The Becker City Council met last Tuesday to discuss committees, truth in taxation, amendment to a land use map, road turn-back policy, the 2018 audit, a public hearing for grass mowing charges and a call for a public hearing for changes to the fee schedule and administrative citations and penalties.

 

 

A public hearing was held for weed assessments.

 

City staff prepared a list for certification of grass mowing charges (weeds). Upon completion of the mowing by city staff, these properties were billed and those bills that remained outstanding were sent an assessment notification letter in November. 

 

Clerk Julie Blesi said to date, they have a proposed assessment roll of nine properties totaling $875. 

 

Council approved the resolution adopting the assessments and citing them to the 2019 tax rolls with the county.

 

 

Finance Director Connie Robinson gave two resolutions for council to set the levy to be certified to the  county. The two resolutions  are for the general fund levy, capital levies, and debt service levies and the other is for the EDA levy. 

 

The overall budget is summarized as follows: 

 

 

• $1.15 million (city council, administrator, city clerk, professional services and planning);

 

• Public safety: $1.1 million;

 

• Streets: $1.18;

 

• Parks and recreation: $254,400;

 

• Total of $3.7 million;

 

 

• Community center: $1.22 million;

 

• Golf  Course (operations/maintenance/food & beverage): $1.8 million;

 

• Fire: $497,100;

 

• EDA: $146,325;

 

 

 

 

Water/wastewater (domestic & industrial): $2.12 million.

 

Robinson said the 2019 budget proposed levy creates a change in tax rate from 39.729% to 39.895%. 

 

 

Community Development Director, Marie Pflipsen said the current land use map, dated Dec. 18, 2012, incorrectly shows properties being in the Wild and Scenic Recreational River District. She said this designation could restrict the type of development and the rules associated with any future development of the property. 

 

Pflipsen said staff has reviewed the parcels with the Department of Natural Resources to confirm that these areas are not included in the DNR's map officially identifying parcels included in the district. Because the properties are not listed on the DNR's map, Pflipsen says the city should make an amendment to the land use plan map allowing for the property to be correctly identified for  future land use planning and zoning. Upon approval, staff will modify the designation of these  properties to reflect the current underlying zoning designation. 

 

Pflipsen said the planning commission conducted a public hearing and approved the changes at their Nov. 26 meeting.

 

 

Pflipsen said the community development department was contacted about the possible turn back of private streets to the city to allow for city maintenance, snow plowing and city ownership. 

 

She said while the city has a few subdivisions that have private streets, it does not have a policy for the transfer of those streets to the city. 

 

Pflipsen presented a policy that allows for the transfer and how that transfer would be handled. 

 

In addition, during the review of the development of the policy, it was discovered  that the current city code identifies types of streets and design standards. The current policy is to have the city engineer review the plats and determine the type of streets to be installed and the design  standards based on the Becker's design plates. 

 

 

Robinson said for the past three years, the City of Becker has had a contract with Abdo, Eick, & Meyers to perform the annual audits for 2015, 2016 and 2017.

 

She says she has talked to Abdo, Eick, & Meyers and also Bergan KDV about audit services for 2018, with the expectation of doing an RFP for the next three year contract later in 2019. 

 

Robinson says staff has proposals from both firms and recommends contracting with Bergan KDV for the 2018 audit. The cost is the same for both firms, but contracting with Bergan KDV will give the city a different perspective to aid in making the decision for the next three  year contract period. 

 

 

Blesi said at the end of each year, staff brings forth changes to the city's fee schedule for consideration by  council. According to Minnesota Statute 462.353, the city's fee schedules  must be updated by ordinance and a public hearing as well as citations and penalties. 

 

The public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18 at approximately 6 p.m. to consider changes to the city's fee schedule.