Agenda and Minutes

City Council

May 13, 2008

CITY OF UPSALA
OFFICIAL MINUTES
May 13, 2008

Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council of Upsala, MN met in regular session on Monday, May 13, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the Upsala Fire Hall. All council members and city employees were present. Meeting called to order by the Honorable Mayor Cheney at 7:00 p.m.

• Minutes- April: One addition to bills; motion to approve by councilor Hovland, second by councilor Johnson; unanimously carried.
• Agenda Review-Motion by councilor Johnson, second by councilor Maciej to
approve with additions of tennis courts, and report on safety and loss control workshop.

Visitors-
• Jason Malisheske-Uptown Alley discussion on paving and drainage; he wants to be sure the contractor is aware to slope toward catch basin. If they need to dump dirt from the project, he could use fill and will pay the fair market value.
• Don Anderson-Widseth, Smith, Nolting: Elm Avenue drainage-A few options
discussed. Looking at the plans from the project that was done on Elm, the
homeowner’s driveway did not exist until after the project was completed, which puts some responsibility to the owner. Frank will check the catch basin of which water was witnessed by councilor Maciej running around the edge and not into it. Frank will attempt to lower the top; hopefully by removing a ring if it exists. Other
options are limited.
• Tower Road-Edges cracking and pavement showing the “alligator effect” possibly from large trucks; it is not a ten ton road. Discussion that it could be leveled out a little at the same time where there tends to be a bump in the road. Discussion on cost upwards of $150,000; clerk will check out options with financial advisor David Drown.
• Walnut Avenue-street or long driveway? Don discussed pros and cons.

Maintenance Report-Frank Koopmeiners
• Water & sewer report given for the month of March: water 23,167 gal/day; down 27 gal/day. Sewer: 320 hrs/day up 1.33 hrs
• Uptown Alley-Frank filled in larger holes with dirt-has not heard from Tri-City Paving regarding preparation for tar.
• Received two proposals for sweeping the streets: Aztec $83 per hour; Parking
Lot Sweeping $68 per hour. Mayor Cheney motion to accept the bid from Parking
Lot Sweeping from Rockville, MN; second by councilor Johnson; unanimously
carried. Clerk will call the state DOT to see when they are sweeping highway
238.
• Printer purchased and installed
Financial Report-Presented by clerk and reviewed

Fire Department Report-Frank Koopmeiners
• No Fires
• NIMS Training discussed-clerk sent packet of requirements to council

Planning Commission Report-Dan Hovland & Mayor Cheney
• Jeremy Phillips requested Hillcrest be tarred to past his new lot with a shed because he wants to put in a new driveway. Discussion on cost effectiveness; recommendation from Planning Commission to deny request due to this issue.
Council concurred with commission. Mr. Phillips may request in a land use
application to extend the surface of the new driveway into where the street would normally be. This would be with the understanding if the street were ever extended and resurfaced the driveway area which extends into that right of way may be lost with no credit. No future plans to do anything with the Hillcrest Street until more development occurs.
• Jeremy Phillips requested the fee to hook up new water and sewer be reduced
for him to put services to his shed. He argues he already has paid the fee for it to his home. The ordinance allows a fee for new or existing hook-ups because it is another addition to the system. As recent as last year Paul & Kathy’s Supermarket hooked into the sewer for their addition and paid the full fee. The recommendation by Planning Commission is to deny the request; council concurred.
• Reviewed Tim Peterson request to add to his plat the possibility of multi-unit homes in addition to single unit homes. Discussion on pros and cons.
Recommendation from Planning Commission to keep the plat as single unit
homes, council concurred with councilor Johnson stating as a neighbor to that
property he would not mind at all if it were multi-unit if there is a need.
• Land Use Permits- By Clerk: Shingles Gary Stang
• To council for approval: Virgil Helmin addition to garage meets all ordinance
requirements. Mayor Cheney motion to approve garage addition at 202 Johnson
Street; second by councilor Hovland; unanimously carried.

• Recreation Building Board Report-Rollie Johnson
• A meeting was held and review of agreements for renting the building out is still underway. The board believes the proposed agreements ensure adequate
liability coverage.
• Joe Ingebrandt League of Minnesota City loss control specialist will be touring the recreation building tomorrow since his last visit was in 1998.
Community Development Commission Report-Robert Maciej & Bethany Malisheske
• First parade meeting was scheduled for tomorrow, but needed to be
rescheduled.
• Brochures-text change hoping to be completed by the time clerk sends out flyers
so a joint mailing can be sent.

Old Business-
• Flyers to residents for Spring Lawn and Leaf Day on May 30th and Clean up Day
on June 7th-will add some reminders and facts to the sheet. The city council
staffing the cleanup day will have the right to refuse certain refuse if it does not comply with our agreement with Toms Refuse.

New Business-
• Toms Refuse regretfully is placing a fuel surcharge beginning with the bills sent in July of $1.00 per refuse account. This will be reflected as a separate item on the bill. A notice will be on the bills between now and then, and also in the
information on the flyers. The contract states charges will be reviewed each year for necessary adjustments. Motion by councilor Hovland to add the $1.00 fuel surcharge as an adjustment by Toms Refuse to the charges, second by councilor
Maciej; unanimously carried.
• Councilor Maciej reported on the safety and loss control workshop. He
particularly learned a lot in the parks and recreation section. Discussion on
parade liability and throwing of candy with children running in front of moving
vehicles. Animals should be at the end of the line as they sometimes get out of
control.
• Resolution to accept donation from Upsala Lions for the first responders training-
Motion by councilor Maciej, second by councilor Hovland; unanimously carried.
Motion by Mayor Cheney to amend the budget to reflect donation, second by
councilor Johnson; unanimously carried.
• Tennis courts at school need resurfacing-request from school official if city could
help. The courts are half on city property, and the community development grants
and Lions could be approached. Clerk will check into what is and is not donationcities
have limitations on donating.
• Park bathrooms have been vandalized already. City council understands the
need for the bathrooms, but how to stop the vandals? Hopefully we can request
citizens to be vigilant and to notify the Sheriff of suspicious activity.
• Clerk reported two thank you notes were received: one from the Initiative
Foundation for an annual donation of $150; this type of donation the city does receive free workshops, grant applications, etc. from this organization. The Recreation Board thanked the council for the annual donation for operating monies as the recreation building is owned by the city.
• Clerk did not look at the budget for a locking lateral file-tabled.
• Copier machine installed and we can save the already approved $80 per copy for the Minnesota Basic Code by using our own machine.
• Clerk purchased a new chair for her office on her own and just wants the council to be aware, unless they wish to reimburse her the cost.
• Reminder office closed Monday May 26th for holiday will be open Tuesday
instead, but closed Wednesday May 28th for a meeting.
• Bills were audited and ordered paid in the amount of $7,459.10 with the
additional $1,500 for the first responders for a total of $8,959.10.

Meeting adjourned by Mayor Cheney at 9:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Michele Caron, Clerk

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