April 1, 2013

The City Council of Comfrey met in regular session Monday, April 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the community center with all members present. Attorney Paul Muske was also present. Mayor Richter presided.

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited.

The agenda was approved as presented.

March 4, 2013 minutes were read and approved on motion of Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously.

On motion of Herrig, seconded by Evers and carried unanimously, the following bills were approved:

Alliant Energy

Electricity - February

 $   1,872.50

Alpha Wireless

Programming/install of police radios, radio, chargers

 $   2,791.22

Steve Berberich

Wastewater School-hotel, meals, mileage

 $      542.67

Bolton & Menk

Professional Services for Hwy 258 Project

 $ 16,655.00

Choice Financial Savings Bank

Checks

 $        76.00

Clancy's Fire Extinguishers Sales

Annual Inspection & Certification

 $      116.00

Clements Lumber

Ice melt, 3/8" quick link, screws

 $        14.50

Comfrey C-Store

Fuel

 $      529.26

Comfrey Fire Dept

Expenses

 $   6,700.59

Comfrey First Responders

radio antennas/cases, battery, oxygen, grit, publications

 $      314.61

Comfrey Market

Dish Washing Soap

 $          2.98

Comfrey    Public School

Frontier Erate Reimbursement from check deposited

 $      242.02

Comfrey Times

Publications

 $      218.03

Creative Product Source

Foldable Police Car

 $      104.15

Frontier

Telephone/Internet – March

 $      441.74

Hawkins

Chemicals, Tank demurrage

 $   1,001.32

Heiderscheidt Digging, Inc

Snow removal

 $   1,280.00

Indoff

ink cartridges-B&W, color, 10x13 envelopes, metal file

 $        70.53

Janitors Closet

3 cases soap

 $      227.12

Tammy Kelly

Clerks Conference-Hotel, meals, mileage

 $      462.57

League of Minnesota Cities

2013 Safety & Loss Control Workshop-3 registrations

 $        60.00

Library

Bills and Wages

 $   2,956.75

NAPA   Dan Graphics

Lettering on City Truck

 $        90.00

Nelcom Corporation

siren battery chargers, fuses, shipping

 $      164.60

Payroll Expense

March Payroll

 $   4,139.56

Pioneer Manufacturing Company

Case of white aerosol striping paint

 $      183.10

Plunkett's

Quarterly Pest Control -   Rodent

 $        57.80

Rob's Service    Center

Grease, floor dry, charge siren batteries, seat covers

 $      314.92

Softline Data, Inc

UBMax Yearly Support Contract

 $      325.00

Utility Consultants, Inc

4 WWTP Tests

 $      190.50

Verizon Wireless

Police Cell Phone - March

 $        65.03

Waste Management

Res. Garbage pickup - Feb

 $   1,082.05

The March financial report was reviewed and approved on motion of Herrig, seconded by Arnsdorf and carried unanimously.

Police Chief Meyer presented the monthly police report.

Public Works Director Berberich reported both plants continue to run well.  New street signs will need to be ordered for the renaming of Highway 258 to County Road 16.  He will also order to replace signs that are missing around town.  He also informed council that Alliant is scheduled to do a free energy audit on the municipal building this month.  An alcohol server’s class is scheduled for June 11th for anyone to attend that will be working at Comfrey Community Days.

Fire Chief Warner updated the council on the progress of truck #2.  The Relief Association donated $5000 to the City to cover expenses for truck #2 and the council approved expenses relating to the repair of the truck to be reimbursed immediately.  Warner also informed the council the warning siren is still not working properly and it will need a new encoder in order to page and activate the siren.  The old portables and radios are being advertised for sale this week on MNBid.

 Arnsdorf reported the library board met and they will be applying for a license to show movies.  Also, National Library week starts the week of April 14th.

Attorney Muske informed the council the concerns with the Dewey Street property are being addressed by the owner.

First Responder Captain Gretchen Ecker reviewed the current rates with the council and then proposed a rate increase for first responder calls from $75 to $100 per call plus supplies used.  A motion was also made in May, 2012 to increase the hourly rate of fire calls from $100 to $200 per additional hour.  A resolution was passed on motion of Evers, seconded by Arnsdorf and carried unanimously to amend the service charge for fire calls to $500.00 for the 1st hour, $200 per hour for time in excess of 1 hour and the first responder calls to $100 per call, plus supplies and materials.

Oberloh and Associates representative Sara Beavers presented the 2012 financial report audit.  She gave it an unqualified opinion (clean opinion) but notes there is a lack of segregation of duties due to the one person office which is very common in small cities.  Also noted was City had insufficient pledged collateral at the depository to cover the deposits plus the ten percent as of December 31, 2012.  This was due to the fact the City and depository were not aware the EDA accounts needing to be calculated into the total value.  The additional collateral was pledged on January 2, 2013 and procedures are now in place to monitor the compliance with pledged security requirements.

A resolution supporting legislation authorizing the establishment of municipal street improvement districts was passed on motion of Herrig, seconded by Arnsdorf and carried unanimously.  Street improvement districts would give cities another option in the future to fund street projects.

On motion of Herrig, seconded by Arnsdorf and carried unanimously, it was voted not to waive the monetary tort limit set by the State of Minnesota.

The city staff reviewed the handicap accessibility report for the ComfreyMunicipalBuilding.  On motion of Arnsdorf, and carried unanimously, the report was approved.

The meeting was adjourned on motion of Arnsdorf, seconded by Herrig.