December 7, 2015

The City Council of Comfrey met in regular session Monday, December 7, 2015 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.

November 2, 2015 regular meeting minutes were approved on motion of Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt. Carried unanimously.

The following bills were approved on a motion by Kastner, second by Evers and carried unanimously.

The financial report was reviewed and approved on motion by Arnsdorf, second by Evers and carried unanimously.

Fire Chief Berberich notified the council Mark Warner resigned from the fire department as of November 27, 2015 after 39 years of service and 28 of those years as chief. The fire department will be applying for another grant with FEMA for new turnout gear. They are also installing a new pump on truck #2 at a total cost of $4100. The majority of the cost will be covered by a grant of $2000 from the DNR and the $1500 donation from the Darfur Sportsman Club.

During the maintenance report Berberich informed the council both plants are working well. The new tires on the skid loader worked very well for the first snow fall of the season. He was also notified we are going to have a wellhead protection audit and he has started to put together some of the information for it.

First Responder Captain Barnes reported they have had several resignations and are looking for new first responders.

Police Chief Meyer reviewed the police report with the council. He has been working with the BCA on the new electronic tickets and was given permission to continue to issue paper citations.  He then will enter them in electronically back in the office.  This will help cut down on cost of needing new software and a printer in his squad car.  The city car had 5000 miles put on it last year and Meyers calculated we saved about $1678 verses paying out mileage to individuals.  The council has decided to continue using the old squad car as the city vehicle. 

The library board report was reviewed. The board has decided to move their monthly meetings from 7:00 to 6:30 pm.

Brent Kucera from Braun and Borth was present and informed the council the Brown County Board of Commissioners has approved a 13% increase of landfill tipping fees. The large increase was a surprise to them as tipping fees have remained the same for the last several years.  Because of this added expense Braun and Borth is proposing a 4.5% increase in residential sanitation services for the City of Comfrey.  After discussion a motion was made by Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously to increase sanitation service fees.  The new fees will be $11.82 for small and $17.33 for the large service rates. 

A second reading was held of ordinance #184 the amendment to the rental housing ordinance #179. The amendment outlines exemptions and requirements of the license.  After discussion, ordinance #184 was passed and adopted on a motion made by Evers, seconded by Kastner with council members Evers, Schmitt and Kastner voting yes and council member Arnsdorf voting no.   The fees were also set for the license at $25 annually on a motion made by Evers, seconded by Kastner with council members Evers, Schmitt and Kastner voting yes and council member Arnsdorf voting no. Motion carried.

 The gambling application for St. Paul’s Catholic Church for February 7, 2016 was approved on motion of Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously.

Resignations from the first responders of Trisha Radtke, Naomi Evers, Courtney Nelson and John Schmitt and from the fire department of Mark Warner was accepted on a motion made by Kastner, seconded by Evers and carried unanimously. The council expressed appreciation and thanked them for their service to the community of Comfrey.

A land use permit for Greg Hoffman to build a shed was approved on motion made by Arnsdorf, seconded by Kastner and carried unanimously.

A resolution expressing acceptance and appreciation for donations by the Darfur Sportsman Club to the first responders of $800 and the fire department of $1500 was approved on a motion from Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously.

The 2016 tobacco license fees were discussed and a motion was made by Arnsdorf, seconded by Kastner and carried unanimously to leave the fees at $25.

The 2016 tobacco license was approved for the Comfrey C-Store and Comfrey Bar and Grill on a motion by Kastner, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously.

Jeff Veerkamp was appointed to serve another 6 year term on the Comfrey Economic Development board which will end on December 31, 2021. Paula Barnes was appointed as First Responder Captain and Steve Berberich was appointed as Fire Chief. These appointments were approved on a motion by Arnsdorf, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously.

Information was shared with the council from Brown County on mail balloting for the 2016 elections. The council discussed the pros and cons of this process and decided to take no action at this time.

Per terms of the PFA financing agreement a Wastewater Infrastructure System Replacement Fund has been established to deposit $.50 per 1000 gallons of flow annually during the life of the loan for future rehabilitation or expansion of the treatment system. This transfer deposit of $5,710 was approved on motion of Arnsdorf, seconded by Evers and carried unanimously.

The final 2016 budget was reviewed and approved on a motion by Kastner, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously. The final levy was set at $235,898 and was approved on motion of Kastner, seconded by Schmitt and carried unanimously. Note: This amount is the same total as the proposed levy presented at the September 2, 2015 council meeting.

A motion to authorize the clerk-treasurer to assign general funds as needed for year ending December 31, 2015 made by Arnsdorf, seconded by Evers and carried unanimously.

The rural service district reduction percentage will remain unchanged for 2016 at .666667. The annual certification was made on a motion made by Evers, seconded by Kastner and carried unanimously.

The community center rental procedure was discussed. A request was made to give a key to the individuals renting the community center so they could have access when needed. The council was not in favor of giving out a key. The lease form will be updated to include additional specifics and clarify times community center will be open to help with the communication process.

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