2ND ELECTRIC UTILITY MEETING TO BE HELD JANUARY 24TH
The city council met on Tuesday, January 2nd.
The agenda was approved, with no additions or corrections needed. The minutes from the December 18th meeting were also approved. For Notices and Communications, City Administrator Josh Malchow reminded the Council that the Electric Utility Meeting is scheduled for January 24th at 6:30pm (this is a slight time change) in the MCC Auditorium. Malchow asked the Council their opinion on sending a mailing out for the meeting and if they should cost share the expense of sending out the mailing with Xcel and Nobles Cooperative Electric. It is set that Xcel and Nobles Cooperative Electric will be there at the meeting. The city will send the mailing regardless and the Council agreed it doesn’t hurt to ask the two companies if they’d like to cost share. The claims were also reviewed and approved.
Mayor Miron Carney asked for an update on the Maple Avenue project. Malchow stated they are waiting for final design which he anticipates being available for council review at the next meeting. He also reported that the Murray County Board of Commissioners today approved the zoning board’s recommendation to deny the CUP for the solar project from Standard Solar for the Lundblad parcel south of 34th street.
The first Item of new business was the 2024 Appointments. Malchow shared the list of designations with the council members. They discussed the different openings and who should be asked to help fill these openings. One concern is who is going to replace Dean on the Personnel Committee for a 2-year term, they do follow a rotation, which puts Blake Heronimus on that committee next. They are also waiting to get some information from Lori Stainer for the Library Board. There was a question about the EDA Board and if it is a requirement for the number of bankers to be on this Board, Malchow said he did look in the bylaws and there’s never been anything there, just a general practice to have bank representation on the EDA Board. Kate Harmsen feels that since the Parks and Recreation Board has never met, it’s a waste of time. Mayor Mrion Carney stated that it would be good for the Parks and Recreation Board to meet and provide some direction and a schedule of what they want to accomplish. The consensus is to have the Parks and Rec Board meet quarterly and during budget time. The Airport Board also doesn’t really meet on a schedule, this Board must remain in existence because they have to approve zoning items. The council approved the 2024 Appointments with changes and a list of people to contact to see if they are interested.
The second item of new business was Resolution 01-022024 Corporate Signers. Kate Harmsen made a motion to adopt this resolution. They next designated Minnwest Bank and First National Bank as the 2024 repository institutions. The council approved.
The Council next appointed the Murray County Editorial Group as the 2024 publication of record. City Administrator Josh Malchow stated that this would be a joint motion along with the contract. The council approved both the contract and that the Murray County Editorial Group will be the 2024 publication of record.
The fifth item was to update the By-Laws. Mayor Minor Carney mentioned that a changed needed to be made to the meeting times during the warmer months. In the past it had been 7:00pm. City Administrator Josh Malchow agreed. City council meetings will be held at 6:00pm during January, February, March, April, May, October, November, and December. Then at 7:00pm during June, July, August and September. The council approved with corrections.
The Council next approved the Tobacco, Pool Tables, Operate Game Machines, Hold Dances and Bands licenses fees for the 2024 year. This includes the following businesses: Ag Plus (Prairie Pride), Almichs: Slayton Discount Liquor, Aryian LLC: Slayton BP, Slayton Liquor & Tobacco Store, Casey’s General Store, Cenex Convenience Store, Family Dollar, Slayton Liquor, Grain Exchange, Pizza Ranch, City Limits, Golf on Broadway.
The last item of business was to approve the addition to the agenda which was the starting wage for part time police officers. Police Chief Jeremy Steinle and Malchow had been given the ability to place a part time employee into start to step 4 at their discretion from a past motion 6 months ago. Malchow is asking that the Council approve to continue allowing Malchow and Steinle to still have the discretion on which step to place part time officers. The new pay scale Malchow feels would only require them to need to go to step 3. The council approved that the current practice is working and approved adjusting this to going from start to Step 3.
Next Meeting – Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 6:00pm.
