City Council Minutes | January 6, 2020

City Council
Council Chambers
Monday
January 6, 2020 7:00 pm

 

The City Council of the City of New Hampton met in regular session in the Council Chambers on Monday, January 6, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Schwickerath at 7:00 p.m. Council members present were Boos, Denner, Diiro, Kuhn, McDonald and Perkins. Zachary Nosbisch, Jr Mai, Courtney Lechtenberg, Tammy Robinson, Tim Angell, Bob Fenske, Mark Hackman and City Attorney Kevin Kennedy were also present.

Moved by Perkins, seconded by Diiro; The agenda be approved as presented. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Diiro, seconded by McDonald; That the minutes of the December 16, 2019 regular Council meeting minutes be approved. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Perkins, seconded by Denner; That claims in the amount of $111,235.41 be approved. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Resolution setting guidelines for Council meetings
All regular Council meetings shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. as set by City Code, and if such day shall fall on a legal holiday, identified as Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day or Labor Day, the meeting shall be held on the next succeeding day at the same time unless a different day or time is determined by the council. The conduct of all regular and special meetings of the Council shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order. Special meetings of the City Council may be called by the Mayor of the City at any time, as stated in the City Code, with notice in compliance with the open meetings law, and said special meeting shall take up, consider, and act upon any such business as the Mayor shall place on the agenda subject to Council approval. Any business to be transacted at any regular Council meeting shall be in the hands of the City Clerk by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the Council meeting. The Mayor sets up the agenda for the City Clerk to prepare and deliver to the Mayor, Council, City Attorney, Wastewater Superintendent, Chief of Police, Economic Development Director, and Street Superintendent on the Friday prior to the meeting. The said agenda shall be published the Friday prior to the Council meeting. Emergency items shall be in the hands of the City Clerk by Friday at 10:00 a.m. Moved by Diiro, seconded by Perkins; That Resolution No. 6417 A RESOLUTION SETTING GUIDELINES FOR COUNCIL MEETINGS, be approved: Ayes- Boos, Denner, Diiro, Kuhn, McDonald, Perkins. Nays-None. Absent – None. Resolution approved.

Setting order for roll call
Moved by Denner, seconded by Kuhn; That the order for roll call vote shall be as follows: the first month shall be alphabetical and thereafter each month the roll call vote shall be rotated so that the first vote becomes the last and the rest remain alphabetical. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent – None. Motion Carried.

Voting procedures and abstaining votes
City Attorney Kennedy explained that 4 affirmative votes are needed to pass a resolution or ordinance and motions require a majority of the council members present at the meeting. Kennedy also discussed abstaining from a council vote by council members.

Appointment of Mayor Pro-tem
Moved by Perkins, seconded by Denner; That Mayor Schwickerath’s appointment of Bruce Diiro as Mayor Pro-tem be approved. Ayes- Six. Nays-None. Absent- None. Motion carried.

Appointment of Standing Committees
Mayor Schwickerath appointed the following Standing Committees:

Finance

  • Chair: Perkins
  • Committee Members: McDonald, Kuhn

Street and Sanitation Water

  • Chair: McDonald
  • Committee Members: Diiro, Denner

Water

  • Chair: Kuhn
  • Committee Members: Perkins, Denner

Wastewater

  • Chair: Diiro
  • Committee Members: McDonald, Kuhn

Heavy Equipment

  • Chair: Denner
  • Committee Members: Mai, Boos

Safety

  • Chair: Boos
  • Committee Members: Angell, Nosbisch, Clemens, Mai

Moved by Kuhn, seconded by McDonald; That the Mayor’s appointments to the Standing Committees be approved. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent-None. Motion carried.

Designating Signatures for Community Development Block Grants and Economic Development Grants Moved by Perkins, seconded by Denner; That Resolution No. 6418 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SIGNATURES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION GRANTS (Bobby Schwickerath, Mayor, and in his absence, Diiro, Mayor Pro-tem), be approved. Ayes- Boos, Denner, Diiro, Kuhn, McDonald, Perkins. Nays-None. Absent-None. Resolution approved.

Mayor’s appointments – Department heads
Mayor Schwickerath made the following appointments and asked for Council approval:

  • City Clerk – Karen Clemens
  • Deputy City Clerk – Courtney Lechtenberg
  • Chief of Police – Zachary Nosbisch
  • Wastewater Superintendent – Timothy Angell
  • Economic Development Director – Tammy Robinson
  • City Attorney – Kevin Kennedy
  • Fire Chief – Toby Schwickerath
  • City Health Physician – New Hampton Clinic staff
  • Zoning Administrators – Karen Clemens and Donald Mai
  • Street Superintendent – Donald Mai, Jr

Moved by Kuhn, seconded by Diiro; That the Mayor’s appointments be approved. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent-None, Motion Carried.

Mayor’s appointments to Community Boards

  • Mayor Schwickerath made the following appointments and asked for Council approval:
  • Floyd-Mitchell-Chickasaw Solid Waste Agency – Mayor Schwickerath, Diiro alternate
  • Economic Development Advisory Board–Mayor Schwickerath, Perkins, Clemens alter.
  • Communication Commission – Mayor Schwickerath, Police Chief Nosbisch
  • E-911 Board – Mayor Schwickerath, Police Chief Nosbisch
  • Emergency Management Board – Mayor Schwickerath, Diiro alternate
  • Chickasaw Ambulance Council –Mayor Schwickerath, Diiro alternate
  • INRCOG Voting Officials:
    • Regional Transit Commission (Buses) – Mayor or Council
    • Regional Transit Authority Technical Board (Streets, Road, Trails Bridges) – Mayor or Council
    • Regional Transit Authority Policy Board – Mayor or Council
    • Housing Council – Tammy Robinson

Moved by McDonald, seconded by Perkins; that the Mayor’s appointments be approved.

Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent-None. Motion carried.

Appointment of official newspaper
Moved by Denner, seconded by Kuhn; That the New Hampton Tribune be named the official newspaper for the publication of Council proceedings and notices. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent-None. Motion carried.

Appointment of City Engineer
Moved by Diiro, seconded by Perkins; To appoint SEH Engineering as the engineering firm for City Subdivision review and storm water management review, all other City engineering business will be done on a project by project basis. Ayes-Six. Nays-None. Absent-None. Motion carried.

Moved by Kuhn, seconded by McDonald; Approving the application of Derek Heying for Tax Exemption under the city-wide Urban Revitalization Plan for New Hampton and authorizing the Mayor to sign the application and forward to the County Assessor, be approved. Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

Moved by Diiro, seconded by Perkins; That the following be accepted and placed on file:

  1. Airport Commission minutes of 11-11-19

Ayes – Six. Nays – None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

The Finance Committee will meet on the Monday, January 20th at 6:00 pm to discuss the FY2020-2021 budget. The Finance committee will share their recommendations for the City council at the Finance Committee meeting on January 27th at 6:00 pm in council chambers

Moved by McDonald, seconded by Denner; That the meeting adjourn at 7:20 p.m. Ayes- Six. Nays-None. Absent – None. Motion carried.

 

 

ATTEST: KAREN CLEMENS, CMC, City Clerk

ROBERT SCHWICKERATH, Mayor