[Music] Call the meeting to order. All rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] Roll call. Council member Leech is absent tonight. Approval of the agenda. We have a
revised agenda in front of you. We eliminated 5A, the EDA report. And we took 10D, the approved application for a one-day temporary onale liquor license for the 510 art
lab, November 15th. That's been removed. Is there any other changes to the agenda? Council have anything? Nope. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda with those changes? Motion to approve. Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? Second.
Second by Brad. Any last minute items? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Oppos. Motion carries. Four in favor, none against. Approval of the minutes. We have two
sets of minutes. We have the September 17th, 2025 regular meeting and the September 10th, 2025 special workshop meeting. And you receive them in your packet.
Is there any changes or clarification needed within either set those m minutes? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve both sets of minutes? Motion to approve. Motion by Scott. Do I have a second?
Second. Second by Joe. Any last minute discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed extensions. Motion carries. Four
in favor none against. This now brings us to our public open forum. This is separate from the public hearings that we have coming up after this. So, is there anyone here that would like to speak to the council? Is there anyone here that would like to
speak to the council? Call a third time. Is there anyone here that would like to speak to the council? Seeing no one, our public open forum is now closed. We will move on to reports and presentations.
City engineer report. Keith. Okay. Good evening, mayor and council. Go through all the projects that we're working on. I'll just go through them in order that you have on your agenda here. Uh the shrunk highway 71 feasibility report. We're still kind of in those preliminary stages doing preliminary
survey, some preliminary laying out um you know the platting, those kinds of things for for the base mapping for the project. So that's kind of where that one is at at this stage this stage. Uh Burch and Pines the the U 2025 capital
improvements project. Uh that project continues to to move forward. Um the at this stage we're looking at completing all the um all of the paving on it. Probably they'll be starting Friday, working Saturday in order to do those
last blocks of first lift of paving. So that's uh scheduled for late this week and into Saturday as well. Um we continue all those tolerancing is what's going on right now with the roadways. Uh on the concrete side which we've talked
about before things are still they're moving forward not as quickly as we would like at this point in time but they are moving forward. Um, we have decided to, you know, we're looking at prioritizing areas so that if something doesn't get done, we know that we have
the most important things done, driveways and uh walks in front of um people those with disabilities who need to have those kinds of access, that kind of thing. Prioritizing those, filling in some of the corner um areas so that things already have sidewalk, the
corners are filled in as well. Um doing those kinds of things. So, we do have a prioritized list and are working with that contractor to here's the things you need to make sure you get done and go from there. Um, as it relates to the walk itself in most areas, um, you know,
the most of the subbases in there's actually only one street left that's got some subbase for the sidewalk to go in. Then really everything is ready but putting on the walk itself. So, we're pushing on them as everything we can. I
have daily discussions with the general contractor on those things. Uh I do know that they are pushing and trying to find other contractors to be able to come in and and uh support those who are already there. Um you know they've talked to
well over a dozen other firms to be able to come in. Uh and I can tell you there's there's some positive that I'm hearing that we might be able to get another crew or or two in. probably be another couple weeks out, but it's looking a little more favorable uh to be
able to get some additional resources to be able to keep keep working on that. You know, if there's possibility to get two more crews in, it's possible to everything could get done, but at this stage, you know, we are looking at prioritizing make sure that the things that absolutely have to get done get
done. So, that's what we're looking at at this stage. Um, but we're still working hard towards having them get everything done as they had originally planned to do as well. So, that's kind of where where that's at. Um, the those
doing the boulevard work because once the actual street work is done and the last block of base for sidewalk is done, they're ready to work on boulevards and getting them all shaped up and and and seated and those kinds of things as we move forward. So, um, that's what
they'll be doing. They shouldn't have any trouble, you know, keeping up. I'm sure they'll be chomping at the bit, frankly, to so that the concrete work is far enough ahead so they have things to do. So, that's kind of where where that's at. But, we're working hard to push them forward and do everything we
can to get everything done that we can. Um, now we've talked about the church last time. Uh, we have, uh, implemented what we discussed as a plan B for that. So that is moving forward. Uh we will have um actually city forces starting on
that uh that uh temporary sidewalk, excuse me, stairs um Friday. It'll actually get started Friday and and Monday. It should be done by the end of the day Monday. And then we'll shape up the boulevard and have that um you know,
acceptable for the winter conditions for the church. So come by mid week next week, that will be fully accessible from either direction, if you will, on the sidewalk for them. So that will be in
time for their for their um I think it's a main chain feed coming up as well as um there's a wedding shortly thereafter. And we've actually also looked at getting both sides of the street, you know, the boulevards done and black dirted and some seed and hope that we
can actually have a little bit of greenery coming up before those events occur. So those are the things we have in progress for that particular area. So um okay, moving forward then tractor trail ka we will be they'll be moving in
actually with the uh for the paving. So, it starts with the final tolerancing of the gravel. That will be tomorrow. Uh they'll be moving into paving. They might potentially start paving ladder day tomorrow, but otherwise it will be Friday for that one. And as soon as
that's done and those patching behind the aprons into tractor supply and and the uh in the bank, that's when they'll then move up to the the 2025 project. So the paving will be will be done the first lift on that um by by Friday
sometime. South Industrial Park road repairs they are scheduled now to be in latter half of next week to do that milling and repaving in the South Industrial Park. So that's what I have for you for for updates and entertain
any questions you may have. Council have any questions, concerns? So you said we're prioritizing the concrete and stuff to, you know, so is the expectation we're not going to have this done? Well, we want to make sure that we have
everything we need to get done done. You know, if there they continue at the pace they're doing right now, it's not going to get done. I figure there's at the outside it could be a little bit less than this, but as of today, I figured there's 37 crew days to get all of the
work done. There's not enough days to do that. Now, could they go faster? Make it maybe less than that perhaps. But even with that, there needs to be probably at least one more crew in there in order to have a hope of getting everything done. And two crews would even be ideal. With
two crews, chance coming in, there's probably a pretty good chance that everything will get done. But, um, you know, we need to we need to make sure we have a a plan of attack that just in case. So, we have to do that. But yeah, that's at the present rate um with the
present size of crew it would not be able to get done. So with the expectation that if they started the work they have to finish the work within that that time frame. What's the liquidated damages that these guys are going to be facing? Because obviously you're not going to be doing anything for five months, six months as you go
through the winter season. Yep. Liquidated damages we talked before is our is our recourse. It's $1,500 per calendar day that is not complete by the completion dates, which I believe is October 31, I believe it is. I'd have to
look to verify for sure. I think so. 31. So, we can't go through the winter with that, but normally that goes up to we usually follow Mindot standards. That usually goes to uh November 15th and then it suspends until I believe it's April 15th and starts up again. So, that
is the intention. Um we have put the the general contractor on notice that that is our intention. Uh if things are not complete so you know that is those wheels are in motion. Okay. Any other questions
concerns? Okay. Thank you Keith. Thank you. Then move on to public hearings. We'll recess this meeting and enter into our public hearings. We have three public hearings before us this evening in accordance
with the official mailed and public notice in the matter of number one assessments on 2025 Birch and Pine Street project. Number two, the assessments on 2025 reclamation project, Park Lane, Park View Drive, and part of
Hendrickk Street. And number three, the assessments for unpaid city and utility charges. It is our intention that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. If you wish to speak, please sign in on the signup sheet at the back of
the room. The procedure is as follows. Presentation by staff, followed by questions of staff, then public input. Raise your hand when recognized by the mayor. Approach the podium and state your name and address for the record.
State your comments and position. No one will be allowed to speak a second time until everyone has had a chance to be heard. First, we will hear questions for clarification. Secondly, public in favor of the proposal. Third, public speaking against
the proposal. After everyone who wishes to speak has had the opportunity to be heard, the hearing will be closed. After closure of the public hearing, the council the council will deliberate and take action as appropriate. Members of the audience do not participate in the
council's discussion unless a majority of the council conceds to hear additional information or questions. The hearing is now in session. First one up, assessments on 2025 Birch and Pine Street project. Okay,
Vicki. So the city council called for this hearing on August 6th. The notice of hearing was published in the city's legal newspaper which is a sock Herald for two weeks and was also noticed individually to all property owners along with the specific amount each owner was proposed to be assessed. This assessment took into account various
credits including credits for sidewalks recently repaired, water and sewer services recently completed and also for storm pond easements on private property. Following the hearing, the council will be asked to adopt the assessment under action item 7A. Upon adoption, a final notice will be sent to
all the owners. They will have until November 15th to pay the assessment without interest directly to the city. After that date, the assessments will be certified for collection with property taxes each year over a 15ear year period at 4.9%. The owner can also provide this notice
to their mortgage company if their company collects taxes in escrow. There's also the option to defer the assessment at zero interest in certain instances during age or due to age or disability. So I'll just turn it over to Keith. Okay, Keith.
All right. Thank you. Uh so tonight I have a brief uh presentation. We'll go just quickly through kind of why we did this project in the first place. Talk about the things that were done on the project. I have a couple pictures in there. shows some of the finished product that's out there at this point.
And obviously the most important things we're talking about today is the final assessments. And we'll may not be going to every individual assessment for folks, but showing what those final rates are. And I'll be actually comparing them, you'll see, to the post bid u numbers at this point in time. So
with that, we'll move forward hopefully. Looks like we're good now. Okay. Uh this is the the project location. Uh it's a fairly large area, the largest we've actually ever undertaken within the city. Um Pine Street and Bert Street.
Pine Street from Sinclair all the way down to 8th. Bert Street from Sinclair all the way down to ninth. A street bounded by Maine and Ash. Seventh Street the same. Sixth Street south the same and fifth street from Pine Street to Ash Street. So that's a full intent of the
project. Um as we did this project as it was uh awarded to the contractor the contractor we discussed having ability to go beyond what is shown before you in phase one and phase two. Uh and we decided that they would allow them to do
that with the conditions of that they every block they touch has to be subject to the phase one completion dates. Uh and that is where we currently are at with the project. Um did the project is uh fairly old areas. This is uh some shots showing the
existing conditions that were out there. This was uh Sixth Street uh from Pine Street. You can see that the street was uh in very bad condition. The uh the curbon gutter was uh actually one spot there. You can see non-existent, fairly bad shape. Uh this shows actually Bur
Street, Bert Street, north from 9inth Street. Once again, you can see the shape of the street. You see some standing water there kind of behind the uh behind the the vehicle that's in the roadway there. You can see what conditions the roadway was in as well as another one on Pine Street uh
uh north of A Street as well. So, you can see busted up curb um and those kinds of things in poor fairly poor condition of the asphalt uh in that particular area. Uh, and this one also shows a street going west from Pine Street. This one is
really was more of a rural section, so it didn't have curbon gutter at all in this particular area. Uh, we did full utilities. So, all the utilities were reconstructed in the area. Uh, sanitary sewer, the water man, the services, all of these were old and
installed in the 60s and 70s. A little bit of it the early 80s. old clay tile, cast iron water maneu been there and it was uh up to its serviceable life. We did new water services, sewer and water services for everyone with the
project. We eliminating some that we had a number of services that actually went through other parcels to service another parcel that was behind it. uh we had galvanized metal water services and those kinds of things which we are required to get rid of actually uh
through the new federal requirements. Uh and then we also reconstruct and did all new storm sewer added storm sewer so there's more drainage capabilities within the project area. Street widths were most of the streets
were the were varied from 34 to 36t wide. The new streets are 36 foot uh face toface uh you know curb to curb uh through there everything but 8th street south and after some discussions and public meetings on that uh the original
uh width was 26 ft wide and we went with a one-way uh eastbound roadway through there that is now 20 foot face to face has a driving lane and a 7 foot parking lane on the on the south side. couple shots of the post construction
areas that are completed. Um you can see with the new roadway and new curb and gutter uh driveways uh and concrete walks uh as well as all of their restoration and these ones look really quite well. The grass is growing very well through there. Nice and green and
it's coming up quite quite nicely. Another picture of that kind of those similar areas. So, we'll anticipate that all all of it will look like this once everything the restoration is completed. Um, they've done a really nice job with the the black dirt and it's, as you can
see, it's taking seed very well. It's growing well. Um, the every the rest of the areas will get the same treatment that is already been done. So, I did hear a couple folks asking about that kind of talking. So, it will be exactly the same as what's been done here.
the assessment summary where we get to the costs. Um you can see all the different assessment groups there on the far left side as you go down the column. The streets, a lateral sanitary sewer, water manes, sanitary services, water services, storm sewer, both residential as well as commercial, a concrete walk,
and also trunk storm sewer costs through there. The total project costs is just short of $6 million for all this work. You can see all the number of units that were uh told within the uh within the project. Um uh we can see there the uh
the rate that was actual rate. So that's the full construction rate if you will for our project weight for for each of those items there in that in that next column over. Now the assessment portion. So that which is actually assessed of that rate is those percentages that you
see there. As an example, the street one is 184.4177 per per front foot and but the accessible portion is only 35% of that. Uh and you can see some various different rates as you go down through
there. Um want to show in the blue there that shows the post bid uh rate per unit. Uh as an example at the street was $6710 per foot. um and ser services were 2013 2070 uh I won't go through all of them
you can see there and the final assessment rate which is proposed and been sent out to everyone is based upon what's in yellow there so you can see that the street rate is actually a little bit lower at 6450 55 essentially a little bit less for the services 1997
2084 those actually almost wash out one's a little bit lower one's a little bit higher but they're pretty much the same as what the post bid was through there. Uh the storm sewer rates uh slightly higher and that's partially related to that there was a change in
assessment policy from the from the original to the final where we took out some storm areas. So that essentially takes away accessible area. So therefore the rate per remaining goes up a little bit. So that's the that's really the reason for a slight uh change in some of
those. Uh the concrete walk is just a hair more expensive than what it was. There were uh concrete walk credits that were provided for folks who put in more recent uh cur excuse me walk through there. So those credits are applied. Those storm sewer credits that I
mentioned earlier for pondian areas were also applied for the final assessments through there. Um the the to the total assessments for the city costs you'll see there is is just short of $2.7 million which is about 45% of the total
project. The total PUC cost which is really the lateral sanitary sewer and water main portions that's 1.46 million which is 24.4% 4% of the project and the total estimate assessments which is based upon what we're really talking
tonight for the assessments for the individual land owners is just over $1.8 million which is just over 30% of the total project cost. Now I I have another column there showing the percent of the post bids. You can kind of see what happened with those numbers from post
bid to final. We're actually down uh 1.64% 64% for the city cost 62% for the PUC cost and 1.57% for the total estimate uh for the accessible portions thereof. So um
that's what I have for presentation for the the total numbers. I think I'll leave that uh sheet up there for for some refer to reference and anyone's questions and I'll turn it back to the mayor for to continue.
Thank you, Keith. Is there any council members that have questions on what he has just presented us? Hearing nothing, I will open it up to the public. Is there anyone that wants to speak to the council
based on the information? Yes. Just come up to the microphone, state your name and address, please. Matthew Newman, uh, 3158 Street South. Um but the questions that that I have on
the assessment you could answer is is this assessment projected through the completion of the project to include the second pole of pavement next year as well? Yes.
So so that then that would Okay. And then I had another one and it just slipped my mind. Um, I guess that then the other the only other question would be about the interest on the taxes and where did that
come from? How would that number come about because it's almost 5%. It's 1% over the borrowing cost. Okay. Okay. And that's then that but that's 5% over
15 years or is it 5% annual? Well, it's just a normal be like 4.9%. Okay. And then um the the projected date to to complete
the the first phase up until the the second pole of concrete is October 30th. October 31st. So by by then they should have all the concrete and all the dirt work and all that done. Subject to what I described earlier
which is unless we resources the contractor puts on specific walk notes. But we are there is more promise that we may get other crews available and be
able to put them on the job from other companies in the general very doing just that. Um and then the the other question is on with the power lines that they're they're going down the alleys putting them all underground. Um is there when's
the plan to recede the lawns that they've driven over for that? you plan on doing that this fall or I'll ask just people who might be listening on so unfortunately that that's a PUC question. I don't know that
schedule for them. So I I really can't answer. I would not I would hope it would be this fall yet but I I just don't know. So you would have to contact PC directly for that question. Okay. Thank you.
Is there anyone else who would like to speak? I think name and address, please. Michelle Martin, 326 Birch Street South. Um wondering if if my street doesn't
qualify as prioritized when it comes to the cement work to be finished then if it gets delayed till next year will this assessment still hold for this price or given that you guys are going to get a
discount is my rate going to change terms of the priorities we are we're looking at doing streets, especially those who have driveways. There are some streets that more of the driveways are off off the alleys. So, those are the ones probably will be lesser priorities.
Those are more driveways will be higher priorities to get those in. That withstanding any driveway itself is the highest priority to get in as well as walk from block to block for areas where there are some disabilities within that block. Um, in terms of the cost, the
cost it is what it is. So, um, even though if they're late and they're doing it next year, the cost won't increase. They don't get an increase in cost as it relates to the, um, the, uh, liquidated damages, which are what we call those for the $1,500 a day. That would be a
discussion for the council is if they wish to make any amendments, uh, based upon what that total dollar is. Um, but that's not calculated in at this point in time. Warren, can you answer that? Will that be
addressed for any of the homeowners if that happens? It if that comes to that point, I'm sure the council will discuss it. Okay. It's going to just depending on how many days in the dollar amount, stuff like that. It will be a discussion item though. Excellent. Because as of right now, my
street, Birch Street, I mean, we're probably one of the only streets that doesn't have alley access. So, yep. Unfortunately, we're really suffering. Yeah. I mean, which is unusual being that we're a block from Holy Family St.
Paul's Church. And one of the one of the things that I had stated and Keith knows it that I don't want anybody going through a winter without having a driveway pad and a sidewalk that you know so
it's all in the discussion and we're watching it close. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Yes, sir. Yes. Uh, my name is Wes Handy, 809 Birch Street South. If by chance they don't
get our sidewalks and driveways, can we be assured they will provide us with a packed sand driveway access to our garage? As I mentioned earlier, driveways are a priority. So, the driveways are intended
to all be completed. It will only be the walk portion potentially not done, you know, between driveways essentially. So, but the driveways will all be done. That is a priority. So, we won't be getting any nasty sidewalks.
If if they're not there, you wouldn't have a nasty them off. And the other priority, uh, being older with my eyesight failing is we have no lights. It's dark as the inside of the damn cow. Are are lights going to be a priority?
Once once again, that is a PUC issue that they are installing those lights. They do have the lights in, I know, correctly. Correct me if they they've been installing some and they will continue to follow behind and try to get up all as many lights as they as they can. I can't speak for their exact
schedule. That would be something we have to direct to to them for a specific schedule. All right, that's all I got. One thing I can mention on that is all the wiring and everything is in for the street lights and the street lights were ordered back in April
and we're still waiting. So, I haven't heard the latest update as far as what their proposed date for delivery is now. Actually, they arrived. Oh, did they arrive now? Good. So then our guys will be putting them up.
The PUC people will take care of that. So I would think that that' be a another priority because I've talked to Vicki about that too. I've looked down Birch Street and it's like wow that is dark.
You get more moonlight than what you get in Birch Street. So okay. Yes sir. Martin 832 Bur Street. I have moved, but I'm still paying the bill on it. Uh, you
answered my question. The off streetet parking after December 1st, that's not going to be a problem. Shouldn't be. Okay. Anyone else that wants to speak? Okay, go ahead.
I don't know if I should present. I have a picture. Um, my name is Deb Schmidz. I'm at 727 Birch Street South. I am basically in the middle of the street. Um, they poured curb and this is what my
curb looks like. It's all chewed up. Let me address those. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, anyway, it's basically like somebody took a lawnmower and chewed up the the curb. Um, just wondering if that's going to be replaced because that is in the middle of the
street. So, they'd have to take a chunk of the curbing out. I would think when we go through final inspection and everything like that, anything that comes up, it would be definitely be addressed. Okay. That's what I was going to say. Okay. That's fine. That's fine. I just wanted to make sure that that gets covered. Um secondly, all of the
properties that are included in this um project, they've all been surveyed. Is that correct as far as property lines and that? So everything is on county as far as front yardage, but not
total survey. Okay. because we have a survey stake on each side of our property and one was torn up, I presume, from them excavating the sidewalk portion and it was thrown out into the middle of what would be the
sidewalk for our property line with our neighbor. So, we have the stake if anybody's looking for it. Um, thirdly, because I have our parking is in the
alley of Birch Street. Um, and so our garbage can sit in the alley of Birch Street. Um, the road on 8th Street turning into the Birch Street that would be heading towards Our Lady of Angel's Church. Um the sanitation trucks are
basically clobbering the side aprons. It's like the road is not wide enough for them to make that turn. Um and you can see if you just drive down a street and take a look at that into that alley, they're going to have
that concrete wrecked before member. So I just I'm speaking for my neighbor that has that property and he couldn't be here this evening. He had a family thing going on. So, I just want to mention for him that he's concerned about that. Okay.
Alley concrete going in. Okay. Thank you, Keith. I think I can address that. I'm aware of that issue there. There's a couple things going on. Not only garbage, but also the um the work from the electric lines and that there's a lot of heavy
equipment things are going through there and causing issues. So, that is something that we're looking into and we'll be getting those things fixed. That will be part of punch list items for those, but I am aware of that specific one. As it relates to the survey pins, once everything's done, we
will be going through and reinstalling pins that are missing in along the front. So, it won't be the entire yard, but those are in the in the fronts. Okay. Is there anyone else who would like to
speak? Yes. Janet Streba, 517 Pine Street. Um, I know there's been a lot of issues going on with that first phase over there. Sidewalks got a problem. from the curb and gutter. We were notified that they were going in
and so we took our sprinkler system out of the boulevards, but then they came into the yard and tore out the sprinkler systems when they put in the shut offs. So, will I get reimbursed for that? I've
already had it repaired. And then the other thing I have and I've addressed this with the the police officer is we have the semi and he's back at it again. He's coming from the old Marquette floral down in
front of me and then down to auto value and he's being very persistent about it. I've addressed it with the police officers so that they can be aware of that if they're not I I didn't pay for a nine ton road
like we did over on Second Street, but this got that's got to stop. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else on this particular project wants to speak? Favor or against? I just want to make
comment. Got one back there, Bruce. Yeah. I was just wondering how are you going to Paul E Street this winter? What? I didn't hear you. What? Yeah. How are you planning on following snow on 8th Street this winter?
Well, it' be in the same direction as the traffic has to go. So I get all the snow. No, no, because we're taking care of the sidewalk. Any snow coming off of there. So then that'll all be hauled off. So
But what don't go on the sidewalk again? Ben, you want to address how you're going to handle that? That way I don't totally goof it up. So the front blade can swing to the left. The wing is to the right. That'll split the road evenly. The sidewalk
since it's going to be right on the curb, we got to take care of that all the way to Ash. So, you're not going to get any more snow than your neighbor to the north. It'll be split evenly. Okay. So, uh now when we get this seating redone, I don't know if
anybody's seen my lawn or I've had more damn trucks on the lawn this year than I have on the street. That's supposed to be repaired. That's if it's part of the project, it'll be receded. That's how it is, you
know. Um I don't know how the PUC is handling that with with push that is doing all the underground or anything like that. Yeah, they got ruts in there two, three inches deep where they got drive down there to pull and push cable.
Yeah. And that's totally different from this project. So, I'm not certain how that's going to happen. Are you planning on getting that seated this year? I like I said, it's not part of our project. That's something that the PUC is
handling. So, that don't take Do you guarantee it it's going to grow? There is a certain with our project. Yeah. Maybe we can maybe address that kind of for everybody as it relates to the
restoration. Um there are stipulations. It's will be dormant seating for this this year for that which is left. Um normally that works pretty well. All depends on kind of what the spring is like and whatnot. But if things don't go it'll all be redone next year and that's
a requirement of the contract. So, um, hopefully it'll grow well for as we go into next spring, but if it doesn't, it'll all be re whatever needs to be will be redone and that is not at an extra cost to the city or also to the assessments. Okay, we'll wait and see how this all
turns out. Okay. Thank you, Bruce. On this project, is there anyone else who would like to speak? Is there anyone else who would like to speak? Call a third time. Is there anyone else
that would like to speak? Okay. Then we will move on to the assessments on 2025 reclamation project, Park Lane, Park View Drive, and part of Hendris. So, this public hearing uh is uh about
the Park Lane, Parkview Drive and Hendrick Street. The city council called for this hearing on August 6th. The notice of hearing was published in the city's legal n newspaper, Sock Herald, for two weeks and was also noticed individually to each property owner along with their specific amount each owner was proposed to be assessed. The
amount assessed per front foot was $16.34. There are some credits for corner lots and for lots that were assessed with the 2022 Park Road project. The total amount assessed is 68,8680. This is 35% of the project cost according to our policy. The
calculation, like I said, is in compliance with that policy. Following the hearing, the city council will be asked to adopt the assessment under action item 7B. Upon adoption, the final notice will be sent to the owners. They'll have until November 15th to pay it without interest. After that date,
the assessments will be certified for collection with the property taxes over a two-year period at 4.9%. And as I said before, they can provide this notice to the mortgage company if that company collects taxes in escrow. And this project as well has the option to defer the assessment in certain
instances due to age and disability. And what that actually means, that deferment, is that we certify it to the property taxes, but no payments are due and no interest is charged until the homeowner no longer has that property homestead and they're no longer living there. So, I didn't say that earlier,
but that applies to any of our assessment policies where we defer it. And on a project the size of the Birch Pine project, we'll probably see half a dozen or so people that will apply for it. This one, I can't say because it's a smaller project and a smaller amount.
Okay, council have any questions or concerns? Okay, then I'll open it up to the public. Is there anyone within that project that would like to speak to the council in favor or against or needs
clarification on how things work? Is there anyone that would like to speak that lives within that project area? call a third time. Is there anyone here that would like to speak that lives within that project area?
Okay. Then we will move on to number three, the assessments for the unpaid city and utility charges. So, as you know, each year we have the option to certify unpaid delinquent accounts for collection with property taxes. These following accounts that you have listed there are delinquent with
the city and or public utility. I do have one that did come in and pay. The third one down for that snow removal has been paid. So, we'll remove that from the total. That leaves the uh total amount with the $100 admin fee to the county of $6,59.76.
Uh notice was published in the Herald. Notices were sent out individually to all the affected owners. And this as well will be certified on November 15th to Sterns County for collection with property taxes. And for delinquent accounts, it's just collected the next year. So these would all be due in 2026.
Council have any questions, concerns? Have all these people been I mean obviously we've contacted them but we got some some cases here that the city fee is greater than the amount of the penalty. They get an invoice or they get a statement every month and these are all
going to be nine or greater months delinquent. So they've been noticed for nine months. They received notice that that's due. And then they al and then they got the final notice of this hearing as well. Yep. Thank you. That was one of the things that the council changed before. We always
decided, are we going to charge the $100 per delinquent or not? And then you started looking at the amount of administrative time and the notices sent over n like in this case nine months. That adds up.
we're, you know, we're Minnesota nice, but not that nice. That if you can't pay it in nine months, then something's wrong. So, that is the reason why the $100 fee got added on on a permanent basis. So,
is there anyone here any Oh, does council have any other questions on this? Otherwise, is there anyone here that wants to speak on the assessments for the unpaid city and utility charges? Is there anyone else that would like to
speak? Call a third time. Is there anyone that would like to speak in favor or against or needs clarification for the assessments for unpaid city and utility charges? council have any last minute questions or anything? Otherwise, our public
hearings are now done and we will reconvene our regular council meeting. 7A, approve resolution 2025-89 adopting assessments for the Birch Pine project.
So, this is the action subsequent to the public hearing to consider the adoption of the special assessments for the 2025 project. The final assessment role is 1,84806215. It's collectible over 15 years with property taxes at 4.9%. And again, they
can pay by November 15th. And you do have you you do have the list of every parcel and every total amount. And this is resolution 2025-89 approving the final assessments for the 2025 project. Okay.
Questions, concerns? Oh. So, is it fair to say that I know in the presentation was the total project was 1.6% less than the preliminary assessments that everybody received. Mhm.
The the very the very first assessment they received it went down quite a bit even more than that because the bid was less. So, it got twi reductions along the way. Okay. Any other questions?
Otherwise, I'll look for a motion to approve resolution 2025-89. Motion to approve. Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Scott. Last minute discussion. Call the question. All those in favor
signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. Abstensions. Motion carries. Four in favor, none against. 7B. approve resolution 2025-90 adopting assessments for the reclamation.
And just before I get into that, it is okay if anybody wants to leave now that we've gotten through that, but you can certainly stay for the whole meeting if you want. You know, sometimes they sometimes we get mass exodus, sometimes they stick around. So, this resolution before you is adopting the assessment
for the reclamation project for the Park Park Lane Park View Drive in Hendricks. The final assessment rule is 68,8680. This is over two years at the 4.9% and again they can pay by November 15th. It's resolution 2025-90
adopting the assessment for the street reclamation project. Questions concerns did we set two years just based on because the dollar amount the minimal dollar amount? Yeah, we've we've done the two years on our for our policy on reclamations.
So if the city council wants to change that in the future, they can. But typically, this is about what you would pay for a reclamation. So they figured two years was adequate. Okay.
Okay. Any other questions, concerns? Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-90? Motion to approve. Motion by Scott. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second by Brad. Last minute discussion.
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed abstensions. Motion carries. Four in favor, none against. 7 C. Approve resolution 2025-91 adopting assessments for delinquent accounts.
This is the delinquent account resolution. Final assessment rule is $6,59.76. And this is collectible over one year. It's just due the next year. Uh anyone again can pay that by November 15th without interest directly here at city
hall. So that's resolution 2025-91 adopting the assessment for unpaid accounts. Just one quick question if I may. The dollar amount you have is 6231, but now you said 6,59. That's cuz the one was scratched off. I scratched the one off.
Okay. That's no removal one. We took off the fourth one down. All right. So, is there any other questions, concerns? Otherwise, I'll look for a motion to approve resolution 2025-91.
So, motion by Brad. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Joe. Last minute discussion. Call a question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries.
Four in favor, none against. 7D approve appointment to planning commission. So each of the council members was asked to volunteer to serve on the planning commission for the remainder of the year. We can either take a volunteer, the city council can appoint someone or we can leave that position vacant until
2006 and run with a four four member planning commission. There's only two meetings left in the year. So, I guess I'm looking forward to you to see if you want to appoint somebody to the planning commission for the rest of this year with a potential of continuing it into next year or just waiting.
What's the council's I'm looking at Joe. He's smiling. So, so you said there's only two meetings left. Well, October's been cancelled already. October was canceled already. Yeah. And usually the one in November usually gets cancelled, too. So, Okay. Well,
I know I emailed Vicki and said that uh if no one else raised their hand, I'd be willing to do it for the remainder of the year, but I got no promises for 2026 on availability with my children's uh activity schedules. So, unless we can adjust the date. Okay. Well, if it's okay with the
council, I will appoint Joel as the city council rep for the planning commission. General consensus on that one works for me. Okay, sounds good. Thanks, Joe. You bet.
7E, approve resolution 2025-92 authorizing purchase of police vehicles. So, the the 2026 budget includes the replacement of two leased vehicles with two purchased vehicles. Uh, these leased vehicles need to be returned by March. In order to get the two new vehicles on
site and equipped by that time, we need to submit the order. Now we did obtain quotes from 1040 Ford and John Whis Ford here in Sock Center. Uh the price is 87,81688 from 1040 and 89,952 from John Whis Ford and that is for two
vehicles the the interceptor uh Explorer style. Um the council determine which vendors to purchase the vehicles from. Uh typically in the past if we've had this narrow of a gap uh the council has tended to go with the local vendor. Um, that's totally up to you though. And so
I have resolution 2025-92 authorizing the purchase of the vehicles. Okay. Questions, comments? I guess my thought would be to um look at utilizing local John Whis Ford as as the one. I know it's a little bit
higher, but it's $1,68 per vehicle. with that local relationship and um fact they contribute to our tax base and stuff. I think it makes a lot of sense that for that narrow of a margin to to go that route. So, right. Is there a diff difference on the delivery date as far as 1040 or John?
Well, they would each put them on order and whichever date they come. So, all right. Okay. Any other questions, comments? I think I certainly agree with Joe. I think we need to keep as much local as we can.
Agreed. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. With that, I I'll make the motion that we uh approve the or authorize the purchase of the police vehicles from John Whis Ford for the bid of 89,952. I'll second that. Okay. We got a motion by Joe, seconded
by Scott. Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppose extensions. Motion carries. Four in favor, none against.
7F, approved pay requests. Number six, Keeley Underground. So, you have the attached pay request that's been submitted. Um, I won't read all of the numbers, but the total amount uh completed today or earned to date is
3,91378021. we would retain 5% of 195,69901 meaning a subtotal of 3.3,7182120. Uh we had previously paid just over 3.3 million leaving amount due with this
request $48,65.93. So we're looking to approve that pay request number six to Keley underground and that is for the Church and Pine project. Questions? Yeah. as the uh con the damaged concrete included in this prop
this pay request the concrete that is no good that's being removed the failed concrete the failed concrete question for Keith yeah that was actually paid you know a while ago on for that but that that does all have to be replaced um so normally
we don't take it off but that is a it's a it's an item that they have to do as part of their punch list to to replace it all. So, it's not normally removed um from something that's been paid, but they have to redo it. So, that's the
the way I the way I would see it is the pure fact that if it didn't pass the specs, it would be between them and their subcontractor to work that detail out and it would not be any should not be any extra charge to
us. It would certainly not our fault that they did a substandard job. Absolutely no cost to us. And also just to be clear on this one, this includes change orders two and three, which two is totally PUC costs for that um 12
street water main thing. And then the other is Kan tractor trail project is included in this. Yep. Okay. All right. Uh, I guess a question I this came up at the last uh time we we had uh made a payment to them where Warren had brought up that the quantity today
exceeded what the contract amount was. Did we ever determine why those numbers were different? Well, as we go through estimates, everything is always changes a little bit. We have pluses and minuses. Um, I've gone through looked at all of the
the the line items, what we think they're going to be, the final numbers compared to the bid numbers, and there are plus and minuses through there. Um, the total I have that I estimate that we're going to be actually over the contracts is about 38,000, no, excuse
me, $36,000 of which about half of that is is all the extra trees that were removed um in the boulevard that was not included in the in the original bid. So it's, you know, that portion, that line item
aside, it's fairly low in in total for a project of this size, especially for a project that's has many unknowns of of u utilities and all sorts of things in through there. So, you know, I frankly I I guess personally I feel like it's
pretty close, you know, for what we expect, but um you normally we like to be within 2% one way or the other and and we're going to be uh about 8% over.
So, okay. Any other questions? Just one one comment. I we just approved the pay request how many week how many weeks ago? Four month ago. Yeah. Probably every month. And I guess I don't typically pay a bill
if nobody shows up to do any work. Now, I know there's legal obligations for us to pay this uh project, but for their lack of of commitment, lack of responsibility to get our project back on track, it's frustrating
uh that we are paying for services that aren't getting done. But I do know we have an obligation and and I realize that. So, I just wanted to share that it is very discouraging that we haven't seen anybody really on site for three weeks. And and this bill is actually for work
that has already been completed. It's not stuff that's not getting done. But I I I agree there has been some frustration with one of the subs. Yeah. So, okay. And with all the projects that we've done in the past, it always comes down to the subs.
I I think the general contractor here is equally frustrated. Very. So, so I talked to him. So, okay. Any other discussion? Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve the pay request
number six to Keeley Underground? Motion to approve. Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Scott. Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I.
Opposed? Abstensions? Motion carries. Four in favor, none against. 7G approve resolution 2025-93 authorizing execution of closing documents. So we do have a purchase agreement for a
lot out in author's edition. It is lot five of block three. So we need resolution 25 2025-93 authorizing the execution of these documents by the mayor and myself. Questions concerns?
How many more lots do we have out there that haven't lit seven more? Seven out of the 19. Thank you. So, do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-93? So, move.
Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Scott. Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Motion carries. Four in favor. None against
unfinished business building improvement projects. Just as a little bit of an update on the building construction project which was involved the arena and city hall library and the senior center. At the arena all the work is complete. The me membrane roofing. Uh there's 27 new doors, new
windows, the makeup heat on the roof and the locker room. So all of that has been completed at city hall. the shingles, the membrane roof, the air exchange unit, the change order, the natural gas lines, the AV enhancements for the council chambers, and the security controlled access is complete. The
website for the ADA upgrades is in process. Uh the flooring is a fall project, which we had planned it to be a fall project. They're actually going to be here next Wednesday to do the final selection of this carpet samples and the tile samples. And then at the library, the windows and the senior center roof,
those are both fall projects as well. So, they were planned to be that way and they're still moving forward under that same time schedule. So, just kind of letting you know where we're at and pulling all of this together. We should have it all wrapped up by the end of the year. And um uh right now currently when I add up all the math, we're actually
under budget a little bit. So, that's good news. Unless you have any questions, that's it. Questions, concerns that otherwise we'll move on to old mill apartments. So there's a little update on the old mill as after the prior council meeting
where you did you did your resolution declaring the building hazardous and also named unfit for human habitation. So we placed the building um with notices at all entrances and apartments notifying the residents. Uh we did a listing of apartments and rentals in sock center. We prepared that along with
contact information including the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, United Way, and Sterns County that we were able to distribute to the win uh to the to the renters. The owner of the old mill actually came in the next morning after we had we had delivered him certified copies by the
police service. So, we made sure that he had it and then he did come in the next morning. He wanted further detail on what needed to be done. Uh he did get a copy of all the pictures, 195 pictures that you had. And uh he also requested that the renters in the Rambler, which is the attachment on the back, be
allowed to stay while uh the work was being done on the main. And then he said there was two units inside the old mill that he wanted to be able to let them stay. I I did say that he could request that at the city council, but we would need to get that written report from a
structural engineer that the building was structurally sound before they would probably make that decision. Uh he did say he had a verbal report from the engineer uh but he has not received anything in writing. So he's attempting to secure that. Uh we do have uh two
renters uh that have requested to say until October 15th which is the day their new place is available. And so that was the one thing I think I have before you tonight if you would consider moving that final move out date out one week. Uh we've had quite a bit of movement up there. Uh we've had uh
people from Center for Christ Church helping them try to secure apartments. We've been talking to other landlords that we know have apartments coming available, trying to match them up and find places for everybody to move into so they're not left out hanging. But uh this one here said they've secured an
apartment. It's available October 15th. Can they please stay? And then I had a second one come in with the same request. So I have two that have requested that. Okay. And I don't know that that's something you want to entertain tonight. Um
I basically I think we need to Yeah. As a council we have to. Um and I'll speak first to me the extension doesn't make any sense for a week. We've been on borrow time
with that building forever. We don't know how long it's going to last. So, I'm not in favor of doing any extensions. Um, also him saying that his insurance engineer gave him verbal. I've never
seen an insurance company yet come in and do anything verbal. They're going to give you something that states this is how it's got to be done. It's in paper. It's in black and white. They're not going to say, "Yep, change this and you got her good." No,
it doesn't work that way. Never has. So, but as far as extending our timeline as far as when they have to be out, I think there's other ways of there's people that can put them in a
hotel or something for a week or somewhere else for that week. But I'm not going to play games with the chance that that thing falls down in a week and someone's in it. Then I I got to live
with it and I'm not going to do that. So any other comments? I think we did give them 30 days. Correct. We gave him 21 days. 21. It was 21 days from the date of the meeting. Okay. So it was 21. Yeah. It was 21 days. I mean, one more week, I don't think a
week is going to matter. And unless who's going to foot the bill for a hotel for a week? That's, you know, $80 a night at a minimum. That's another $500 they got to come up with that. I mean, it's Yeah, I agree. It's been ongoing
for years and it's in bad shape. I don't think a week is going to make a a huge huge difference. is going to be more of a financial setback for these residents that have been actively trying to find a place to live. And if we're only getting
requests by two, that's I don't think out of the the realm of Is there is everybody found a place other than these two? We don't know. I I don't know. I don't know the final account yet. some people have been
moving and and and that these these came forward and talked to us and we've had quite a few of them come in and visit with us about you know what what happens next when can we come back you know do we just move do we what do we do and uh so we've been trying to work with them and to find them a place I mean we're
not I don't think we're that coldhearted but I think there's other public services out there that would cover that bill you what do they do if you house burns down Red Cross moves you into a place until you can get back and going. Do they send
you the bill for the hotel that you live in? No. No. So, but that that's more of a active Well, this is about as active as you can get when you consider that basic it's falling into the river. Yeah. I mean, my my thoughts I mean it's
it's seven more days. Um these people have a plan. It's it'd be different if they're asking for seven days, 21 days, whatever it may be, and they've got no intentions of moving. They're just trying to extend this, but the fact they've got housing is just the circumstances are that hey, we can't be
in there until the 15th. Um, going seven more days, knowing the conditions that the propertyy's in, conditions that people shouldn't be living in. It's it's kind of one of those double-edged swords like you don't want to say stay in there for seven more days, but at the same time, it's like you have a plan. You've been in this I
for seven more days. I don't know that that's a huge and not that they're not, but I'm I'm playing devil's advocate on this whole thing because right now they said they have a place to go. Well, have they given us in black and white, this is where I'm going. This is what
I'm waiting for. No. There's a lot of people out there there's a lot of people out there that like to play the game. But I give them credit for coming in and talking to the city, though. I mean, there's some that, you know, we're just going to wait it out, but
these actually come in and say, "We got a plan. We We have to take it at face value. We got to take their word for it." Have they done anything for us to question their integrity? No. I I think we got to take it at face value and and they have until the 15th.
And after that, it's it's they're gone. They're whether they got the place moved in or not, that's that's on them. So if by the 8th if we don't extend it or the 15th if we do they elect not to vacate are they then physically removed from the property or do we have to follow
some type of eviction they process we we have the attorney working on that exactly what the process will be from there going forward. So I know in some s some situations because we have we're on two separate we've got the rental code one going and then we've got the hazardous building
act going. So we have two different things going. So they're looking at the the two different methods to see which would be best in this situation. So you know the one option is the deputy comes and escorts them out. The other option is they have further notice. We'll let
the attorneys give us their best option. This isn't the only place in town that's been placarded either. So the other one's empty. I had originally came in thinking that there was no way I was going to do any extension um because it is in such tough
shape, but as Scott and Joe both speak here, um I 7 days and and to me uh it's not 30. I my mind was telling me it was 30 days. I apologize it was 21. Um
I personally can live with seven days. Like I said, I was I was not there at the beginning, but if they have a plan and we know it's not extending, nobody will extend past the 15th obviously then because these are only two that are
supposedly still there or are requesting an extension to be there. Um I personally think we can handle one additional week. That's just my opinion. Okay. So, and I understand on both sides.
Um, if the gr if the extension goes for the two, is that extension for the others that are already I all of a sudden get No, because so now we got two vacate dates. The eighth you're still in. You're
getting kicked out. I guess you get to stay. In my mind, it's almost would apply to to the just the vacation date is is the 15th instead of the 8th essentially if we were to go that route because I mean who's got the names of the requested it? Are we
policing that separately? I mean it's it's you know if we go from the 8th it's going to the 15th I think for for those who maybe still haven't made arrangements building would go to the so everybody yeah those who haven't made arrangements potentially would be granted that extension for those seven more days. Then
the problem I have is the others didn't have a problem finding a place to go in 21 days. Well, these two didn't. So now still still you got you you got a supply demand needs for where they're at. I mean there's there's variables that that are you know take into consideration
with that. I mean you got to look at what suits their situation too. I mean if there's housing available in St. cloud. Well, that's maybe not the best for their their individual situation as they look for the market that they're looking to remain in. So, I mean, it's
not just as easy as saying, well, I don't I don't even know how many units are there, but those those units found something. Well, they took the availability supply. Now, you it becomes more difficult to find something. And these these two actually are they
work here in Sock and have kids in school. So, they don't want to move out of district is what the situation is with them. I make a motion that we extend it to the 15th. That's for the whole building. For the whole building. And that's still under 30 days, which 30
days to find suitable housing is not an easy task. And you might be able to find it, but the availability, especially when you're only required to give a 30-day notice to start with to vacate, it's, you know, that 30-day mark is is tight the way it is.
Okay. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second by Brad. Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. I.
Motion carries. Three in favor, one against. No abstensions. New business. Seddp grant application. Well, I I anticipated the EDA to discuss this at their meeting today, but that was cancelled. So, I guess I I did have
a phone call with Central Minnesota Housing Partnership on this, and they are willing to administer the grant if we so choose to apply for it. Um, so I will be reaching out to the EDA members and and see how they want to proceed, and then we'll be back to the council at the next meeting.
Okay, any questions on that? annexation due to public utility access. So when um the city installed utilities to the Lakeshore Drive area, they were routed down County 112, which is the
road that goes up to the treetop. Uh the property in there were all township parcels at that time. They were not subject to hooking up to the utilities, which is water and sewer. Uh water and sewer services were actually installed to each lot with a deferred assessment to be paid at the time they would need these services in the future. When
services are requested, they would be annexed into the city and the diver assessment would become due. Uh the bear trap subsequently annexed into the city under this program. And in 2022, the public utility hooked up center sports. In 2025, we became aware of this when the new owner was also hooking up sewer.
And it is uh the PUC and the city's policy that you need to be within city limits to access these city services. Hence, we'll be will need to initiate those annexation proceedings. There's the other outstanding issue of the deferred assessments. uh the city and the PUC may want to confer on how we
want to handle those um because now we have a new owner uh involved in this particular situation, but we have other properties along there that could get into this situation down the road. So, um, we just want to know between the PUC and the city. The city paid for it up
front and, uh, with the intent to keep pick it up down the road, but a lot of time has passed now and the PUC is some argument that enough time has passed that, you know, maybe we don't collect it anymore. So, I think that's something you probably want to discuss with them. I don't know if we want to have a
meeting with them or if the PUC is going to discuss it at their meeting or how we want to proceed with that. So, we might want to set up a meeting or have the committee at least of the two of you uh meet with the PUC and uh see how they want to proceed.
Yeah, there's two ways of looking at this one as far as uh meeting to solve the problem. is you want a full council, full PUC board sit across from each other and discuss how this is going to work or we can have Debbie and Ted
or and Vicki and I or the policy committee or whatever set up a date and us four hash it out and get this taken care of. So, it's definitely a it's kind of a crazy one to be honest
simply from the fact that, you know, we had intended to collect it at some point in time and and really by collecting nothing. Um, and we did foot the bill, I realize this years ago, but what's the right what's the right model, the right way to go about it, I think is does
definitely need to have conversations back and forth to see how we want to address it. And I I guess I would anticipate, you know, there are multiple properties there. And um I'm kind of, you know, if this person wouldn't have
came in and requested, you know, to hook up to these additional services, we would have never known, right? We would have still missed. If we wouldn't have seen Ilen out there digging in the ditch, we wouldn't have known. Okay. So point in check is, you know,
how do we address the entire situ situation? Well, that's just it. We got to figure out how to solve this problem because it basically, you know, we had a different water and light superintendent and we had a different city administrator at that time and the paperwork just kind
of fell in the cracks and never came to light. It didn't fall in cracks on our end. We've had it on our books. Yeah. So, it did fall through the cracks on the other water light board. That deck plate just disappeared. So, Andrea,
um, what's the council's wishes? Do you want to have a full PUC board and council sit down? I don't need to initially. I don't I don't think the full board. I would suggest probably the policy committee, you know, on that or the I
guess the finance. one of those two would would make sense if it you know from a financial standpoint or the policy because like what are we going to do going forward so my initial thought was policy when I seen this um but I know Warren you probably sit on the PUC and the policy so I don't know how you
feel about that potentially so yeah I sit on but Ted's the chairman I'm just a on here I'm a nobody on that board so there I agree with Joe I I think
They always say solve problems at the the lowest level and y you know it's you know there's issues that arise after that we can readress it but I don't think we need to have a full council and the full board. We used to have regular meetings
with their full board and everything and then we basically discussed everything from soup to nuts, you know. So, and a lot of times it was good meeting and other times it was like what are we here?
But if we can do it this way with the committee Yeah. general consens do it that way and go from there. Agree. Okay. policy or finance. I mean policy committee. I I think policy was my thought.
I would I would agree with that too. Okay. Thank you. Uh winter parking. So the winter parking uh regulations will go into effect on December 1st and of course each year we revisit those whether the no overnight parking regulations remain appropriate or if
other options should be considered. There have been there's a request to consider calendar odd even parking or go back or go back to parking anytime except during a snow emergency. So we've got really three options. Leave it as it is. Do this remove it and do the snow emergency route or do the odd even
parking. Um I did put in there the restricted winter parking. I don't need to read that for you, but it's basically from 12 midnight to 7 a.m. uh no parking on the city streets. So and then that's when we do all the plowing and everything. But we have run into situations where people just don't have
like the old mill. They don't have a place to park by the PUC. Um we have some places where they don't have an alley. They don't have a back way to get into their properties and or else they're just parking up on the road and making a muddy mess in the spring. So something we should revisit and I know I
talked to Scott about that about revisiting it and um he's new on the council so you can go for it. Yep. Well, and I This is something I've had a lot of people appro Well, I don't want to say a lot, but a fair number of people approach me about this. And so, none of
us up here are experts when it comes to snow removal. I went and talked to to Ben. I mean, he's responsible for clearing our streets, him and his guys. And he's just subject matter expert when it comes to this. and I sat down and talked
with them and you know just said is there something we can do to alleviate some of the issues Vicki just brought up and I don't want to call it people being upset with the city but there is a lot of contentious
um opinions when it comes to that and I had talked about a snow emergency and and Ben actually had said you know the best concession that his department can make and that would benefit both the street department and the residents of
sock center is to go to this odd even or calendar parking which even days you park on the even side of the street odd days you park on the o side of the street and that way residents are able to at least have some off on street parking throughout the winter
and I agree it's going to be an educational thing just like right now we still have people that park on the street all year long and and then and it becomes an issue with the PD of having to ticket them or give them warnings or knock on their doors. And we're going to we're going to have that issue no matter
what parking ordinance we go with unless we do away with it at all, which I don't think we need to. But listening to Ben and having his input, I I respect his input. I I I I think he does an awesome job down there. And if he's willing to
make this adaptation to the parking ordinance, I I am 100% in favor for that. And I've talked to some other people that have um that have approached me and I asked them about this option and and they said, "Well, at least it gives us
something." And I realized, "Yep, Ash Street, there's only one side parking on one side, but you have what's a city block? 300 ft. you have 150 ft to walk to instead of walking to a parking lot on, you know, our leader of the
Angels or some other uh city parking lot. So, it is a little bit of a disadvantage for them, but at least they would have an option closer than what they would have right now with parking in a parking lot or in their front yard. But that's my input and that's I mean
I'm the one that requested to have this put on the the agenda just to discuss it and and see if there's something we can look forward to the next meeting and putting on the agenda to make a resolution. Okay. Any other comments?
Um well I guess I knew back to the council so I I believe several years ago 10 12 years ago I believe it was uh snow emergency parking for most majority of that time and and I felt it worked uh
snow emergency only. Um if uh Ben feels that the odd even parking would work to me that's better than no parking and I would I would be in favor of doing this no emergency only but I would also
support this if that's what the consensus of the council would be. Now the snow emergency is still in effect. So if we have a big snowstorm they want the the streets empty. We can still do that. So, and we have done that. The problem we had with we had
when we had only the snow emergency when you got three inches of snow, it's like do you call a snow emergency or don't you? And you know, so that was our real issue with that was those smaller snow events. uh we made it work. But you know, so the one thing that I think with the
winter parking with no parking on the streets, I'm not sure what the total dollar figure was, but we say the street department saved a ton of money cuz we weren't out there driving around cars that were parked on the street and then
they'd drive away and then we got to come back and plow it again. And we saved a lot of money in the budget just by now parking on the street. With the six snow events or seven snow events that we have in the last couple years, does it really pay to have no
parking on both sides for four months when they're out there plowing and a lot of times they plow during the day so they got to come back in the evening anyhow and clean up the streets. And if you know if they have people parked on the wrong side of the street, then they call center towing and they rob gets a
paycheck for the night for tow and a half dozen cars. But you know, we just have to stand firm then on on one of those things that I just never understood is you go to any city around this area in a 50 mile radius and they all don't have parking on the streets in
the summer. But Sock Center is all about education. We should actually be part of the school board because when it came to talking about the the shoreland ordinance, oh, we need to educate. Now we're on the winter thing. Now we need to educate.
Why sock center so special? Well, I think anything that you have rules and stuff, you need to educate people on your rules. I mean, you move in town, you don't know the rules. You got to let them know of us doing this and now all of a sudden it's a big deal. It always has been a big deal. People have always been complaining about no
parking on the city streets during the winter when it snows happen. Come in and talk to us. So, I mean, they come and talk to Joey when they get a ticket on their car because they parked on the street because they were told to get it off the street and then they want me to make it go away. Yeah.
I say we put it on the agenda and put it to a vote and see what happens. We could put it on there. To me, it's a waste of time. Uh, that's your opinion and that's fine. Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I have my opinion. And I've had people come talk to me
about it and that's what I got elected for was to represent our community. So that's the reason why I brought it up. If you want to deny it, that's, you know, your purview. But I just don't want it in when it comes to budget time and we're got more money spent in the
street department. I don't want to hear about that either. I would really like to know what we saved or how much we saved. I mean, a lot of money. What is the number man hours? Okay. What's the dollar amount? We can have Ben bring that to because I know the first year we were we were
plowing this whole city in 4 hours less die. But we're only talking one side of the street though that they got to come back in the morning and plow in the odd even to me there's where your education comes in. There isn't a lot of people that don't
even know what odd even is. Well, now you're dissing our community that they don't know. Now, pure fact is is October 31st is odd. So, they're parking on one side of the street. Oh, November 1st. Oh,
they all switch to the other side. No, it's still odd. You stay on this side. We're educating. Leaves our police officers in a predicament. They're already in a predicament at having to enforce it and they have a hard time enforcing it because if the streets are completely dry during the winter and it
hasn't snowed for four weeks and now we're giving somebody a ticket because they parked on the street overnight. The only thing we did for the last two years is in the spring when the snow all melted we lifted the ban. Yes. That and I know you voted against that
as well. Not on the lifting it. I did. Yes, you did. Well, maybe one year I did because last year you did. I was sitting right here when you voted against it. Okay. So, I I get that you don't want to change, but I think we leave it up to the council.
That's why there's five people's hands when it comes to rules. It's in place. We'll put it on the agenda for the next meeting and have Ben bring the numbers. Okay. Yeah. I think it's great. Have a vote and
let's see where it goes. Okay, consent agenda. We have schedule of claims unpaid claims of $366,741.76 for a total of the same. Resolution number 2025-94
accepting contribution men's card playing group of $143.75 to be allocated to the senior center and $500 from Michael and Jean Mezer to be allocated to the fire department. And on behalf of the council and the city, I
want to acknowledge the contributions received and thank the men's card playing group and Michael and Gene Mezer for that. uh gambling application for exempt permit request from the Sock Center Lions Club, a raffle on February
11th, 2026 at the Sock Center American Legion. Is there any questions about the consent calendar? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the consent calendar as presented? Motion to approve.
Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second by Brad. Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I oppose. Motion carries. Four in favor, none
against. That brings us to the There's noformational items. That brings us to the end of our agenda. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Joe. Call a question. All those in favor
signify by saying I. I opposed. Motion carries. Four in favor, none against. Meeting adjourned. [Music]