The May meeting of the Garretson City Council installed the 2019-20 council and the committee assignments, allowed the new council to meet Code Enforcement Officer James Wipf, and did some preliminary platting for the TIF area.
The meeting began with the 2018-19 council. All were in attendance and the consent agenda was approved.
The first item on the agenda was a conditional use permit for a daycare and a fence variance for 601 Canyon Avenue. Homeowners Kevin and Amanda McInroy were requesting to install a fence on their corner lot, and due to the house placement, it would be out of ordinance in two areas. Amanda McInroy stated that she was planning to break up the back yard into two sections within the fenced area, one for her daycare children to play in and one for her dogs to run without interruption from children. They are planning for the fence to be wooden without gaps for full privacy and safety. The council approved the conditional use permit for the daycare, then moved into discussion regarding the fence. After a request from councilmember Greg Franka to move the south side of the fence to the north of the tree line on the property, the council approved the variance.
Next on the agenda was a variance request from McInroy’s neighbor at 609 Canyon, Bill Linsenmeyer. He was needing to replace his front stoop, and requesting to install a porch deck that wrapped around to the south side of his house. He noted that it would be a deck only without sides or a rail, but was requiring the variance because it encompassed more than the front of his house and would take half his front yard. After noting that the house to the north had almost no setback and there was no contest from the neighbor to the south, the council approved the variance.
The council then moved on to adopting a Conflict of Interest policy, which was recommended by the city attorney. City Finance Officer Anna Uhl noted that the City does have one for federal purposes, but not had yet adopted one for the State. The council approved the policy without further questioning.
They next addressed a proposed Code of Conduct policy, which was brought by Mayor Greg Beaner. He proposed it because of behaviors and issues that have been seen with other area councils in the past few years, such as the recent censure Brandon recorded against one of its council members after he posted in divisive and non-constructive ways on social media. The code not only encompasses social media behavior, but the public behavior of all staff members, elected board members, and elected council members. It also implements a process to follow if a member is found to be acting outside conduct rules. The expectations are that all will be required to demonstrate the highest standards of conduct, undertaking duties in a fair and impartial manner, and acting in the public interest.
After a request to add language regarding social media conduct, especially as regards to comments about city employees by staff or council members, and to change who to report to as “Mayor” instead of “City Manager,” the council approved the resolution unanimously.
The final piece on the 2018-19 council agenda was a final ordinance regarding the replatting from an easement on the property south of Crete Pros that had been requested in April. It was approved without discussion, and the council voted to go into Executive Session.
They then reconvened as the new council, with Ward II councilor-elect Tom Godbey first reading from the oath of office. Mayor Beaner then re-appointed Bill Hoskins to Ward I and Richelle Hofer to Ward III. The Gazette was named as the official newspaper for the City of Garretson legal notices, councilmember Dave Bonte was nominated as council Vice President, and councilmember Richelle Hofer was nominated as President. Mayoral appointments were as follows: Richelle Hofer to Personnel, Dave Bonte to Real Property and Zoning, Tom Godbey to Health and Safety, Greg Franka to Water/Sewer/
Streets, Jodi Gloe to Parks and Recreation, and Bill Hoskins to Natural Gas. The council approved the appointments without further discussion.
The council then heard its first report from newly-hired Code Enforcement Officer James Wipf, who said his goal right now is to deal with major violations and to move on to smaller violations at a later date. He noted that 45 letters had been sent out as of the beginning of May, and he has already been seeing improvements in those areas. At this time, no further steps had been taken to ensure compliance. The council ensured Wipf was documenting all communications and correspondence with regards to violations, and Wipf responded that he had.
Next on the agenda was the approval of malt beverage licenses from Dollar General, ‘O’ So Good, Jesse James, Garretson Food Center, and The Treasure Chest. The council clarified that Palisades Oil applies for a different license during the year, so no application was submitted for that business. After questioning whether there had been any violations or issues with any of the retailers and finding none, all licenses were approved unanimously.
The council then set a special meeting date for the Tax Increment Financing District that should be completed by the end of May, as well as for approval of the Annual Report. That meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:00 pm at City Hall.
The meeting request then segued into a review of the preliminary platting for the TIF area. Council members noticed that there was 66 feet of frontage, which was wider than the 60 feet and 65 feet that had become normal in that area. A cul-de-sac had also been requested at the end of the plot. The council debated on that, asking about the pros and cons to a through street versus a cul-de-sac, but thought a through street would be best for city development. After learning from City Maintenance Officer Craig Nussbaum that cul-de-sacs are also more expensive to maintain with regards to snow removal, they voted unanimously to have the area created as a through street.
Next on the agenda were committee reports. Uhl announced that natural gas prices had fallen substantially, nearly $0.10 down to $0.84. The council approved the pricing recommendations with a sigh of relief.
Parks Board was next, with representative Carrie Moritz presenting. They had an update on the benches that had been done in conjunction with Grow Garretson, with twenty total being sponsored. Grow Garretson and the Parks Board were planning to order them within the next week. Nussbaum noted that he had received the quote from Crete Pros for the cement foundations at $100 each. The council was pleased to hear that this beautification project was going smoothly, and the two groups are planning to continue to the fundraising through the summer for a second order in September.
A picnic shelter at the playground in Splitrock Park is the next big project on the Parks Board agenda, and estimates were being sought and received. They are hoping to build the shelter with volunteer efforts and grant monies as much as possible.
Newest council member Godbey had questions regarding the fence posts delineating the grass from the road at the Jaycee Complex and whether they can be replaced, and Moritz explained that projects at that park will be starting to take precedence now that Splitrock Park and Devil’s Gulch have been attended to. The curb and gutter project along the softball field road was being tabled for one more year due to priority funding being requested for the campground electrical, as the Parks Board thought it would benefit the city more. Parks Board council appointee Gloe discussed with the council how attendance with ball was decreasing each year, with fewer teams being formed, and this played into the Park Board’s recommendation. The curb and gutter project is still being planned for 2020, however. Continuing along the lines of the softball fields, Uhl then updated the council regarding the concession stand, as its lease is being advertised and a new manager for the concession stand is being sought. Bonte questioned whether port-a-pottys had been installed at the fields yet, and the council gave the go-ahead to get those set up. Gloe noted that she would like to request the concession stand deadline to be at the end of February in future years, so that if alternate plans need to be made (such as having parent volunteers run the stand), the ball teams can plan for that. She noted that changing the process for the stand had been discussed at a prior Parks Board meeting.
Infrastructure Design’s Chad Hanisch then updated the council on the water extension project for the industrial park. Construction was to begin on May 13 along 5th Street, and would then work its way to the west and then south, instead of the opposite. Part of that decision was due to the water levels in Splitrock Creek being so high, and the construction company is hoping for lower levels by the end of the summer to help with pipe installation.
City resident Rhonda Kirton then stepped up during public comments, addressing what she felt was the lack of progress on city beautification. She noted several issues with property along Dows Street; not only was grass not properly planted after the culverts were installed last summer allowing weeds to fill in, but signs were bent and overabundant. She also stated that buildings coming into town on Dows were in need of “sprucing up,” and that fencing is needed in some areas. She also asked about whether semis were really allowed to be parked on Main Street, because they create an eyesore, and what the city was doing about overgrown bushes (those are currently being taken care of by code enforcement) and sidewalks.
Councilmember Hofer let Kirton know she was being heard. “Unfortunately, though, we can’t just tell somebody to make their lot prettier unless we have ordinances. [The council] is working on getting ordinances right so we can enforce them.”
“I’m for community,” Kirton said. “Can we have someone go talk to them, we have several organizations around town that can do work and help.”
Gloe responded, “The school is doing a clean-up day with 8th through 11th grade, we could have them work on some areas.” However, it was further noted that recently, the local 4-H groups had done clean-up days, and had offered to work on specific properties, but were turned down flat. This sort of rejection has happened each time offers are made by various groups.
Mayor Beaner said that everything with beautification is a process, and part of the clean-up at Wooden Tees had been part of that process.
Unfortunately, it’s never a quick one. The council encourages everyone in the community to help each other out, and for all property owners to seek out help and resources.
The council then voted to go back into Executive session and adjourned. The next meeting of the Council will be a special meeting on May 28 at 6:00 pm at City Hall, and the next regular meeting of the Council will be on June 3 at 6:30 at the Legion.
