City of Watertown, SD 2022 City Council Meetings, 15 Aug 2022

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From YouTube: City Council Meeting 08-15-2022

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City Council Meeting 08-15-2022

A

August 15th of 2022, um please rise while hank rosso, the director of midwest bible camp and also the chaplain of the watertown fire department, will lead us in prayer.

A

Finance officer bob zeen, would you please call the roll.

B

Okay, bueller danforth.

C

B

Here paulson shetty, here tupper.

A

B

Howard, thank you.

A

Quorum is established with that. The chair will entertain a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda motion made by councilman shutty seconded by councilman tupper any conversation on that hearing. None. The motion is to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor, please say aye aye any opposed a motion carries.

A

Next up is the public comments section if anyone is here who would like to speak to the city, council or the city of watertown, about something that is not on tonight's agenda? Now is your time to do so.

A

See no one come forward I'll, close public comments section and take a motion to approve tonight's agenda motion made by councilman vilhauer second by councilman buehler. Any conversation on that hearing none motion is to approve the agenda. All those in favor, please say aye aye, any opposed, nay, motion carries the first item on tonight's. Regular agenda is an election for deputy mayor for the year 2022-2023.

A

The chair will entertain names for nominations. I will nominate glenn vilhauer. He had to think about it.

A

All right, a motion or a nomination for deputy mayor does not need to be seconded, but I do need to ask if there are any other nominations to be considered.

A

Hearing no other nominations. The chair will entertain a motion for unanimous consent for the election of glenville hour. As deputy mayor see, I paused too just.

A

Okay motion made by councilman paulson need a second second by councilman tupper any conversation on that hearing. None. The motion is to elect councilman vilhauer as deputy mayor for the year 2022-2023, all those in favor, please say: aye aye any opposed. A motion carries councilman.

D

Villarreal just want to thank my colleagues for their support and look forward to serving this position this next year. Again.

A

Thank you very much.

E

A

Item b is an approval of the borrower, borrower's resolution for the wastewater collection system and treatment facilities, improvements, project 2117.

A

for more information. We have a special guest star tonight and justin peterson, our city engineer, who is filling in for our public works director, heath von nai, justin.

F

Thank you mayor um this item and the next two items are all related to the wastewater collection system and treatment facilities improvements over the last few years. We've hr has done some studies with the wastewater collection system and- and it just so happens that the arpa funds became available and the the city was awarded 15.8 million dollars in grants.

F

This resolution they were also awarded 19.8 million dollars in loans at 2.125 percent for 30 years, and that's what this resolution authorized the city to enter into the loan agreement without standby for.

A

Questions. Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from the council, councilman danforth.

G

Mayor we've got the next. What three or four items that are on here and I.

A

Know we had a work session on this. I can grant leniency to ask on the overall concept of the improvements.

G

If is mike on, I see his picture, I'm not sure if he's.

A

uh Mr burger, are you on or director berger.

G

D

A

Of our wastewater treatment.

G

A

Superintendent, sorry.

G

uh Mayor or you know at your liberty here, maybe it would be good if we just took a minute if you did or amanda or mike or whomever, and just kind of give a description as to why we are doing these things at this time. We had that discussion at the work session. I think it's really good. It just seems like there's a lot here, but there's reasons why we're doing this now and I think that would help the public.

A

I think that's a great idea: councilman danforth! Thank you for that. um We did have a work session on that, but not as many people pay attention to the work sessions as to the council meetings and justifiably so, but I'll leave that open for our city manager, mack and superintendent berger to fill us in and the public in more.

H

Thank you mayor um mike. If you just want to give a rundown of the projects and kind of how they fit into our timeline, I think that would be appropriate.

I

Yes, thank you um back in 2021, we went into an engineering evaluation of our wastewater treatment facility and sanitary sewer system, and we all we had a capacity uh model put together for our sewer system and that capacity model, along with the engineering evaluation of the wastewater facility, was looking out over the next 20 years and identified areas where equipment needs to be either rehabilitated, replaced and upgraded.

I

And so uh we went from the front of the plant all the way through the plant and then looked at the key points where we knew we had uh lift stations that were nearing their capacity and those those two studies really uh determined. What work would need to be done and that's what's before you tonight we're looking at about 20 years worth of improvements to the wastewater treatment facility, the type of work that the plant will vary from a lot of the metal equipments in a very corrosive environment here.

I

So there is some significant coating projects. Well, some of these metal mechanisms that have been in service for decades will be sandblasted uh and then retreated with a coating to protect them so that that metal maintains its thickness, which extends the service area, the service life of that equipment.

I

um There are so some areas where we might might be adding another tank, because looking at the 20-year projections for the population growth and what that does to the loadings the facility uh we're ensuring that we have proper capacity and um and then, like I said at the brother lift station, there are the lift stations we have 48 of those, but a number of those are uh are seeing that they're they're near capacity and there's some growth in those areas.

I

So, um although those two evaluations is what's put to pull together this a rather large project.

A

Thank you very much city manager. Mac did you have anything to add.

H

A

Thank you very much counsel, any further questions or comments on this.

A

Councilman vilhauer thank.

D

You uh I asked this question at the work session last week. It might be worth repeating again we're mentioning water. I know the utilities departments also have some big projects planned for their water system. This is separate from that. We're not we're not talking about what they're doing. This is totally what we're looking at on our end with the wastewater.

A

Councilman tupper.

J

Donuts yeah that couldn't have been worse timing, could it supervisor mike berger part of this, is through harper funds and part of it's through loans. Correct.

J

And then the loans will be paid off through enterprise funds. In my got a surcharge. Okay, then that would that was estimated that what to increase 755, but it got down to four or something because uh something else is coming off: correct.

J

Okay, thank you.

A

Thank you, um chair made a mistake. Chair would like to take a motion to approve the borrower's resolution. Is there a motion made by councilman vilhauer second by councilman bill biehler, any further questions or comments council.

A

All right hearing, none the motion is to approve the borrower's resolution. All those in favor, please say aye aye. Any opposed, nay motion, carries item c is an approval of resolution 22-38 for a wastewater fee surcharge in relation to the wastewater collection system and treatment facilities, improvements for more information. We will go to our city, engineer, justin peterson. Thank.

F

You mayor this is a resolution that establishes the surcharge for user rates at 7.55 per user per month. But just one thing to note: we've looked at our we've. Had our consultant look at our financial obligations and the the actual user increase will likely be in the four dollar range.

F

But the this resolution is something I believe that's mandatory by the dnar.

A

Finance officer bob zine did you have something dad.

B

Yes, thank you mayor. So one of the requirements is once we pass a borrower's resolution. We have to do the surcharge if it's necessary to cover the loan before us, so the 7.55 cents is the requirement to cover the 19 million dollars. um After reviewing some of our other loans that we have, one of the big ones we had was srf loan number nine.

B

I think that was the mic can help me out, but it was one of our big projects that we had that one had over a million of principal forgiveness and then we've paid that one down and through some of our other changes we refinanced that one so that surcharge right now has about a 3.50 leeway.

B

So what you'll see before the council in november is I'll be bringing forward a resolution for all the loans and then you'll see the changes made at that point so that they're all covering their debt that they have to so that's kind of why it looks so heavy, but that won't be the amount that the end user sees. So thank you.

A

All right, thank you. Chair will entertain a motion to approve the resolution 22-38 made by councilman paulson seconded by councilman tupper, now open for comments or questions. Councilman shetty.

K

uh Yes, thank you mayor. During the work session. We we were fortunate to be able to see a graph that shows the the usage of the dollar amount, that's charged per user and it was. It was good to see encouraging to see that um the way our plan has been run over the years and decades. We are actually in the on probably the lower half of the of the spectrum on user fees for for each individual homeowner or a landowner for that for those types of services.

K

So anyway, I just wanted to just put that out. Yeah there's there we go there's a graph right there, so I just want to appreciate. I appreciate our our all those involved to keep our rates at that plus still have a well-run facility because it is going to take it takes dollars to to keep these facilities running and up to par, and so um it's been a healthy balance, obviously over the years, and so I believe that this is going to keep this healthy balance moving forward. So.

A

Appreciate it all right, thank you and whoever pulled that graphic up on the screen. Thank you. You read my mind. I was just about ready to ask for that engineer. Peterson. That was you all right. Thank you, councilman vilhauer.

A

Oh sorry, councilman shutty took your any further questions or comments council hearing none. The motion is to approve the resolution. All those in favor, please say aye any opposed, saying a motion carries item d is an approval of the professional services agreement for design and bidding services associated with the wastewater treatment facility and collection system project number 2117 with hdr for more information. We will go to our city, engineer, justin, peterson,.

F

Yes, the agreement for you is in the amount of three million seven hundred and seventy four thousand three hundred forty two dollars and fifty cents with hdr uh for the design and bidding services associated with uh this project. um I guess I'll stand by for questions and al erickson from hdr is also online to answer any questions.

A

All right, thank you. Chair will entertain a motion to approve the agreement made by councilman bealer seconded by councilman danforth, open it up for questions or comments from the council.

A

Councilman vilhauer, thank you mayor.

D

um I just want to make sure I understand we're looking at a project of 35.7 million dollars so that it's that plus the 3.7 million or is that 3.7 roll into the 35.7.

F

The the engineering is part of that: okay, okay,.

D

So so the resolutions which we just passed already would cover uh these fees as well. Then, okay, thank you.

A

Thank you, councilman danforth,.

G

It's also my understanding, if I'm correct on this, I I might have gotten that topic mixed up with a different work session, but this is a not to exceed number correct. Wasn't it and so over time and potential inflation or bids, and you know estimates this is a not to exceed number. If I recall is that correct, yeah? Okay, thank you.

A

Thank you any further questions or comments.

A

Hearing now the motion is to approve the professional services agreement. All those in favor, please say aye aye, any opposed, saying a motion carries item e is an approval of the borrower's resolution for the landfill cell number seven project, two one one, two justin peterson our city and engineer, will tell us more.

F

Thank you mayor. This is uh a borrower's resolution very similar to the one that we just passed for the wastewater collection, but this is for the landfill cell number. Seven city received funds in the amount of one little over 1.4 million in loans. That's in addition to the 612 thousand dollars in grants.

F

This borrower's resolution gives you authority for the city to approve the loan agreements.

A

Thank you very much chair will entertain a motion to approve the resolut to approve the resolution made by councilman tupper second by councilman paulson, open it up for questions and comments. Councilman villarreal thank.

D

You mayor, you know I'm going to direct this at our city manager. It might not be a bad idea to explain why all these projects are coming through at this time. You know relative to the the arpa funding.

H

D

A

H

So, as everyone is, is likely aware, cities and counties across the country were given a certain dollar amount from the american rescue plan act that passed several months ago last year, even for infrastructure improvements.

H

They they took the lump sum of money and divided it by population and said here you go so the city was given 3.7 million dollars. That's that's our allocation, as we were pondering and looking at what we could use those dollars for at the time when they were allocated they were. They were very specific in the guidelines of what those dollars were for the state said.

H

If, if you are willing to pledge your arpa funds towards towards water wastewater infrastructure projects, we will match them, so our 3.7 million has been matched by the state by 3.7 million, so we have 7.4 million free dollars, free-ish dollars towards these projects plus, then we received a grant.

H

On top of that, I can't I can't give you that amount and then the rest is being paid for through srf loans. Thank you.

A

Thank you and thank you, councilman valauer, for that uh councilman.

J

I don't know to direct this to probably city finance manager, kristen bob zine, so the surcharges on this are they going up, then also.

B

um This loan actually does not require a surcharge after reviewing the this is a separate fund, so this is the landfill, so the solid waste revenues right now are enough to cover this loan. So this, the user will see no increase due to this loan good.

A

Thank you yep. Thank you very much any further questions or comments hearing none. The motion is to approve the borrower borrower's resolution.

A

All those in favor, please say aye aye, any opposed, say, nay, motion, carries item f, is an approval of resolution, 22-40 the plaits of lots, one and two of watertown railroad, third edition to the municipality of watertown, justin peterson, our city engineer and, oh sorry, randy hanton, who is our urban plan community development manager? I got that wrong at the previous meeting earlier today, so community development manager, brandi hanton, will tell us more all.

L

Right. Thank you, mayor.

A

L

um Is there a mouse here where I could.

L

Thank you. So, as the mayor said, this is the plat of the watertown railroad third edition. This is along bogue avenue and it was previously planted and conveyed to the wolford properties llc and now let me get down to it. So you guys can see it here.

L

L

So all this plaid is doing typically, this one will be done administratively, but the parent parcel was platted within three years, and that is a requirement that an administrative plan cannot be done within three years following a prior admin plot. An administrative plan is just done with staff review, because it's not dedicating right-of-way. There are no infrastructure improvements, those are the main items, and so, as this property exists, they're just subdividing off two lots.

L

Lot: two: there is an existing 12 plex that received a building permit in 2021 and then lot 1 is going to be conveyed for a parking lot for latch, because there are, as you can see it's, um it has a lot of easements uh on utilizing the the property or making the property unusable, or you know, there's no buildable space.

L

So that is why it's before council is um because of the stipulation of this. This plot was recorded in 2020, not meeting the three-year requirement. So with that we'll open up for any questions.

A

Thank you very much. The chair will entertain a motion to approve the resolution made by councilman buehler second by councilman vilhauer. I will open it up now for comments or questions from the council.

A

Councilman villarreal thank.

D

You mayor, um I, I know that just to point out, the planning commission did approve this unanimously at their uh recent board at their recent meeting. I know that that that development has caused some concerns from the neighborhood up. There um have you heard anything or what kind of communication if any was needed to be made relative to this, or have you heard anything brandy recently from the neighborhood about the development up there.

L

Yes, so we were in contact with the property owners, letting them know that for the grading activity that was happening, that they needed to obtain a grading permit, which I believe, maybe mercy or justin, have they submitted for that.

F

They have a grading permit for the work that they're doing now, specifically for their their next.

L

Building the second half okay, so we are actively working with them. um Marcy was in touch with the property owner last week, so we will get that taken care of to make sure that you know any expo just that the erosion sediment control is being taken care of if they're doing any topsoil stripping and whatnot. So it's an ongoing.

D

L

D

L

But we will stay on it.

A

Councilman biehler.

C

A

C

What is the timeline for the parking lot? Do we know what that is when they intend to build that.

L

So they received a conditional use in early july for being able to because this property is zoned, r3, multi-family residential, so they have to receive conditional use from the board of adjustment, and I believe that all of these parking lot projects were going to be completed uh within the year.

L

C

L

Were there were four parking lots that re or four properties that received a conditional use for um just having the parking lot use? Okay, thanks.

A

Thank you any further questions or comments hearing none. The motion is to approve the approve, the resolution, all those in favor, please say aye any opposed, saying a motion carries item g is the first reading of an ordinance amending to the zoning designation for lot, 1 and outlot a block 5 of harmony, hill, 3rd edition, from a1 to r3, multi-family residential district for more information. It looks like we might be going back to our community development manager. Yes, brandy, hampton.

L

All right, thank you mayor. So, as it was explained, this is a rezone for a small portion of the harmony hill subdivision. This will be harmony. Hill third edition, to give you guys a little proximity of where this is in regards to what is currently being developed in their phase one. So this orange area is the phase one. This blue area will be phase two, but this is actually just the portion that we are looking at rezoning today.

L

Currently it is zoned a1 agricultural district. That's what we've been having them bring this property in as as they're annexing and zoning, which you might recall that just came forward a couple months ago that we brought in this additional 35 acres, because with this new with this next phase, they will be extending challenger way, so that was pivotal to be annexed and zoned, and then that will be all of those infrastructure. Improvements that are related to this rezone will be outlined in the development agreement.

L

That'll come forth with the plat at the next council meeting and then that's when the second reading of this rezoning will take place as well. So they're going from agricultural to r3, multifamily residential, and that is in conformance with the approved concept plan, so I'll stand by for any questions.

A

Thank you. This is the first reading, so no no need for a motion um just open it up for questions and comments from the council.

A

All right, thank you much yes, we'll see this back soon.

A

Item h is an approval of insurance policies and authorization for payment for premiums for general liability, auto liability and physical damage, law enforcement, liability, buildings and contents equipment, property met, property damage and equipment, breakdown, coverage and authorization for the finance officer to issue a special check.

A

Longest agenda item of the night, at least in title, goes to our finance officer bob zine, to explain.

B

Thank you mayor. Yes, it is that time of year again to look at our insurance coverage um before the council is the approval for the insurance. All the liability we're looking at about a 5.4 percent increase compared to 2021. um in the handout you can see. The breakdown between the city and utilities. Numbers have been given to utilities as well and they are in agreement with their numbers.

B

So if there's any specific questions, I can answer them, but I can go over just a few things that did adjust the premium. We always do see a three percent increase on our buildings and contents. That's kind of south dakota public assurance alliance, that's their standard. We also added our zoo animal care facility at about 1.6 million, and then the new wastewater admin building was added to insurance for just under 5 million, so those are some pretty big buildings that were added.

B

Otherwise, I felt comfortable with the premium and, if there's any questions, I can try to answer them. Thank you.

A

Thank you very much chair will entertain a motion to approve the policies motion made by councilman tupper seconded by councilman shutty, open it up for questions and comments. Councilman vilhauer thank.

D

You mayor uh finance officer, bob zena. I see the utilities is still on board with this. I know there had been some discussion in the past about them, possibly breaking away and doing their own thing as far as insurance coverage, but that uh did not happen. Is that the case.

B

And I did not hear anything in regards to that this year, so.

D

They did have an.

B

Opportunity to review it sounds.

D

Good. Thank you. Yep.

A

Any further questions or comments.

A

Hearing none the motion is to approve the policies, all those in favor, please say aye any opposed, say, nay, motion carries item. I is an approval of a source well bid for a new peterbilt dump truck from sanitation products in the amount of 2002.

A

Roughly 200 thousand dollars uh authorized thousand dollars to be allocated to the city's contingency fund uh for more information. Are we going to street superintendent rob bainen? Thank you.

M

Mayor um as the mayor said, we're asking for approval of a peterbilt dump truck via source, well bid through sanitation products for 202 431 dollars. um Little little background on this. um As you guys probably know, it's a little hard to get equipment right now due to several shortages, but our original budget for this year for a truck was 145 thousand dollars through working uh with sanitation products and actually northern truck as well checked with them as well. um uh Sentation products does have access to another peterborough peterbilt truck um that we can get soon.

M

They actually have the truck chassis, they need to order the box and parts if this is approved, but we do out of that 145 000 that we had budgeted.

M

We had a couple over runs on skid steer, attachments and roller trailer, which is a remaining balance of 137 thousand dollars and through our budget lines we actually have batwing mower we're able to push back and a little surplus from our pickup purchase, which comes to 27 000 and 137.

M

000 plus a 27 000 leaves 164 000 towards this truck that we could use. I'm asking for 40 000 out of the contingency fund to go towards this truck, and your approval of this would be much appreciated.

A

Thank you very much chair will entertain a motion to approve the bid motion made by councilman shutty seconded by councilman paulson. I will open it up for questions and comments. Councilman shetty thank.

K

You mayor so just a quick question on the types of dump trucks. Are there many different variables but stainless versus something? That's metal that you paint? You know it what's which one is this going to be? What type of.

M

This would be a stainless steel box um we do have. Most of our fleet has mild steel boxes that are painted we just in the last. It's been probably a year ago we had several truck boxes painted and there's quite a bit of expense to that two to three thousand dollars per truck box to have them painted. So what I'm trying to do? What I've been doing on the new trucks we've been specking is just ordering them with stainless steel boxes, so the life of the truck that we have them. It's no maintenance.

K

Follow-Up follow-up.

A

K

I appreciate you sharing that because I do believe just to have proper equipment if it's within the budget appreciate your desire to look into the stainless perspective just for longevity and and go in that direction. Thank you.

D

Hey councilman.

A

Vilhauer thank.

D

You mayor uh question for finance officer bob zine uh contingency fund. We have not you what do we budget 300 000 for that and we have not used any part of that so far this year. No.

B

We have, we have just about 7 500, so there's still about.

D

292 in there sounds good thank.

A

You any further questions or comments. Councilman danforth do.

G

We are we ever aware of anything else. That's going to put demand on that fund.

B

I am not everything that we've talked to prior to this is going to come before the council as an actual budget supplement. So the one thing that's nice about the contingency, is it you'll see it at the next one? It's a one-time approval.

B

Some of the other things that we have talked about will come through more as a budget supplement, so everything up until this point has been discussed and approved by the council, but the only thing the one thing that we tend to use the contingency for is towards the end of the year. If that snow removal budget gets a little bit close, I do like to leave a little bit of that on the table, because, if at that last meeting in december, if I have to so we make our budget requirements, I can have that available.

B

A

Thank you annie for the councilman biehler.

C

Thank you, mayor, rob just a quick question for you um is this: are we going to share this with any of the other departments? This truck.

M

I wasn't, I mean if they need trucks.

M

We do actually share with other departments uh quite a bit. um Generally, we don't give them the brand new stuff, but yeah like mike needed a loader the last few months. We left a loader out there for him for probably two months to use until he got his other one back, so we do share equipment actually, right now we are sharing a trailer parking. Rec is borrowing us a trailer and we've had it for all summer. So.

C

A

Thank you any further questions or comments hearing none. The motion is to buy the city, a dump truck all those in favor of doing that, please say: aye hi, any opposed saying motion carries. Thank you guys.

A

Item j is an approval of a release agreement for the old airport terminal building and defined land and defined adjacent land areas with the watertown school district, doing business as the lake area technical college. In the amount of roughly forty thousand dollars for more information, we will go to our city attorney matt roby for more.

E

uh Thank you mayor as the um the title described. This is a lease agreement and I believe the airport manager was maybe going to speak to this.

E

uh I was unprepared as well, because of I believe uh this was the public works director's item, but they're paying four dollars per square foot per year uh for the terminal building space. This would be lake area technical college, so uh this school district, of course, is the uh the overarching entity.

E

uh This would be an annual rent of 29 564 dollars.

E

They would have the use of, but not pay rent for the parking area immediately adjacent to the terminal and they would pay 17 cents per square foot per year for the ramp space, so it equals a total annual rent there of ten thousand seven hundred and ten dollars.

E

In sum, it's a forty thousand dollar, roughly forty thousand dollar annual on annual payment uh in within that five year term.

E

There may come a time where they determined that the building is no longer useful for them and they would have the option at that time to to sort of demo demolish the building, and at that time we would there's language in this lease that would require us to negotiate with them for a long term, ground lease, and then they would build a new, a new building on that property or likely on that property for their long-term use.

A

Airport manager cyrus, do you have anything yet to add? No.

A

Make sure your microphone is on.

A

N

Instead of us paying for the demolish we're getting demolishability as well so all said and done three to five years, they should be able to tear it down and build a brand new schoolhouse for their aviation program.

A

Thank you, councilman tupper,.

J

Did I catch that right that they're going to be go ahead, they're going to be responsible for all maintenance of the building, as far as you know, if it needs any repairs or anything in that meantime,.

A

Okay, I never did get a motion. uh Chair will entertain a motion to approve the lease agreement made by councilman villar second by councilman tupper. Now, questions and comments. Sorry about that councilman danforth.

G

What was the original plan for this building when we approved the new to be built? There was obviously some some notion as to what was going to happen to this.

N

To my knowledge original plan, there's going to be demolition when it was all said and done.

A

N

A

Or city yeah attorney, robbie or.

E

Mayor mayor roby, there was one once back.

A

In the 60s.

E

Yeah, um I believe I honestly think that the discussion with lake area began early on in the discussion about the new terminal. I think it's been a two to three year discussion with them that the previous airport manager had been having on ongoing basis.

A

And I would say I was, I know some of that even predates my time on the council, but when I was airport liaison for a while. I know that that was kind of always the expectation that latc, because they had expressed an interest and we had no use for it. So councilman paulson.

O

Thank you mayor. I know that this had been pulled from a previous agenda where I'm, assuming that all those issues were taken care of.

N

Yes, everything's been taken care of.

A

Councilman vilhauer thank.

D

You and just to follow up to that question. uh This does come before us with airport board approval at their meeting last last week,.

A

Any further questions or comments hearing on the motion is to approve the agreement. All those in favor, please say aye.

A

I

A

Pretty sure we still had a majority there, uh any opposing a motion carries item k is an approval to reject city attorney roby did you have anything to add.

E

I I was just before he voted there. I my mic, wasn't working or something I was just gonna put on the record. The four dollar per square foot lease rate is, if just for the record, is lower than our normal exclusive space lease rate at the airport and the reason for that is because they're taking all responsibility for maintenance of the building, so it was a negotiated lease rate. Normally we charge ten dollars a square foot.

A

Thank you item k is an approval to reject all bids for the renovation and addition for the new city hall and authorized staff to negotiate a contract price with the low bidder, gray, construction company for more information, we'll go to our city, engineer, justin, peterson,.

F

Thank you mayor on june 19th, we received one bid for the renovation edition for the new city hall from grade construction, and there was also a a bid for the abbesses abayment from horsley.

F

Let me get the name here: horsley specialties, in association with the the renovation work, the estimated construction costs were estimated at 3.5 million for the base bid and four alternates the the bids came in higher than expected, um the the base bid and all four alternates the total came to 5.8 million.

F

The staff had several conversations with with the the architect and and um receptive options, and ultimately, the motion in in in front of the council tonight is to reject all bids and to negotiate with the low bidder.

F

The contract price, just we, we had a lot of different discussions and and we we feel, there's probably about one point: four million dollars in in potential adjustments that cost and um then there'd be a need for the council at when to appropriate. Another million.

E

F

Funds without standby for questions.

A

Thank you. The chair will entertain a motion to reject all bids made by councilman tupper seconded by councilman danforth.

A

Excuse me. I will open it up for questions and comments.

A

Councilman paulson.

O

um Like I did in the work session, I do want to thank tsb for their hard work on this.

O

Our work session for something else, but I do want to tell tsp thanks for all their hard work. I know a lot has gone into this. This has been a multi-year project.

O

Unfortunately, we're to this point um that I think we're all in agreement. This is the most appropriate action is to reject these bids, obviously, for obvious reason for being so far over our budget, I do just some of my own feelings is that I would caution moving forward with eliminating so many different things and still moving forward with the project. So I guess we'll see where the negotiations end up.

A

Thank you any further questions or comments.

A

Hearing none. The motion is to reject all bids, all those in favor of doing so, please say aye aye, any opposed, nay motion carries we're on to old business. Is there any old business from the council councilman buehler.

C

Thank you mayor. uh Just wanna we've had discussions in the past um in regards to uh forester in our forestry department, and I'm just curious as to where we're at with hiring of a new forester and where we're at for staffing our grapple truck. If someone could answer that question for me,.

A

City manager, mac.

H

The discussion around hiring an additional forester employee uh happened during the budget conversations for the current fiscal year. We did not include that position in this current fiscal year. I do believe it was requested for um 2023. So that's where we're at with it do.

C

We know where we're at with staffing and utilization of we.

H

Have three grapple.

C

Trucks we have.

H

Three full-time forester uh employees, our forester john livermore, actually friday was his last days. He and his family are moving back to iowa, um so we have a vacancy to fill there, but full time we have three positions.

C

And do we know how much what kind of utilization we're getting for that truck? Now.

H

I couldn't give you a percentage, no, I think they operated as often as they can when they have uh the appropriate staffing available.

C

A

Thank you any further old business, any new business, any liaison member reports, councilman vilhauer. Thank.

D

You mayor as long as uh mr cyrus is here, our airport manager just a few things from the airport board meeting. If I'm incorrect, you can correct me obviously, first flights out and in took place last week and are ongoing, hopefully uh going going.

I

D

If you want to take it away, go ahead, rob.

N

Our first flight was actually last week on wednesday august 10th. It flew out no problems. The only hiccup we had is our jet bridge we're missing an adapter for the new aircraft. We have so we're getting that on order, and hopefully it is here next week for our grand opening, okay.

D

And so yes, uh 26 is our: is our ground open, ribbon, cutting at what three o'clock.

N

Three o'clock it all starts: three o'clock is actually the air cannons when the uh denver air connection comes in we'll do an air cannon at three then we'll go from there and.

D

The next day, the 27th on saturday is the bike flights and bikes public events, so I'll put a plug in for that uh just a few numbers uh july boardings. If I, if I got my notes right, we had fifty 1657 emplainments in july, which through july then we had about we've, had about 9 700, uh 9 800 emplainments, which we're still on pace to almost reach, where we were last year, which was a record, and that was with two airlines uh serving us, and that's in spite of uh this is rather uh harsh news.

D

Actually industries facing a lot of challenges right now, with uh with fuel costs, uh doing what they are uh severe pilot shortage across the country, especially for smaller airlines. So we're fighting some some tough headwinds out there, and also these numbers good news, bad news. Good numbers are look good, but we're still losing 80 percent of our market. uh Out of he, this area is flying is utilizing a different airport than watertown.

D

So if we can start capturing a little bit more than that, which our consultant that we engaged here a couple months ago is working on that, along with our staff and board. If we can capture some more of that uh that that leakage, that bodes well for us going forward.

A

Thank you very much, any other liaison member reports.

A

I have one just real quick as I'm on the convention of visitors bureau. I think it was already made public and most everyone knows, but the director of the cvb catherine danforth resigned recently to take another option. uh I think the unwritten part of what she didn't say is she had difficulty dealing with a certain councilman um who may or may not be related. No mueller is pretty far-reached.

A

No, I wanted to thank catherine for her time as uh the best testimony that you can say to anyone as you left it better than what you found it and that's not to say anything against the people before you. It's just you did a good job. You will be missed. Thank you for your time there any other liaison member reports, any announcements, city manager, mack.

H

Thank you mayor. First, uh I would like to inform you. We will have a special meeting on monday august 22nd at noon. There's some plating, things that need to be dealt with in a timely manner for grant applications for the harmony hill project.

H

We may have some additional items related to some of our capital projects at that time. We're unsure, but we'll get the agenda out on time.

H

um Secondly, uh the the rodeo was last weekend, um and you know quite a bit of conversation amongst this body about that and by all accounts it was well attended, a great event and they're looking forward to bringing it back again next year and then lastly, we are, as I mentioned, in our budgeting process, all the departments have submitted their budgets and and chris- and I are spending some time diving into that, but I wanted to put a couple of dates on your calendar, so september 12th, which is the second monday of september.

H

We have a work session scheduled at that time, we'll discuss outside agency requests, so those organizations that submit requests to us we'll have a discussion. So you can give us guidance on how you'd like us to plug that into the budget and then on september 14th.

H

I can't remember the time is when we will hold our cip hearing we're going to change it up a little bit, we'd like to get input on the cip and those big capital projects and capital expenditures. Before we we bring the entire budget. I think it makes for more complete budget and for more bigger picture, comprehensive conversations.

H

The budget hearing will be held september.

H

October, sorry october, and it's all running together at this point I think yeah a little up in the air but middle of october is when we'll plan to do the actual budget hearing. So, of course we'll send those dates out formally to you, but just if you want to get them on your calendar now. So that's all mayor. Thank you.

A

Councilman paulson.

O

Thank you mayor. I do want to give a small update on highway 212..

O

I know people have been patiently waiting, but we will open up the new or from 11th west uh traffic here this week, so there will be some transitions there, but I know that that's exciting news there will be full road access other than where we're working, obviously but they'll be able to travel east and west along the whole highway.

O

So please use cautions. Please use caution still, but it will be open and I think it's perfect timing with school, starting so.

A

Thank you very much.

A

um Yeah, actually that's uh just mentioning that uh city manager, mac and I were joking- that uh both of us have been receiving some phone calls from constituents saying how difficult it is to get from one end of town to the other, because we have so many road construction projects going on, and we just wanted to point out that that's a good thing just uh for a long time. The argument would have been that there are too few so we're getting them we're getting them there we're getting them done. um So.

A

Thank you very much for that. Any further announcements.

A

Yep no further announcements: there is a need to go into executive session to discuss contractual uh responsibilities and or con contractual negotiations. We do not intend on taking any action afterwards. So with that, I will declare us into executive session and we will adjourn after we come out of it. But thank you very much for being here tonight and just because no one else is going to watch.

A

Oh, you need a motion to go into executive session: okay, councilman buehler, anyone else, councilman tupper any discussion on that hearing. None the motion is to go into executive session. All those in favor say: aye aye, any opposed, say motion carries so I'll, say good night and god bless you watertown for everyone stopping to watch and.