VILLAGE OF BRUCE
BOARD MEETING MINUTES
December 7, 2020
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a scheduled monthly meeting of the Village Board was held on Monday, December 7th, 2020.
Interim Village President Mark Zimmer presided and called to order the meeting at the Village Hall facility at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were Galen Brainerd, Rob Grabon, Avery Newman & Kim Grasley . Jessica Hegeholz attended also. Village President ShaneTrott was absent.
APPOINTMENT OF VACANT TRUSTEE POSITION ON THE BOARD: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grabon to table the ‘Appointment of Vacant Trustee Position on the Board’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Motion by Grabon, seconded by Brainerd to approve the October 5th, 2020 Regular Monthly Board Meeting Minutes, carried. The November, 2020 Regular Monthly Board Meeting was canceled.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve the Treasurer’s reports as given, carried.
EMPLOYEE’S REPORT: Darlene Wundrow attended the meeting and reported that the DNR has lowered the standards for manganese levels in the water. The Village’s water is above the recommended levels. The problematic well is well #3. The DNR instructed the Village to take action. Two options were given to the Board to resolve the issue. Wundrow could shut down well #3 and issue an advisory or leave well #3 on and issue a no drink order to the water utility customers of the Village. Well #3 is the well that services the fire protection. Some discussion between the Board members was held on the affects of shutting well #3 down versus leaving it online. Due to the concern of turning well #3 off and not having it available for the fire protection, Wundrow recommended leaving well #3 on and issuing the no drink order. Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to leave well #3 on and issue the no drink order to the water utility customers of the Village, carried.
PETITIONERS-CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS: David Jandrt attended the meeting to discuss his concerns with the Board regarding special assessments against his property for the upcoming 2021 Main Street Reconstruction Project. Mark Bucholz attended the meeting as well with the same concerns. Larry Gotham of Morgan & Parmley attended the meeting in audience and referred the two individuals to get in contact with him to discuss and explain the project plans further with them.
APPLICATIONS:
Building Permits:
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Newman to approve a building permit for Stew Towers to do some interior bathroom remodeling on his house at 1103 N. 2nd St., carried.
Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grabon to approve a building permit for Dan & Nancy Robinson to build a shed on the property they own at 717 N. 3rd St., carried.
Motion by Grabon, seconded by Brainerd to approve a building permit for Hank Hibbard to install a new deck and steps for Nash Jackan Funeral Homes at 125 W. Arthur Ave., carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Public Safety:
Committee Meeting November 24th, 2020 Report: Zimmer reported there was a committee meeting held on November 24th to review and discuss a rezoning request from David & Iris Jandrt. They would like to have their property, located at 808 N. Blackburn Street, be rezoned from commercial to residential.
Rezoning Request-Parcel #106-00110-0000-David & Iris Jandrt: Motion by Grabon, seconded by Brainerd to allow for David & Iris Jandrt to have their property located at 808 N. Blackburn Street be rezoned from commercial to residential, carried.
Utility:
Committee Meeting November 24th, 2020 Report: Zimmer reported there was a committee meeting held on November 24th to discuss moving forward with a rate application with the Public Service Commission. The full rate application would be necessary to be able to add the hydrant rental fee to the quarterly bills. The hydrant rental fee is currently being paid through the tax levy.
PSC-Water Rate Application: Motion by Grabon, seconded by Brainerd to move forward with the application and also send the item to a committee to discuss further, carried.
Public Works:
‘Welcome to Bruce’ Signs: Nothing new this month. Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Newman to table the “Welcome to Bruce Signs’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Parking Lot Repairs/Alley Work @ 714 N. Main Street: Nothing new this month.Motion by Newman, seconded by Brainerd to table the “Parking Lot Repairs/Alley Work @ 714 N. Main Street’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Committee Meeting October 21st, 2020 Report: Zimmer reported there was a committee meeting held on October 21st to discuss the possible sale of Village owned property at 202 W. Railroad Ave.
Sale of Village Owned Property-202 W. Railroad Avenue: Motion by Newman, seconded by Brainerd to move forward with the sale of Village owned property at 202 W. Railroad Avenue, carried.
North Main Street Reconstruction Project:
Purchase Approval for Proposed North Main Street Reconstruction Project-Coleman Street Lift Station Location: Nothing new to report this month. Motion by Grasley, seconded by Newman to table the ‘Purchase Approval for Proposed North Main Street Reconstruction Project-Coleman Street Lift Station Location’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried. Larry Gotham of Morgan & Parmley, Ltd. did notify the Board that the portion of the property needed for the lift station would need to be acquired as soon as possible.
Gotham submitted a project estimate from Xcel Energy to the Board for some electrical upgrades that would be needed for the Main Lift Station on 4th Street. The invoice was in the amount of $9,686.70 and would be project eligible for reimbursement. Motion by Grabon, seconded by Brainerd to approve paying the invoice and to move forward with the work, carried.
Morgan & Parmley, Ltd-Invoice Payment Approval: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Newman to pay the invoice from Morgan & Parmley, Ltd. in the amount of $12,932.50, carried. The invoice is for engineering services for the North Main Street Reconstruction Project, accrued through October 29th, 2020.
Administration:
Update Ordinances: Nothing new this month. Motion by Newman, seconded by Grabon to table the ‘Update Ordinances’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Employee Manual Update: Nothing new this month. Motion by Newman, seconded by Grasley to table the ‘Employee Manual Update’ issue until the January, 2021 Regular Monthly Board Meeting, carried.
Committee Meeting November 23rd, 2020 Report: Zimmer reported there was a committee meeting held on November 23rd to discuss the adoption of a Sex Offender Restriction Ordinance in the Village limits. The Ordinance would include a restriction map with the outlined areas that would be restricted for offenders to reside in the Village limits.
Approval to Adopt Ordinance Title 11-Chapter 7-Section 11-7-5, Section 11-7-6 & Section 11-7-7 with Restriction Map Included: Motion by Grasley, seconded by Grabon to approve adopting Ordinance Title 11-Chapter 7-Section 11-7-5, Section 11-7-6 & Section 11-7-7 with Restriction Map included, with Newman opposed, the motion was carried.
Finance:
Public Hearing December 7th, 2020, 6:30 p.m.-Proposed 2021 Budget: Zimmer reported the Public Budget Hearing for the proposed 2021 Budget was held prior to the December 7th Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Review, Discussion & Approval of 2021 Budget: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve the Village of Bruce 2021 Budget of $469,992.00, carried.
Set Levy, Including Approval of All Internal & Unresolved Matters: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to approve setting the Levy at $103,905.00 and approve all internal & unresolved matters, carried.
Elk River Appraisals-Assessment Contract-Compliance Adjustment Payment: The Village assessor, Cindy Chase of Elk River Appraisals, was notified by the Department of Revenue that the Village’s residential classifications are out of compliance. The cost to have the assessor bring the classifications back up to compliance would be $625.00. This amount was already agreed upon when the original contract with the assessor and the Village was signed back in June, 2018. This item was only informational for the Board.
NEW BUSINESS:
Shop with a Cop -“Christmas for Kids’ Donation Request: Motion by Newman, seconded by Grabon to approve donating $50.00 to the Shop with a Cop-Christmas for Kids program, carried.
Set 2021 Caucus Date: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grasley to set the 2021 Village of Bruce Caucus for January 5th, 2021 at 6:00 p.m., carried.
APPROVAL OF BILLS: Motion by Brainerd, seconded by Grabon to pay vouchers and electronic payments totaling $37,844.85, carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
2021 Safety Grant: Motion by Newman, seconded by Brainerd to refer the item to committee, carried.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Newman, seconded by Brainerd to adjourn, carried. Adjournment was at 8:10 p.m.
Jessica Hegeholz
Clerk/Treasurer