New Underwood, South Dakota

MINUTES OF THE

NEW UNDERWOOD CITY COUNCIL

A regular meeting of the New Underwood City Council was held on September 6, 2006 at 6:00 p.m.  Present were: Mayor Benita White, Councilmembers: Jackie Dahlquist, Michael Green, Tyler Richter, and John Torrey.  Also present: The Fin. Officer Meri Jo Anderson,  Dir. of Public Works Greg Hall,  Public Works staff: Rob Goodman and Mike Holloway, Officer Pryzmus & Lt. Weber, Melanie Brassfield, Nell Boyd, Teri Karel, Bill Brunskill, Marvin Rask and Ron Racicky.    

AGENDA

Moved by Dahlquist second by Green to approve the agenda.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

MINUTES                                                               

Motion by Dahlquist second by Richter to approve the August 16 & 28, 2006 minutes as presented.  Aye: all.  Motion carried. 

FINANCIAL REPORT & BILLIST                                                                                  

The Finance Officer presented the financial reports, bill-list and vouchers.  Motion by Dahlquist second by Green to approve the financial reports and the following warrants as presented.  Aye:  all.  Motion carried.  

August bills payable September 6, 2006                                                                                

GENERAL FUND                                                                                        

Salaries – 6634.39; McGas (SP& Contract Propane) – 149.00; First Western Bank (SS & FWT) – 1485.60; SD Retirement – 527.83; State Treasurer (Sales Tax) – 247.92; WREA (service) – 1086.54;  Golden West (service) – 230.78; Rapid City Landfill (dump fees) – 1876.71; Dakota Care (ins) – 508.53; NU Post (Publishing) – 152.46; Steve's (fuel) – 584.78; ELAN (shop, CC, SP)  – 943.53; Penn. Co. Hwy. (fuel) – 1003.03; Janice Jensen (CC) – 40.00; Bev Taylor (CC) – 44.00; Pool & Spa (SP) – 481.39; Gillette Diary (SP) – 83.46; Mid Continent (SP) – 80.00; Dakota Business Center (printer ink) – 162.80; Pete Lien (Chips) – 819.63; Hills Material Co. (oil) – 9263.10;Sam’s Club (pool concessions)- 551.05; AFLAC (ins) – 23.90; SD Federal Property (shop) – 50.00; Great Western Tire ( tires and repair) – 1369.88; A&I Distributors (shop oil) – 871.20; A&H Truck Salvage (autocar) – 35.00; Armstrong Extinguishing Service (recharge extinguishers) – 111.00; Ace Steel and Recycling, INC. ( garbage truck) – 38.40; YMCA (certifications) – 220.00. TOTAL: $29675.91

WATER FUND                                                                                             

Salaries – 4078.19; First Western Bank (SS & FWT) – 1271.72; SD Retirement – 679.62; WREA (service) – 1388.39; Energy Laboratory (water sample) – 160.00; Schaeffer Electric (well booster pumps) – 354.24; Hawkins Water Treatment (water) – 1669.10.TOTAL – $9601.26. 

SEWER FUND                                                                                            

Salaries – 2131.96; First Western Bank (SS & FWT) – 519.92; SD Retirement – 348.48; WREA (service) – 40.85; Dakota Care (health ins) – 1243.77; ELAN (water books) – 176.43;  Alltel Wireless (cell phones) – 149.55; Northwest Pipe Fitting INC (sewer break North Underwood Add. ) – 141.25; Omni-site.com (water alarm) – 56.00. TOTAL –  $4808.21.

METER FUND

Jim Whitman (refund) – 50.00; Roxanna Kursave (refund) – 18.02.  TOTAL:  $68.02.

SPIKING PERMITS

SP#06-12; Terry Karels; Oct.13, 2006

SP#06-13; Melanie Brassfiled; Sept. 30, 2006

Motion by Richter second by Green to approve SP#06-13.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

Moved by Richter second by Green to approve SP#06-12.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Officer Przymus presented and discussed his written monthly report.  Councilman Green wondered if there was something the City could do to help deter unlawful activities in the City.  Discussion followed about some of the dark areas in the City and the need for more lighting.  Officer Przymus will try to identify some of the dark areas.  Officer Przymus also suggested the citizens need to educate themselves on criminal prevention i.e. locking doors, locking vehicles, use of motion detector lights, and contacting the Sheriffs office right a way when you see something odd.

The bicycle safety course will be September 22, 2006 at the School.  Officer Przymus is working in conjunction with the Community Center Committee to organize this school.  Dare classes will be twelve weeks this year.

PARK

The Outhouses at the park will be pumped out.  It was also suggested lime be put in them.  More sand will be placed around the playground equipment.  Officer Pryzmus is working on getting the picnic shelter painted by Community Service workers.

BUDGET ORDINANCE NUMBER 06-08

The 2007 budget ordinance number 06-08 received its first reading.    Motion by Richter second by Dahlquist to approve the first reading of Ordinance Number 06-08.  Aye:  Dahlquist, Green, and Richter.  Nay:  Torrey.    Motion carried.  Councilman Torrey voted nay since he felt there must be some way to trim money out of the budget.  Councilman Green said you have had the proposed budget for three weeks and at the last hearing you did not come up with any suggestions to trim the budget.  Councilman Torrey then suggested that we could possibly save money by getting a bus and hauling people to Rapid City to swim instead of having the swimming pool and cut the Sheriff contract down or completely cut it out.  He stated we started chip sealing the streets ourselves to cut down costs, but the budget did not go down.  The Director of Public explained that the cost of materials continues to go up, but to hire it done would be cost prohibitive to even do the amount of streets we currently can do.  It saves 73% of the dollar amount doing this ourselves.  It would cost $45,000.00 to hire it done verses the

(Budget cont.)

$10,000.00 to $12,000.00 we spend.  The Finance Officer explained that there is a time restraint since State law states we must get the certified levy to the County Auditor by October 1. 

COUNCIL SALARY ORDINANCE

Councilman Torrey wanted the Council to consider changing this ordinance so that the Council is paid monthly instead of semi-annually.  Discussion followed expanding on the amount paid per meeting.  Motion by Torrey to lower the amount paid to Councilman to $30.00 a meeting to be paid monthly.  This motion died for lack of a second.  Motion by Torrey second by Green to change the ordinance to $30.00 a meeting and paid semi-annually.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.  This first reading of Ordinance #06-09 was declared duly passed.  Councilwoman Dahlquist then stated that no one does this job for the monetary value and that the pay is just a way for the citizens to thank the public servant for being conscientious elected officials.

BUILDING PERMITS

BP#06-33; Teri Karels/Bill Brunskill; 410 Bailey; fence

     #06-34; Mike Holloway; 513 S. “B” Ave; lean-to on garage

     #06-35; Del & Mary Beck; 305 S. “B” Ave; remove deck & pour concrete

     #06-36; Glenn Goodman; 308 S. “B” Ave; addition

     #06-37; NU School; 300 E. Ash; addition

                 (requests variance on set backs)

(Clarification of width of Monroe Ave. and Ash Str. by the Football field.  Reference Resolution Number 80-2)

The Mayor noted that on the north and west side of the football field Ash Street and Monroe Ave are only 60 feet wide instead of the usual 70 feet wide.  Resolution Number 80-2 will be filed at the Court House. 

Motion by Richter second by Green to approve building permits 33-36.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

Discussion on the school addition followed.  Allowing a variance could make a dangerous intersection.  The Council agreed they would like to help the school with this problem and discussion turned to vacating the street or blocking it off during school hours.  Motion by Torrey second by Dahlquist to table this permit and variance until an opinion is received from the attorney.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

NUISANCE ABATEMENTS

A vacant house on “A” Ave. at the rear of the property and a building on the front of the property is becoming a health and safety nuisance, since the windows and doors are broke out, and weeds overgrown.  The last time we received a complaint like this the City Attorney advised the Council to send a letter to the property owner giving them ten days to abate this nuisance since it poises a health, safety, and welfare issue.  The Council agreed the Mayor should send the letter to abate this nuisance.  The Mayor will call the property owner to let them know a letter is coming. 

COMMUNITY CENTER

The City has received quotes on putting air conditioning in the Community Center both quotes include new furnaces.  We are also waiting on a quote for geothermal.  The cost effectiveness & payback were discussed. 

Nell Boyd questioned whether the tree would be decorated for Christmas.  The Mayor reported one of the utility companies is bringing there cherry picker down to help with this project.  Motion by Richter second by Green to donate the Community Center tree to Pierre.  (This motion was done as a joke.)  When the vote was called there were no ayes, so the motion did not pass. 

Nell Boyd also asked about getting some benches in front of the Community Center.  Councilman Richter will ask the Lions Club about helping with this project if the City purchases the materials. 

SURPLUS PROPERTY

Resolution Number 06-02 was introduced. 

RESOLUTION NUMBER 06-02

BE IT RESOLVED by the New Underwood City Council that the following property be declared surplus to be sold:

1.  Sears Craftsman Tractor & Snowblower

2.  Three Point Hitch Blade HI-CO

3.  400 gallon tank Distributor – Wisconsin Engine

4.  Twelve foot Snow Plow

5.  Truck slide in ice sander

Dated September 6, 2006

(seal)

                                                                                Benita R. White, Mayor

Meri Jo Anderson, Finance Officer

Moved by Green second by Dahlquist to approve resolution number 06-02.  Roll call vote.  Aye:  Dahlquist, Green, Richter, and Torrey.  Nay: none.  Motion carried.

APPRAISAL BOARD

Motion by Green second by Dahlquist to appoint the Council as the appraisal board for one year.  Aye:  all.  Motion carried.

The Council then sat as the board of appraisal and appraised this surplus property.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Motion by Richter second by Green to go into executive session at 7:42 p.m. to discuss correspondence from the City Attorney on a lease agreement contract.   Moved by Dahlquist second by Richter to adjourn executive session at 7:50 p.m. and return to regular session.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.

LEASE AGREEMENT CONTRACT

The lease agreement with Western Communications to place an antenna on the Water Tower was discussed.   Motion by Green second Richter to not accept this contract or have the attorney draw up a new one, since it would not be cost effective.  Aye: all.  Motion carried.   

WATER

Several complaints have been received on using the old well.  Expanding on rural water sells were discussed.

Kim Taylor will be here to replace the check valves and replace the pitless adapter this week.

SHERIFF’S CONTRACT

More discussion with Lt. Weber about how they figure the price of the contract with each City followed.  Councilman Torrey asked to see the Sheriff’s personal pay agreement.  Lt. Weber stated that the Sheriff is not an employee, but an elected official.  Kurt Weber gave the Council his e-mail address and asked them to e-mail him with specific questions, so he could have the information ready for them the next time he attends a meeting.

OTHER ITEMS DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT MEETING

1. Both culverts at the end of Janklow have been extended & filled in.       
2. The doors on the Crosbie Building are 12’ X 14’.
3. A motion light will be installed and the security camera will be put up at the pool.
4. Ron Racicky thanked the City for their help and cooperation in making the Labor Day Celebration a success.

 Being no further business the Mayor adjourned the meeting at 9:10 p.m.

(Seal)  Meri Jo Anderson, Finance Officer