported the proposal has been signed and submitted; half of the cost of the new fence has been paid as a down payment.

Nuisance Properties:

  • There was nothing to report on nuisance properties.

Other Business:

  • Thiel reported LeRoy City Lines does not have any revenue coming in due to COVID-19. The EDA is hoping to restart commuter service in the future.  The EDA is requesting the payments for the buses that LCL makes to the City on a monthly basis be deferred until operations are running again.  They are also recommending a quarterly review of their financials to determine when payments are feasible again.  Shipman noted the only options the city has is to either defer the payments for a time until commuter service begins again or sell the buses.  Shipman and Thiel both noted they are in favor of deferring the payments to give LCL time to restart the commuter service.  Motion by Shipman, second by Fox to defer the LCL monthly payments for the first quarter of 2021 with quarterly review of the LCL financials.  Motion carried 5-0.

Huntley thanked Thiel and Whisler for their years of service to the LeRoy City Council.  Both members thanked the council for the honor to serve.  Thiel also thanked the council for their time and effort put in on city business these past four years.  Being no further business to come before the council, the meeting was adjourned on a motion by Whisler, second by Thiel at 7:54 PM.

– Brian Thiel, Mayor

– Patty A. White, City Clerk-Treasurer

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