CITY OF ST CROIX FALLS
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMON COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 26, 2009, 7:00 P.M.
CITY HALL, 710 HWY 35 SOUTH
Mayor Darrell Anderson called a regular meeting of the City of St. Croix Falls Common Council to order on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. Roll call: Councilpersons Debra Kravig, Brian Blesi, Paul Kuhlmann and Arnie Carlson were present. Also present: Administrator Ed Emerson, Clerk Bonita Leggitt, the public and the press. All joined in the salute to the flag.
Brian Blesi moved to approve the Minutes of the January 12, 2009 Council Meeting, second by Arnie Carlson, voice vote, motion passed.
Mayor Anderson received two letters from the Milner Family (father & son) thanking the City for what they do. A local bank is foreclosing on the Biermann Development known as Glacier Ridge Estates, there is one year of assessments remaining on the development, no financial risk to City, five year assessment was a good fiscal decision along with re-using/updating existing WWTP site and re-working existing wells to produce more water instead of digging now well.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
Paul Kuhlmann: Library Board discussed alternative energy solutions, also looking at insulation and use of multiple technologies for new Library.
Arnie Carlson: Tourism Committee met and Melanie Nelson was granted a 2 month leave of absence, Committee has two projects underway, logo/branding and website.
General Fund $90,150.87, Library Fund $857.62, Library Building Fund $48,034.39, Water Fund $16,127.26, Sewer Fund $9,950.40.
Brian Blesi moved to approve claims, second by Paul Kuhlman, roll call vote, 4 ayes, motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS
Mayor Anderson: received 6 applications for Cemetery Sexton, will be meeting with Paul Kuhlmann and Bill Hughes to review applications.
NEW BUSINESS
Consider Waste Water Treatment Facility Plant Design Alternative
Dan Greve, MSA: the D.O.A.’s new 2009 population projection for St Croix Falls is 2714 people in 2030. Proposed alternative design identifies improvements to the existing WWTP to handle a projected population of 2750 people. Upgrading existing trickling filter system, adding new office/lab/garage and screening/grit removal on River St, new trickling filter, final clarifier, sludge holding tank and service building on existing site, for an estimated project cost of $6.3 M. Previous Sequencing Batch Reactor Facility Plan for River St was estimated at $8.2 M in 2006. Next step is City Council endorsement of plan, Public Hearing, environmental assessment, submission of Final Plan to DNR, independent technical and environmental reviews, design/bidding and construction. Mayor Anderson and Council Persons Blesi, Kuhlmann, Carlson, and Kravig endorsed moving forward with the alternative plan.
Arnie Carlson moved to go with the 2009 WWTP Alternative to upgrade existing facility, second by Debra Kravig, roll call vote, 4 ayes, motion passed.
Consider a Resolution Regarding Marina Access Issues
There is a recurring issue of adjoining property owners accessing their property through the Marina, thought issue had been resolved but has resurfaced. Adjoining property owners have requested that boats parked in the unopened street right-of-way of Franklin St be moved by April 1 so they can put in an access road through the right-of-way.
Dean Cameron, Wild River Marina: ice is still on river on April 1, impossible to move boats by then, some boats are not on trailers, have to move with hydraulic lift, docks get put in river in May and we have to work with DNR and Dam before boats can be put in. Dean Andre’s boat is also parked in Franklin St right-of-way, does he have to move his too? Would be best to put in elevated foot path through Minnesota St. There are foot paths from the Minnesota and the NPS Headquarters to the property in question.
Council questioned if Minnesota St were vacated (not vacated but is a certified wetland), what are right of access for property owners, does the access have to be drivable or just walk able? If neighbors can’t work out access issue will have to go to court, City does not have a stake in this fight. Understood problem with moving boats by April 1.
Brian Blesi moved to table Consideration of Resolution Regarding Marina Access Issues, second by Arnie Carlson, voice vote, motion passed.
Consider a Resolution Appointing 60-Day Citizens Advisory Committee to Explore Re-use Opportunities for the Library Space in the City Owned Auditorium Theatre
With Library moving to a new location the old Library space in the Auditorium will be open and available for a new use. Proposed Committee would look at possible uses. As it is a City owned building a policy on use is needed. Currently the City pays part of the utility expenses for the building for the Library, if City continues to pay utilities when Library moves then City and tax payers would be subsidizing Theatre, can we and tax payers afford that? Festival Theatre would have hard time paying all utilities, it is very costly to heat Auditorium Building, if HAVC is brought up to code, Festival may be able to afford cost of heating.
Brian Blesi: City shouldn’t compete with downtown property owners to lease commercial space, Claybough has done study and held chairettes on theatre and use of building, another proposal for uses muddies and complicates situation, having another entity in old Library space complicates negotiations of Festival Theatre’s lease.
Brian Blesi moved to table Resolution Appointing 60-day Citizens Advisory Committee, second by Paul Kuhlmann, voice vote, motion passed.
Consider a Resolution Defining Future Engineering Services Agreement with Warren White
Warren White has agreed to provide engineering services to the City as directed by task orders at $50 per hour for 2009. Warren White informed the Council that he does not carry E&O Insurance.
Arnie Carlson moved to adopt Resolution #09-01, Defining Engineering Services with Warren White, contingent upon professional review of agreement, second by Brian Blesi, roll call vote, 4 ayes, passed.
Discuss Community Preparation of Downtown Facade Loan Program
When the City consolidated the Revolving Loan Fund we became eligible for Façade Loans, we have a business interested in such a loan. The old Revolving Loan Fund Committee will meet to review the application. New appointments will be needed to the Committee in April.
Discuss Housing Foreclosure and Federal Stimulus Options
Paul Kuhlmann: foreclosures are spiraling out of control; lenders who received stimulus funds are spending it on other investments, not on rewriting at risk loans. Propose that we create a 2 year loan program through the City to aid homeowners at risk, City could assist homeowner in making their mortgage payments, paying a percentage of the monthly payment, loan would need to be paid back and could be tied to sale of home.
Council questioned how program would be funded, what happens when homeowner can’t pay it back?
Donald Anderson: ran mortgage company for 10 years, idea won’t work, if person needs a handout they can go to a church, we have to take our lumps.
Wisconsin Partnership for Housing provides advice for people to keep their homes; their number is 608-258-5560.
Ed Emerson: the Presidents stimulus proposal seems to be geared towards energy efficiency of government buildings and transportation projects. Ideas thrown out for St Croix Falls included: Parking Ramp at Overlook Park, connecting lower and upper Pine Street, Force Main in Maple Dr, improvements to Washington/Louisiana St intersection, Storm Water Management, Auditorium HAVC, Street Lighting at intersection of Hwy 8 and Hwy 35, and reconstruction of Hamilton St.
Information on Local Sourcing of Bids
There is a Bill before the WI Assembly to require Governmental entities to make at least 5% of their purchases Wisconsin products.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
A Swan Rescue Program through Crex Meadow will be using City Hall as a transfer point in their relay to bring sick and injured swans to Crex Meadows for rehabilitation.
Darrell Anderson, Mayor Bonita Leggitt, City Clerk