M1Motion to approve the agenda as amended.
Exact transcript text
motion to approve the agenda as amended
Passed
2:13motion to approve the agenda as amended ... yes so moved second second it motion carries
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Thursday, December 7, 2017
Agenda
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The supporting materials council reviewed.
One-line summary
Council held a short-handed workshop: approved the agenda (with an item tabled), discussed year-end fire budget transfers and a disputed fire response billing tied to a burn permit, reviewed gambling permit changes, multiple planning/zoning matters (including Nowthen Historical Power Association IUP/CUP amendments and a proposed subdivision/flag lot), and discussed code-enforcement letter process and consent agenda planning for the next Tuesday meeting.
13 items as recorded in the minutes, each with a plain-English summary of what was at issue.
1Approve agenda (amended; table item 2 under Park & Recreation)
Workshop vote recorded in transcript; minutes not in this bundle.
2Fire Department request: year-end transfer and broaden search for fire rescue truck / turnout gear funding discussion
Fire chief discussed moving unused gear budget into fire equipment fund and creating/dedicating turnout gear funding; also discussed a separate request to increase purchase price range for a fire rescue truck beyond the original $50,000.
The fire chief reported difficulty finding a suitable fire rescue truck within the previously granted $50,000 and asked to carry forward unspent gear budget into the fire equipment fund to broaden the search. Council discussed splitting the year-end amount so that roughly $14,000 would go into the equipment fund while $7,500 would be set aside into a dedicated turnout-gear fund to prepare for expected replacements in 2019, and they discussed resubmitting the request with a wider purchase-price range for the truck for a vote at the next Tuesday meeting.
Workshop was described as information-gathering; votes planned for the next Tuesday meeting.
3Request regarding fire call billing / burn permit issue (Dennis Lesko)
Council heard the fire chief’s explanation of a response to reported grass fire while a permit burn was occurring; discussed permit rules and whether the billed response was appropriate; resident disputed number of fires/piles and said he did not receive regulation sheet.
Council discussed a resident’s request related to a fire department response while he was burning with a permit. The fire chief explained that 911 callers reported a possible large grass fire, prompting an all-call response; on scene they observed what they described as 10 to 12 actively burning piles, which they said violated the three-pile limit, and referenced an approximate response cost of about $1,988. Mr. Lesko disputed the number of fires, said he had only several windrows burning, and said he did not receive the open burning regulation sheet; the discussion also led to a takeaway that the city should ensure regulation sheets are handed out with permits and that unusual burns should be coordinated with the fire department.
No final decision recorded in the workshop transcript; discussion focused on clarifying rules and process.
4Gambling permits: change at Bootleggers to Elk River Youth Hockey
Discussed a request to change the gambling beneficiary/organization at Bootleggers to Elk River Youth Hockey, with start date January 1.
Council reviewed a request to change the gambling operation/beneficiary at Bootleggers to Elk River Youth Hockey, with discussion noting a January 1 start date. The matter was presented as needing council action, with voting intended for the next Tuesday meeting rather than at the workshop.
Request stated as needing council action; workshop indicated voting would occur the following Tuesday.
5City-owned parcel / lot sale discussion (asking price based on market value; closing costs)
Discussed an asking price stated as market value accounting and a change about splitting/handling closing costs; also mentioned site elevation issues and fill needs.
No vote recorded in the transcript excerpt provided in this bundle.
6Planning & Zoning: Nowthen Historical Power Association amended CUP/IUP (event change; remove periodic renewal; parking parcels removed)
Reviewed amended permits: replace 'we sober Fest' with 'wot PD rendezvous', clarify member use, remove two adjoining residential parcels from parking; discussed wording about when a new IUP would be required (changes/complaints).
Council reviewed Planning & Zoning’s recommended amendments for the Nowthen Historical Power Association permits: replacing an event ("we sober Fest") with the "wot PD rendezvous," clarifying member use, and removing two adjoining residential parcels from required parking. They also discussed clarifying the wording on when the Association must return for another interim use permit, aiming for a process where they return if they propose changes or if the council needs to address complaints; final action was stated to be taken on the following Tuesday meeting.
Planner indicated final decision would be made Tuesday.
7Planning & Zoning: IUP application name clarification (remove co-signer names from agenda; sale closed)
Discussed that an applicant had a co-signer while a sale was finalizing, but sale closed before the public hearing; asked to remove co-signer names from Tuesday agenda to avoid confusion.
Administrative clarification discussed for Tuesday’s agenda.
8Planning & Zoning: outdoor storage / fencing & landscaping / lot line question (applicant 'Biskit' referenced)
Discussed amended findings and recommendations including fencing/landscaping screening from residential neighbors and outdoor storage compliance; council member asked about lot line clarity and fencing changes.
No vote recorded in the workshop transcript excerpt provided in this bundle.
9Planning & Zoning: proposed subdivision/flag lot (20-acre parcel into two tens) with access constraints (negative P&Z recommendation)
Applicant requested subdividing a 20-acre parcel into two 10-acre lots for his sons; discussion covered access easements/frontage requirements, neighbor concerns, possibility of temporary access, and that P&Z recommended denial.
An applicant asked to subdivide a 20-acre parcel into two 10-acre lots so his sons could build homes, but the discussion focused on access/frontage requirements and neighbor cooperation, including the possibility of temporary access and future road connections when surrounding property develops. Council acknowledged Planning & Zoning had recommended denial and debated how the flag-lot regulations and practical difficulties might apply, with no decision made at the workshop.
Workshop discussion only; no council decision recorded here.
10Planning & Zoning Commission appointment discussion (Jason Alders) and resignation (Vial)
Discussed recommendation to approve Jason Alders to serve on P&Z; also noted Mr. Vial withdrawing from city functions and resigning from multiple boards.
No appointment vote recorded in workshop transcript excerpt provided.
11Code enforcement: revise letter/notice process; ordinance consistency; response timeline
Discussed revising a code enforcement letter to be less threatening, but noted ordinance requirements for an official administrative notice (including potential fines); discussed adding another step and using 15 calendar days to respond.
Council reviewed a revised code enforcement letter intended to encourage cooperation without sounding threatening, but discussed that an official administrative notice must include potential fines under the ordinance. They considered adding a new preliminary letter step before the administrative notice and discussed using a 15-calendar-day response window to match the existing notice timeline.
No formal action recorded in the workshop transcript excerpt provided.
12Consent agenda planning for next Tuesday (minutes, finance report, bills, levy study, closures, staff pay/holiday, deputy clerk ad) and pulling items for discussion
Discussed items expected on consent agenda and identified items to pull off consent for discussion (deputy clerk position/administrative staffing); also discussed Dec 26 half-day pay and using PTO/no pay for remaining half-day.
Council previewed items expected on the next Tuesday meeting’s consent agenda (minutes, finance report, bills, levy-related items, and office closure/pay items) and discussed advertising a deputy clerk position, including the need to decide interview process and pay rate. They also discussed the Dec. 26 holiday arrangement (half day paid with remaining time PTO/no pay) and noted employee reviews could not be scheduled yet because most council reviews had not been submitted; they also preferred the review tabulation be blind rather than tied to council member initials.
This was planning for the next Tuesday meeting; no consent agenda vote recorded in workshop.
13Employee reviews process (need more councilmember submissions; make tabulation blind)
Discussed that employee reviews could not be scheduled because only one council member had turned in a review; discussed having tabulation be blind rather than using council member initials.
Council previewed items expected on the next Tuesday meeting’s consent agenda (minutes, finance report, bills, levy-related items, and office closure/pay items) and discussed advertising a deputy clerk position, including the need to decide interview process and pay rate. They also discussed the Dec. 26 holiday arrangement (half day paid with remaining time PTO/no pay) and noted employee reviews could not be scheduled yet because most council reviews had not been submitted; they also preferred the review tabulation be blind rather than tied to council member initials.
Planning discussion; no vote recorded.
1 motion on the record. Split votes are highlighted.
M1Motion to approve the agenda as amended.
motion to approve the agenda as amended
Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.
City Council Workshop — 2017-12-07 Workshop Minutes (2017-12-07)
Minutes · Thursday, December 7, 2017
18 pages
Meeting recording
YouTube
Transcript · 531 segments · 1:26:30
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