Osakis City Council – Special Meeting
April 11, 2017
9:00 AM
Present: Randy Anderson, Keith Emerson, Justin Dahlheimer, Jerry Olson, Jim Snyder
Absent: None
Others Present: Angela Jacobson, John Timmerman
Meeting called to order by Mayor Keith Emerson at 9:00 a.m.
Motion by Anderson, seconded by Olson, to approve the agenda as presented. All Ayes
9 AM – Todd County Board of Review
John Timmerman was in attendance. Timmerman would like to see a reduction in value of his property at 819 Lake Street East. He stated that PUDs, CICs and VHBOs are being compared to residential properties.
Medium assessed values payable:
· Mil Rate for Todd County is 1.67
· Mil Rate for Douglas County is 1.44
The cost is 23 basis points higher in Todd County than in Douglas County.
List of sale for the property at 1232 Lake Street East. The Timmerman’s current value is listed at $446,900. The valuation he wants is a reduction of 28% which equals $120,000.
Other lake properties compared in sales was for Jim Leigh’s property and Randy Anderson’s property sold lower than the value. Keven Wither’s value is $246,000 – sold less than $198,500.
Timmerman has had his property on the market, but the realtor said the value is too high for someone to purchase the property.
Todd County has limited sales to look at. Developments can reduce the value and sales of properties.
People will pay more for investment property than a house.
Snyder stated that is seems this is a one size fits all and it does not fit at all.
The city council has the ability to lower the value. But it can only change 1% or $250,000.
Timmerman is asking for a 28% or $120,663 reduction. Current value is $446,900 and the new value would be $326,237 if reduced.
Mayor Emerson believes a reduction is in order.
Motion by Snyder, to reduce the value of John Timmerman’s property at 819 Lake Street East by $80,000. Motion fails due to lack of second.
Mayor Emerson felt the council should hear from others at this time.
Floyd Kruse and his neighbor Harry were in attendance.
Kruse discussed his cabin on the lake. Kruse has been in the co-op for 35 years. Taxes have gone up $1,300 in 2 years.
Kruse’s neighbor Harry said the value went from $71,700 to $89,700. They have had to do some construction and updating to some amenities but not enough for the $18,000 increase.
Motion by Dahlheimer, seconded by Anderson, to recommend to change the value for Harry and Floyd’s cabin in Todd County. All Ayes
The council went back to review Timmerman’s request.
Motion by Dahlheimer, seconded by Emerson, to reduce the value of John Timmerman’s property at 819 Lake Street East by $104,000 or 23% reduction to get the house to the 105% market value. All Ayes
Meeting for Todd County Board of Review closed at 9:58 a.m.
10 AM – Douglas County Board of Review
Bruce Wittmore and Stacey from Douglas County were in attendance.
No one was on the agenda.
Douglas County had 4% increase assessed value schedule for new construction. Pole building also saw an increase in assessed value.
Ag sales had no change. Same value at 97%.
Commercial properties had no change.
Foreclosure sales were not in the study when calculating the value of sales.
New construction had a $500,000 increase in 2016 for Osakis.
Meeting adjourned for Douglas County at 10:21 a.m.
Project #24: Liquor Store
Julie Didier was in attendance. Council received a copy of the items that Didier was going to check on from out last meeting.
Didier checked on the following:
· Greaseless fryer – cost approximately $3,200 each.
· Volleyball – need to have food at the Liquor Store to make a volleyball league work.
· Volleyball – could run a tournament during Moonshine Madness. Start a league in 2018.
Greg Gottwald runs a league at Diamond Point. The cost for two volleyball courts at Diamond Point were between $8,000 to $10,000. An investment will need to be made to bring people down.
Commitment needed by the manager for the food and make it presentable. Need to get people there and keep them there. Possibly hire an extra waitress for the nights of the volleyball league to get food and drinks out faster.
The food area would be in a limited space. Would be requirements to serve.
Advertise for food at the Country Club to get golfers to the Liquor Store.
Motion by Olson, seconded by Snyder, to approve to purchase two fryers and to get bids on remodeling the Liquor Store to put in a small area for a kitchen. All Ayes
Motion by Olson, seconded by Anderson, to check on prices for a volleyball court. All Ayes
Project #213: City Beach
Gottwald presented ideas about the city beach:
· New slide for the dock.
· New roll in dock. Mark’s Welding could make the frame for a cost of $6,300. Would need to price out the decking for the top.
· Could put in a volleyball court.
The city crew is willing to spend about $10,000 at the beach for the proposed equipment.
Darrin Quistorff was in attendance and presented his ideas about a fishing dock for kids to use.
· Location would be on the west side of the beach.
· Dock and lighted sidewalk would be handicap accessible.
· Possible donations from Sportsmans Club, Lions Club and the Chamber.
Council wants Quistorff to look into pricing of the fishing dock project.
Clerk Jacobson will check into if fishing from the bridge area is allowed.
Motion by Olson, seconded by Anderson, to approve to get prices for all of the options presented for the next meeting. All Ayes
Project #460: Downtown
Brent from C&L Excavating stated that his insurance company sent O-Town a check in the amount of $1,500 for the awning. The check was returned to his insurance company.
Brent feels the damage happened during Moonshine Madness. According to his dates, he did not have any equipment in front of O-Town at the time the owners said it happened.
According to the emails, the damage happened during the time of Moonshine Madness. C&L’s daily log shows no work during that time.
Emerson asked about the no response for months regarding this issue.
Brent said that it was missed in the office.
Emerson said for the amount of money that the city paid for the project, C&L could pay the $3,000 claim.
Brent explained that as a business owner working in town, he shouldn’t have to pay for something they didn’t do. There is no proof that they caused the damage to the awning at O’Town.
Sheila Krohse was in attendance. Krohse informed the council on the following:
· 2 year warranty on the lighting.
· $35,000 or 10% will be held until the lights are working and the planter and banner brackets are put up.
· Lighted manager did not review the installation properly and should have been different to get light defects working properly.
· Krohse will ask for an extended warrantee for the lights.
Krohse explained that the pay request cannot be held. We have $118,000 retainage.
Project #467: 2017 Project
Sheila Krohse was in attendance.
At the meeting, the council was informed that Jeanna Barnes did not sign her easement. We could go around her property and she would still be assessed because she will benefit from the project.
Clerk Jacobson checked with our city attorney and he said because she benefits we can assess her without getting an easement because we do not have to use her property.
Clerk Jacobson cautioned the council against making a motion to approve to give her hookup for free because of not being hook up in 1997.
Jeanna Barnes was in attendance. Barnes said she called Kurt Haakinson multiple times and she did not have to pay. Barnes stated that Haakinson said that the city is taking care of the cost. Barnes purchased the property in 2015 and was not made aware of this. Barnes said she was told if she signs the easement the city would take care of the cost.
Barnes said that others were not hooked up in 1997 and were taken care of and paid for.
Haakinson stated the city helps out with what we can. It was not promised to be paid for. We don’t want to go through the project without an easement but it has been discussed by the council.
Barnes stated she has paperwork stating it would be taken care of.
Dahlheimer asked if it was stated at a council meeting.
It was discussed on November 30th, 2016 at a discussion about the Lake Street properties and not at a council meeting.
Motion by Olson, seconded by Dahlheimer, to go ahead without the signed easement from Barnes and assess her property. All Ayes Apposed: Emerson
Project #73: First Responders
Jason Schultz was in attendance.
Council received information on the replacement ambulance. The cost will be $40,000 after trade in value.
Anderson asked if it is wise to purchase a new rig if we haven’t decided on a stipend.
Council feels confident that we will have First Responder members to use the new rig.
Motion by Emerson, seconded by Snyder, to purchase a First Responder rig for $40,000 as presented. All Ayes
Project #309: City Buildings
At the last council meeting, the city employees and council discussed the future of the city buildings.
Clerk Jacobson stated the reasons why we have started the conversation about replacing the city buildings.
· The existing city hall and city shop are WPA buildings and were built in the 1930’s.
· The building do not function well for out daily operations. We have one room for council chambers/meeting room/break room/city clerk and deputy clerk offices. This makes it very difficult to have phone conversations while others are having a meeting/city business or having a break.
· There are private HR items that need to be discussed for payroll deduction and currently there is no place to do that.
· Safety is a big concern. Many cities are putting in bullet proof glass windows and doors to keep people in certain areas. The existing city hall does not have any protection or an exit and this is a big concern.
· The building is not very professional with constant interruptions of people coming into the building during meetings.
Below are some of the reasons the Visitor’s Center will not work for city offices:
· Not enough parking.
· Not enough room for three offices/council chambers/meeting room and break room.
· Takes up commercial space in the downtown area.
· No safety/security. No place for people to stop when coming into the building.
· Not cost effective to remodel for a temporary building.
· Disconnection of city staff. Employees working together are more efficient when working in the same building, using the same resources such as supplies, copy machine, phone and internet services.
City employees visited other city halls and those employees stated that all employees being in one location was the best for productivity which has many benefits for their cities.
City staff are proposing the following for the Visitor’s Center building:
· Staffing the building year round. Funding from L.O.R.A., Osakis Chamber, O.E.D.C., Moonshine Madness Committee and EDA Funds. This person can be in charge of promotions for the city and maintaining websites.
We feel other organizations should pitch in for the building. Staffing the building year round would benefit the downtown businesses.
Council wants to see the building occupied. Having the building open for use of the rest room for the public would be a benefit.
The city employees have discussed several options for the city buildings.
Greg Gottwald showed the council a drawing of a new facility at the city garage locations. We have talked to other cities and it is very important to work together. We would like to start with getting a price for a new city hall/police department & public works complex.
Dahlheimer brought up moving the city offices to the community center and moving the fire hall down with the city garage.
Clerk Jacobson stated this does not work for us. Feels the city employees work together daily and need to stay together. Moving to the Visitor’s Center would not be temporary.
Haakinson would like to see the Visitor’s Center staffed. All year is the goal. Haakinson also informed the council that the roof needs to be repaired and the outside wood re-stained. This would cost about $7,000.
Dahlheimer will work with Haakinson and Clerk Jacobson to staff the Visitor’s Center.
Mayor Emerson adjourned the meeting at 12:05 p.m.
______
Mayor – Keith E. Emerson Admin/Clerk/Treasurer – Angela A. Jacobson
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