City of Pembina, ND

   Official Minutes April 13th, 2015 Pembina City Council Meeting

A public hearing was called at 5:30 pm for Oliver Hughes' request for zoning variance of relaxation of front yard requirement. Present from the public is Oliver Hughes. There was no public objection for the Zoning Variance.

Motion by Ms. Studeny, second by Mr. Fritz, to grant Oliver Hughes the zoning variance of relaxation of front yard and approve his building permit. Ayes to all present. Motion carries.

Council Members Present:  Mayor Kyle Dorion, Corie Koropatnicki, Allen Huttunen, Council VP Greg Truax, Joan Studeny and Ron Fritz

Absent:  President Greg Wilmer

City Employees Present:   Nancy Thompson, Auditor/Administrator

Absent:  Gary Helland, Public Works Superintendent

City Attorney Present:  Rob Fleming

City Engineer Present: Brad Bail, Widseth Smith Nolting

Public Portion:  No one present

Meeting called to order by Mayor Dorion at 6:00 pm.

Changes to Agenda

• Ms. Koropatnicki added “Employee Insurance reimbursement” and Mr. Helland water & waste water certifications under Employee Report/ Concerns.
• Mr. Huttunen added “Golf course roughs” Employee Report/ Concerns.

Motion by Mr. Huttunen, second by Ms. Koropatnicki to accept the agenda; ayes to all present.  Motion carries.

Changes to March Minutes

Motion by Mr. Fritz, second by Mr. Truax to accept March’s minutes. Ayes to all present.  Motion carries.

Old Business

• WSN Feasibility study on paving streets – The frost is coming out so looking at May for street survey.
• Bret Corneliusen – Supposed to be back in May to finish up working on his house.
• Levee – Red Lake builders have some of their equipment in town.
• Plasticom – Have not heard back from them on bill of sale that they were given last month.

o   Action: Ms. Thompson will email them to see where things are at on the bill of sale

• Natural Gas – City has not heard back from Gary Speidel on this. He wanted commercial businesses that were interested in natural gas to send him what they think their usage would be. MCI is the only commercial business at this time that the City knows has sent this information.

o    Action: Ms. Thompson will contact Border Patrol and Customs to see if anything has been done on the usage and if something has been done was the information emailed to Gary Speidel.

• Concession stand -Council discussed this and it’s tabled until May's meeting.

• Motion by Ms. Studney , second by Mr. Fritz that the Rec Board has until Mays meeting on the concession stand whether it be documentation found from FEMA allowing it to stay or plans in place to have it moved off by June, otherwise Council will make a final decision on this at  Mays meeting . Ayes to all present.  Motion carries.

Engineer Report/Brad Bail

• Lagoon – A discussion last week between Mr. Bail & Mr. Helland was had on maintenance issues on the lagoon. Mr. Bail looked at the lagoon before the meeting. Mr. Bail is looking to see if there’s funding for maintenance of the lagoon like fixing the fence, the removing of old rip rap the state will no longer allow  and for the areas that have erosion to be fixed.

Attorney Update - None

Update & Business:  Mayor

• Meeting - Let the Council know him and Ms. Thompson's attended the meeting here in Pembina on April 1^st with Senator Heitkamp. The focus was on law enforcement and Customs and Border Patrol 

Employee Report/Concerns

• Mr. Helland – Ms. Koropatnicki was wondering where Mr. Helland is at on obtaining his needed Water & Waste Water Certificates. Ms. Thompson let her and the Council know that Mr. Helland has his Water Distribution Certificate and also Certificates in ISO 300 & 400. He is down at Waste Water School right know and will test on Thursday for the two Certificates he needs in that.

• Employee health insurance reimbursement. – Ms. Koropatnicki was inquiring about proof of insurance cost to employees. Since the employees only get reimbursed for the actual out of pocket cost for insurance. Employees don’t get the full reimbursement amount if they are not paying that out.

• Golf Course – Mr. Huttunen was inquiring about the roughs at the gold course and if the city would be able to mow them. In past years the city used to mow them but last year, with the circumstances the way there where, the city didn’t have time and the golf course had to do it themselves, and when the dikes are mowed by the golf course if both sides can be mowed.

o   Action: This has to be discussed with Mr. Helland and see what his thought is on the mowing of the roughs.

Update & Business:  City Auditor

• The March financial and April bills were reviewed and approved.

Committee Reports

• Growth Committee- Ms. Koropatnicki updated the Council

New Business

• Summer Help – Ms. Thompson let Council know she received one application and it was from Austin Volk. Council discussed that Austin has mowed for the city last few years and has done a good job.

• Motion by Mr. Huttunen, second by Ms. Studney to hire Austin Volk for summer help and increase his hourly rate to $10.00.  Ayes to all present.  Motion carries.

Motion to adjourn by Mr. Fritz at 7:00pm.

             By:  ___________________________________

                     Mayor, Kyle Dorion

Attested to:  _________________________________   

                  Nancy Thompson, Auditor/Administrator