MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING

OF THE ORTONVILLE CITY COUNCIL

COUNTY OF BIG STONE, STATE OF MINNESOTA

MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2005 7:00 P.M.

DIALYSIS BUILDING

CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL:

Mayor Dinnel called the regular meeting of the Ortonville City Council to order at 7:00 P.M. Roll call was taken with the following being present: Artie Arndt, Lenore Sellin, Mel Reinke, Dan Oakes, Lisa Berkner, Mike Dorry with the following absent: None. City Staff Present: Char Grossman, Tim Scherer, Curt Hormann, Travis Strasser, Jason Mork. Others present: Dave McLaughlin, Randy McLain, Roy Bailey, Elsie Perrine, Steve Berkner, Richard Olson, Greg Peterson. Media present: Holly Hilbrands, Ryan Stattelman.

AGENDA AMENDMENTS:

A motion was offered by Reinke and seconded by Berkner and did pass unanimously to approve the agenda as amended:

Add:

Reports from Council Committees

11.a Property Development Committee Report

Unfinished Business

12.a Police Officer Hiring

New Business

13.f Proposed Prison Legislation

RECOGNITIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:

Richard Olson, Transit Manager Prairie Five Rides, presented information as to the past, the present and the future of the Transit System in Ortonville. The City’s share of the Prairie Five 2005 purchases will be $1,925.31 due in May.

Roy Bailey, Building Official, reported his concerns regarding the condition of the properties at 505 Jefferson Avenue owned by Benjamin Delcastillo Sr., 211 Madison Avenue owned by Marc Moen and 6 2^nd Street NW owned by Holly Arnst. Bailey will provide repair recommendations to the City Attorney.

Randy McLain, Ortonville Fire Chief, was present to request approval to spend capital expenditure dollars to receive grant funding from FEMA.

Reinke moved and Dorry seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-032

RESOLUTION APPROVING FIRE

DEPARTMENT GRANT APPLICATION

WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota (“City”) deems it critical to

public safety to maintain Fire Department equipment to the highest standard possible, and

WHEREAS, The Fire Department desires to apply for a $96,800.00 grant from FEMA for personal protective equipment, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota that the Fire Department is hereby authorized to apply for a grant to pay for the personal protective equipment in the aggregate amount of $121,000.00, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Fire Department is hereby authorized to spend up to $24,200.00 of the budgeted capital outlay funds for the 20% match funding needed for said grant and further that the Mayor and City Clerk-Administrator are authorized to sign necessary documents related to said grant.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Arndt, Dorry, Reinke, Sellin, Oakes, Berkner, Dinnel, and the following voted nay: none.

Resolution 05-032 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

Dorry moved and Reinke seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-033

RESOLUTION HIRING FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL

BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota, upon the recommendation of the Fire Chief, hereby hires Derek Rieck and Brian Wellnitz to the City of Ortonville Fire Department.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Sellin, Berkner, Arndt, Oakes, Dinnel, Berkner, Reinke and the following voted nay: none.

Resolution 05-033 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

____________________

David Dinnel,

Mayor

ATTEST:

_____________________

Charleen K. Grossman,

City Clerk-Administrator

CONSENT AGENDA:

Dinnel asked if there were any additions, corrections, or deletions to be made to the Consent Agenda. Motion was made by Arndt and seconded by Oakes, to approve the Consent Agenda which included the following items:

9.a Motion approving proposed council minutes of March 7, 2005.

13.a Motion approving resignation of Tom Tobin – Police Civil Service Commission.

13.b Arndt moved and Oakes seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-034

APPROVING TOWNSHIP FIRE CONTRACTS

BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota that agreements between the City of Ortonville and the Townships of Ortonville and Otrey be and are hereby approved to provide fire protection to the Townships for a two year period beginning April 1, 2005 and that the Mayor and Clerk-Administrator are hereby authorized to sign such agreements.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Reinke, Berkner, Sellin, Arndt, Dorry, Oakes, Dinnel and the following voted nay: none.

Resolution 05-034 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

13.c Motion approving advertising for bids for seal coating.

Motion approving advertising for bids for crack filling.

15. Motion approving payment of bills as presented.

With all members voting in favor, the motion carried.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF CITIZEN BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS:

A motion was offered by Oakes and seconded by Sellin and passed unanimously to approve the recommendations of the Health Care Board to reduce the bed size of Northridge from 74 to 64.

REPORTS FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES:

Council Member Arndt reported on the Property Development Committee meeting. Items of concern were: city inventory of property, abandon property and the Otter Tail property. The deed for the property next to the Lakeside Park that the City acquired September 12, 1966 has never been recorded. The EDA has been working on the development of the property adjacent to the Lakeside Park and has run into problems with the railroad. A motion was offered by Arndt and seconded by Sellin and passed unanimously to proceed with the recording of the deed using Bill Watson as the attorney for the project.

The next meeting of the Property Development Committee will be April 20^th. Arndt requested that Mike Dorry and the City Attorney attend the meeting and if possible Otter Tail representatives. A motion was made by Oakes and seconded by Arndt and passed unanimously to authorize the City Attorney to attend the meeting.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Berkner moved and Reinke seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-035

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A FOUR PERSON POLICE FORCE

BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota that the Ortonville Police Department consists of four officers including the Chief of Police.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Reinke, Berkner, Dorry, Dinnel and the following voted nay: Oakes, Arndt, Sellin.

Resolution 05-035 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

Reinke moved and Dorry seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-036

RESOLUTION HIRING POLICE OFFICER

BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota, upon the recommendation of the Police Civil Service Commission, Dustin Bengtson is hereby hired as a full-time police officer and further that said personnel shall be paid based upon the city’s adopted pay scale at Grade 6 Step 1.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Reinke, Berkner, Dorry, Dinnel and the following voted nay: Oakes, Arndt, Sellin.

Resolution 05-036 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

Council Member Oakes had concerns regarding an editorial in the Ortonville Independent that had criticized two council members. No action was taken

NEW BUSINESS:

The adoption of a resolution in support of the Freedom To Breathe Act was discussed. No action was taken, individual council members could respond if they desire.

To clarify the legal description of the property, Dinnel moved and Reinke seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-037

RESOLUTION APPROVING QUIT CLAIM DEED

BE IT AND IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota that the quit claim deed between Carrie Jean Loeschke, f/k/a Carrie Jean Plemmons and Shoan Loeschke and the City of Ortonville dated March 15, 2005 to clarify the legal description of the property be executed and that the Mayor and Clerk-Administrator are hereby authorized to sign such agreement.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Reinke, Berkner, Sellin, Arndt, Dorry, Oakes, Dinnel and the following voted nay: none.

Resolution 05-037 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

Mayor Dinnel attended a meeting regarding the Prairie Correctional Facility; Oakes moved and Reinke seconded that the following resolution be adopted:

RESOLUTION 05-038

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PRAIRIE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

WHEREAS, H.F. NO. 1142 and S.F. No.1295, as introduced in the 84^th Legislative Session are bills for an act relating to corrections, requiring State and local jail and prison inmates to be housed in publicly owned and operated jails and prisons; prohibiting the State and counties from contracting with private prisons, prohibiting renewal of the Prairie Correctional Facility contract, amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 241.01, subd. 3a, proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 243; 641 and,

WHEREAS, as part of meeting their changing capacity needs, the Minnesota Department of Corrections {MDOC} currently contracts with Prairie Correctional Facility {PCF}for the successful placement of male inmates and,

WHEREAS, the current well structured contract between MDOC and PCF ensures high accountability and clear expectations for all parties involved and,

WHEREAS, the placement of State inmates at PCF has been a successful partnership with favorable comments by MDOC regarding the facility’s operations and,

WHEREAS, inmates at PCF have access to a range of programs and services, including education, vocational, and substance abuse programs and,

WHEREAS, the proposed bills H.F. 1142 and S.F.1295 seek to ban the State from contracting with the PCF in Appleton, which would result in the removal of State inmates and the degradation in economic viability of the facility and,

WHEREAS, this legislative action would deny the State an important alternative to an existing public corrections system faced with growing capacity needs and the inherently dangerous conditions related to overcrowding and,

WHEREAS, the prohibitive legislation could lead to a loss of jobs, property/sales taxes, and numerous other financial contributions made by PCF and thus causing significant economic loss within the local and regional economy.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Ortonville, Minnesota, that all voting membership of the State House of Representatives and the State Senate of the State of Minnesota be encouraged to cast a negative vote ballot for H.F. 1142 and S.F. 1295.

Adopted by the City Council of the City of Ortonville, Minnesota on March 21, 2005.

Upon roll call vote the following voted aye: Reinke, Berkner, Sellin, Arndt, Dorry, Oakes, Dinnel and the following voted nay: none.

Resolution 05-038 passed this 21^st day of March 2005.

APPROVED:

_______________________

David Dinnel

Mayor

ATTEST:

______________________________

Charleen K. Grossman

City Clerk/Administrator

CLERK/ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS:

Clarification is requested from the Council regarding purchases within the annual budget and capital expenditure budget. The City Clerk/Administrator will prepare a proposal to be reviewed at the next meeting.

The new video camera is being used to record this Council Meeting.

ADJOURNMENT:

There being no further business to come before the Council, Dorry moved and Berkner seconded and the motion passed unanimously for the adjournment of the meeting and with no objections thereto, Dinnel adjourned the March 21, 2005 meeting of the Ortonville City Council at 8:25 P.M.

_________________________________

Charleen K. Grossman, City Clerk-Administrator