12-3-07 Minutes Summary

 

The regular meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Bob Schabert in the Courtland Community Center on Thursday, December 3, 2007 at 6:55 pm.  All council members were present.

 

The council briefly discussed the special meeting held November 21, 2007 to accept the bid for the 2007 Utilities Improvement Project.  After reviewing the bids, the council accepted Holtmeier Construction’s bid for $60,469.50.

 

Poehler made a motion to approve the amended agenda to include County Road 24 plowing under new business.  Nielsen seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

Nielsen made a motion to approve the written minutes from the regular city council meeting held on November 1, 2007.  Kollmann seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

Poehler made a motion to approve the written minutes from the special city council meeting held on November 21, 2007.  Schwartz seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

Nielsen made a motion to approve the bills from the month of November 2007 for payment.  Schwartz seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

Doug Gulden gave a short report for the utility department. He stated that he met with a representative, recommended by Bolton and Menk, about the grinder pumps.  He feels that the pumps that are currently being used by the city are better than the recommendation of the E-1 pump.  The City of New Ulm is raising our sewer flow rate again which means the city will have to raise the rate for the residents.  The new rate goes into effect on the January flow which is billed the first part of February.  Boulton presented a resolution to raise Courtland’s rates to compensate for the raise from New Ulm.  Schwartz made a motion to approve Resolution 07-118 to Increase Sewer rates.  Kollmann seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

RESOLUTION 07-118

 

Increasing Sewer Service Rates

 

WHEREAS, the sewer fund is an enterprise fund, intended to be self-supporting as a business-like activity;

 

WHEREAS, sewer service rates are necessary for operation and maintenance, debt service, and replacement funds for the sanitary sewer system;

 

WHEREAS, Section 803.09, Subd. 1, of the Courtland City Code provides for increasing the sewer service rates by resolution;

 

WHEREAS, the utility committee discussed current rates and noted that the flow charge to New Ulm will be increased by 16 cents effective January 1, 2008; and

 

WHEREAS, the utility committee has recommended increasing sewer service rates to maintain the solvency of the sewer fund.

 

The City Council of the City of Courtland hereby approves a flow charge of $3.95 per 1000 gallons.  This is an increase of 20 cents per 1000 gallons.  The base and system replacement charges remain the same.  This resolution is effective upon publication.

 

Passed by the City Council for the City of Courtland on the 3rd day of December 2007.

 

Signed:__________________________________

                Bob Schabert, Mayor

 

Attest:___________________________________

                Bonnie Hubert, City Clerk

 

The council reviewed the written report from our city policeman.

 

David Carlton addressed the council on the issue of the weight restriction sign on Zimmerman Drive off CSAH 24.  The sign that is currently posted on the road is five ton gross weight.  He asked if that is correct for those streets or if it should be five ton per axle gross weight.  Carlton was pulled over by the state trooper and given a warning ticket for being over weight.  He said that if the sign is indeed correct that even the school bus, garbage trucks, and Schwan’s truck are too heavy to travel on the streets.  The council decided that this sign is incorrect and that they would have Doug take it down and order one that is correct.  Schabert made a motion to replace the weight sign on Zimmerman Drive to read seven ton per axle gross weight.  Nielsen seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

The city clerk informed the council that the CD’s that are held by the city are coming due on December 31, 2007.  She asked the council’s permission to renew the CD’s and to put an additional amount on the CD for the sewer.  Schwartz made a motion to have the city clerk renew the CD’s to include the additional amount.  Poehler seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor. 

 

The city council members reviewed the entire 2008 budget, line-by-line, trying to make cuts where they could.  The major items that were up for discussion were a new computer for the city clerk, the new office building, the replacement of the city tractor and the water tower study.

 

All council members agreed that the city streets need some attention and that work will continue with available funds.

 

At the end of the discussion, the city’s final levy for 2008 was proposed at $92,375.00, which is a 4.8 percent increase over 2007.

 

Schwartz made a motion to adjourn to December 10th for paying the pay estimate of the 2007 Utility Extension.  Nielsen seconded the motion.  The motion carried with all in favor.

 

A signed written copy of the minutes is on file in the office of the city clerk.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Bonnie J. Hubert

City Clerk