board_meeting_minutes_september_14_2023.pdf

Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 VILLAGE OF SIREN - VILLAGE BOARD MEETING THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 MINUTES The Regular Village Board meeting held on August 10, 2023, was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Village President Dave Alden. Members Present: Dave Alden, Rick Engstrom, Janet Hunter, Jeff Johnson, Rudy Mothes, Jim Pearson, Steve Young Others Present: Ann Peterson, Clerk/Treasurer; Sarah Radomsky, Inter County Leader; Ed Smythe, Siren Senior Center; John Northrup; Wayne Koball and four students from Siren School District; Edwin Johnson President Alden called for Public Comments. Ed Smythe from the Siren Senior Center thanked the Board for the past donations to the Siren Senior Center and inquired about Village help to pay for the blacktop/sealcoating of their parking lot. The project was done by Roy’s Sealcoating in the amount of $5500. Village President asked Mr. Smythe if he knew what the funds that were donated from the Squirrels Unlimited were used for. The Board also discussed needing to know what the finances for the Senior Center are when deciding. He encouraged that financial information be provided to the Personnel & Finance Committee for further discussion. Two members of the National Honor System addressed the Board about a project that they did last year to raise funds for a dog-waste baggie system that was installed in Crooked Lake Park. They are wondering if the Village would be willing to donate a matching fund of $250 to have another system put by the Gandy Dancer Trail. There would be a need to have someone transfer out the bags. Village President Alden asked that a written proposal be submitted for our Buildings, Grounds, & Parks Committee to discuss as part of the budget. A motion was made by Janet Hunter and seconded by Jeff Johnson to approve the agenda with the change of moving the Siren Tree Project Discussion to the beginning of the meeting. Motion carried without negative vote. Discussion/Action with John Northrup on Siren Tree Project John Northrup along with students from Siren School District National Honor Society provided an update on their plans for planting trees in the Siren area. Mr. Northrup has talked with a representative from the DNR Urban Forestry Department on grant requirements. Members of the National Honor Society are interested in working with the grant as part of their Earth Day work. The proposal would be to focus on First Avenue from Main Street towards the Lodge Center Arena. The National Honor Society would be responsible for planting the trees. The Urban Forestry Startup Grant would reimburse up to $5000 for expenses, utilizing a 50% matching formula. The due date for the grant application is October 2nd for a tree planting project that will occur in 2024. The municipality would apply for the grant, including adopting a resolution for the grant. The plan would be to have outside sources plan the landscaping and placement of the trees, however the Village would need to approve the locations for these trees. Village time on the project can be used as the “match” for the grant. The Village’s portion would be approximately $3,000. National Honor Society would also be willing to fundraise for the project which could help lower the cost of the project. A motion was made by Jeff Johnson and seconded by Rudy Mothes to move forward with the Urban Grant Application. Motion carried without negative vote. Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 A motion was made by Janet Hunter and seconded by Steve Young to approve the following meeting minutes: a. Regular Village Board meeting of August 10, 2023 b. Committee of the Whole meeting of August 24, 2023 c. Public Safety Committee meeting of August 24, 2023 d. Personnel & Finance Committee meeting of September 6, 2023 Motion carried without negative vote. A motion was made by Steve Young and seconded by Jeff Johnson to approve payment of the bills in the amount of $43,381.71 general vouchers and checks cut since the last regularly scheduled board meeting in the amount of $44,834.76 for a grand total of $88,216.47. Motion carried without negative vote. President Alden gave the President’s Report. The house that burned in July has been demolished. Clerk/Treasurer Peterson had nothing for the Clerk’s Report. Chief Thiex was not at the meeting to give the August Police Report. August DMV totals were $587. STANDING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS & REPORTS Committee of the Whole A motion was made by Rick Engstrom and seconded by Jim Pearson to disregard the complaint on the location of the dumpsters by Family Dollar. The project did have approved variances by the Board of Appeals and the Site Plan was approved by the Village Board. Motion carried without negative vote. A motion was made by Janet Hunter and seconded by Steve Young to proceed with a simplified water rate increase through the Public Service Commission. Simplified rate increases currently result in an 8% increase. Motion carried without negative vote. A motion was made by Rick Engstrom and seconded by Steve Young to have the curb at the intersection of State Road 35/70 and Works Progress Street reconstructed during the DOT project in 2026. Motion carried without negative vote. Public Safety Committee A motion was made by Jim Pearson and seconded by Steve Young to appoint Linda Luhman as the Ordinance Enforcement Officer for the Village of Siren. The Board discussed having Linda take periodic drives around town to look for and follow-up on Land Use violations. She will have limited interactions with the public, but report back to the Police Department for notices to be sent out and citations be entered. Motion carried without negative vote. Personnel & Finance Committee A motion was made by Steve Young and seconded by Jeff Johnson to adopt the Union Contract with Teamsters 662 and the Siren Police Department. Motion carried without negative vote. OLD BUSINESS MSA Updates on Projects within the Village i. Water Project Design Teresa Anderson brought a contract for the Water Project design. The project would add blended phosphate to the wells, adding SCADA to the wells and water Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 tower that it could also be extended to the Waste-Water Treatment Plant. This would allow the Public Works Department to monitor the wells and tower remotely. There would be a water looping project from Third Avenue to State Road 35, adding chlorination to the water system, and water tower rehabilitation. The total project would be $1,250,000 and to apply for CDBG and SDWL which would bring the Village’s portion down to $200,000. The Design and Engineering costs of $125,000 would be eligible under the SDWL portion of the project. The proposal would be to add phosphate to the water system that needs to be removed through the Waste-Water Treatment Plant, however the impact should be negligible. It is possible that the Village may need to add a chemical room at Well #1 in Crooked Lake Park. This contract does not include the cost to submit the grant applications. A motion was made by Jim Pearson and seconded by Steve Young to proceed with the water project design. Motion carried without negative vote. ii. Landquist Street Sewer Repair MSA met with Haas Construction on the repairs to Landquist Street. The sanitary sewer that was replaced has sagged again as it is in an area of poor soil. Haas is saying that working around the big storm sewer pipe in the area would be difficult. They are recommending that the storm sewer be brought into the street and add a storm-sewer manhole in the street. Teresa informed the Board that Haas has done what they can do under the contract for the storm sewer; they would still have some liability for the curb and gutter. Haas was not told that there was going to be bad soil in the area, when they did find the bad soil, they put additional rocks in the area. MSA is committed to standing behind the project and sorting out the cost of these repairs; however, any additional materials may be the cost of the Village. A Construction Observer, who was on site during the project, did take copious amounts of notes on the construction progress showing what work Haas did on the project. The Board discussed that if the issue had been brought to the Village when it was first discovered it could have been addressed at that point as a change-order for the project. The trench was open when they were doing the initial installation. The Board discussed that the Village is not overly concerned about having an immediate fix but would like to have a determination made as to what the Village’s financial commitment to the problem is and what the ultimate repair needed will be. iii. Industrial Park & Tewalt Development The Utility Extension project has not been closed out as A-1 Excavating is still working on the turf restoration. MSA met with A-1 on site earlier in the month and A-1 was on site yesterday to try and get something growing. The Village is holding a retainer on this project. Soil borings have been done on Molly Engstrom Drive along with Tewalt Drive. There was also boring done at the Mohawk site and there was no sawdust found. The meeting schedule was set as follows: a. Buildings, Grounds & Parks Committee: September 28th at 10:00 a.m. b. Personnel & Finance Committee: September 20th at 10:00 a.m. c. Personnel & Finance Committee: October 3rd at 9:00 a.m. d. Public Safety Committee: October 4th at 10:00 a.m. e. Streets & Utilities Committee: October 4th after Public Safety Committee f. Board of Appeals & Planning Commission: To be set if needed. g. Tourism: October 18th at 9:00 a.m. h. Ball Park Committee: February 5th at 6:00 p.m. i. Joint Review Board: October 4th at 2:00 p.m. j. Special Village Board Meeting: September 28th at 9:55 a.m. Village of Siren is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington DC 20250-9410 A motion was made by Dave Alden and seconded by Jeff Johnson to adjourn the Village Board Meeting at 11:10 a.m. Motion carried without negative vote. Submitted by Ann L Peterson, WCMC/CMTW Village Clerk/Treasurer