CITY OF BUFFALO CITY REGULAR MEETING-
MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2015-MUNICIPAL BUILDING – 7:00PM
The Regular meeting of the City of Buffalo City Common Council was called to order by Mayor Russ Lorenz at 7:00 p.m. Roll call: Kevin Mack, Ben Holien, Brach Seitz and Lisa Schuh.Also present City Superintendent Stan Meier. The meeting was held as noticed. Motion Holien, second Schuh to approve minutes from the July meeting. All yes, motion carried.
Recreation: Little league is done. Holien said a report would come to the council this fall. Rink addition is complete with new locks.
Finance: Council discussed bill from Emergency Communications Systems, Inc. Clerk explained that county would not cover the cost of the reprogramming our sirens needed to match the county’s recent programming changes. Meier said technician spent a very long day in town getting the sirens programmed to work with the county’s warning system. Emergency Communications Systems recommends the City consider a yearly maintenance contract as a preventative measure to assure the sirens continue to work. The bill for their emergency call was $1,187.50. Motion Mack, second Holien to pay Emergency Communications Systems, Inc. $1,187.50 and to amend the City’s 2015 budget to reflect the payment. Roll call vote: Seitz – no, Schuh – yes, Mack – yes, Holien – yes. Motion carried 3-1.
Building Committee:Seven permits were issued this month. Board of Appeals denied the variance request at the July meeting. There will be a Board of Appeals August 20, 2015 to consider two variance requests.
Health & Safety:House on South River Rd has been removed and the council is pleased with the work. Seitz requested a letter be sent to the owner of the property at 10th and Herman that his trees/brush need to be trimmed to provide vision clearance at the intersection. Discussion on storm damage after July storm. Mack would like to see the City take care of hanging limbs from the storm on City owned property/right of ways. Discussion about what property owner’s need to maintain. Limb in question is on a City owned section in front of a property, but the neighboring property owner maintains the property. Seitz said if the City was going to trim a limb they might as well cut the entire tree down so there aren’t problems in the future. He said property owners enjoy the trees, but once they have issues then they expect the City to take care of them. Trimming limbs as property owner request would set a precedent. Council consensus to give the property owner the option that the City cut the entire tree down, or if he wanted the tree to remain he take care of it. Alley obstructions were discussed. Trees and shrubs in the alley will be removed by the City. Clerk will send letters to all those that have limbs, shrubs encroaching into the alleys that they must maintain these trees and cut them back. Letters will also be sent to those who have items parked or permanently placed in the alley that they must be removed. Items include clothes lines, play sets, boat trailers and cars.
Cemetery:Water pipes fixed in the cemetery. Mausoleum work continues. Discussion on paying most recent bill for work. Council agreed to pay Schutz Restoration $2,000, but said that the proposal the City signed stated that the work must be done by the end of the summer. Consensus that the work will need to be completed before any more payments on the work are made.
Riverfront:Mack questioned what can be done with the Black Locust trees taking over the riverbank by the 10th Street boat landing. Clerk to contact Corps of Engineers to see if they can be cut down. Clerk was asked by a lease what can be done about a dock that was recently taken from his leased space. The City transferred the lease into the current person’s name with the sale of a home last fall. Any objects on the leased space are considered private property, so when the lease transferred and the dock remained, the new lease assumed the property was his. Council said the objects taken do not fall under the lease agreement, and the owner will have to deal with it as a private property matter.
Mayor:Zoning ordinance was reviewed. Changes will include definition of an accessory building and garage. Will take out a limit of 2 vehicles per garage. Zoning districts also discussed. Council would like to see all commercial districts that no longer operate as commercial businesses be rezoned to residential. Clerk will get a final draft of the zoning ordinance together. Changing the ordinance and district will require notice to public, publishing and a public hearing. Next month the animal ordinance will be discussed.
City Superintendent:Dump truck work is almost done. Willbe repainted at Universal Truck. Seitz asked when crack sealing will be done. Mack said the City doesn’t want to run out of time like last fall. Meier will get Oium Blacktop scheduled as soon as they can.
Clerk:Ragnar race will be in the City Friday, August 14th. Clerk said she received a complaint that the street by the storage sheds on the north side of town is very bad. Council feels this street doesn’t see enough traffic to be at the top of the priority list. Discussion on all the streets that need replacing. Council discussed funding options from another loan like the one that was just paid off to a possible bond to cover fixing of all City streets. Motion Seitz, second Mack to approve operator’s license for Kolter and Brooks (The Cove) and Severson-Ritter (River Ratz). All yes, motion carried. Digital version of code book was discussed. Motion Seitz, second Mack to approve the purchase of a digital version of the City code book for $699 and to amend the budget to reflect the purchase. Roll call vote, all yes, motion carried.
Motion Mack, second Holien to pay bills. All yes, motion carried.
Motion Holien, second Schuhto adjourn meeting. All yes, motion carried.
Jenny Ehlenfeldt, Clerk