The Becker City Council met Tuesday to discuss the 2020 budget, an IUP, a squad car purchase, a snow grooming contract, city code updates, calling for a public hearing and the purchase of a truck for the streets department.
The meeting lasted 46 minutes.
Truth in Taxation
Connie Robinson presented the 2020 general fund and EDA budgets and levies to council. It was the final step before passing a resolution setting the levy to be certified to the county.
The overall budget is summarized as follows:
General Government
• General Government: $1.5 million (City Council, Administrator, City Clerk, Professional Services, Planning);
• Public Safety: $1.15 million;
• Public Works: $1.1;
• Parks: $251,135.
Total of $3.96 million.
Special Revenue
Fund Expenditures
• Community Center: $1.25 million;
• Golf (Operations/Maintenance/Food & Beverage): $1.84 million;
• Fire: $516,150;
• EDA: $210,508.
Capital Improvement Plan Levies: $1.69 million.
Debt Service Levies: $906,958.
Enterprise Fund
Expenses:
• Water/Wastewater (domestic & industrial): $3.76 million.
Interim Use Permit
The City of Becker received an application for an interim use permit (IUP) for parcel number 60-483-0110 from applicant, Becker Youth Baseball, and property owner, City of Becker.
The CUP would allow for interim use of a shipping container for sports equipment to be located on the subject property.
The 23.81-acre lot mentioned is located at the Becker Athletic Complex and currently has a picnic shelter and concession facility. The property is in the Public Zoning District (PUB).
The Becker Planning Commission held a Public Hearing Nov. 25 and made a recommendation of approval.
Squad Car
Police Chief Brent Baloun said each year the police department replaces a squad car as authorized by the city council under the city’s capital improvement plan. In keeping with this plan, squad car #915 is due for replacement. Baloun said this squad car already has 112,250 miles on it and is projected to have approximately 120,000+ by the time the vehicle is replaced with the new one. The vehicle is currently due for new brakes and is starting to incur additional maintenance.
Baloun said the BPD has set aside $51,000 for the purchase of the new squad car. Baloun went on to explain the price of a new squad car has increased by $5,900 from other years due to a model change by Ford. The current price with options in it, to include, spotlight, same key entry, inaccessible rear doors, and wiring and lights bring the cost with Tenvoorde Ford of St. Cloud to approximately $32,938.56.
Baloun said the additional monies go to the rigging of the new squad car, pulling out of old equipment from squad 915, addition or replacement of rear partition, laptop/docking station, front push bumper, graphics, lighting, etc.
The vehicle is being purchased under the Minnesota state contract price with Tenvoorde Ford. They currently hold the State of MN contract for police vehicles.
Snow Grooming
Phil Knutson said the City of Becker has had an agreement in past years with the county, but it was not renewed after the 2015 snow/ski season. He told council he has updated the agreement to keep the trails in the Oak Savanna Park as part of the city’s overall cross country ski trail system to allow access from city park, the BCC and the Sherburne County History Center.
Knutson said the agreement would pay for city staff time and equipment to groom the additional trails.
“Since we are already in city park, it is a very cost-effective way for the county to get the work done and will have no negative financial impact to the city,” Knutson said. “We have updated the contract to increase the hourly rate to keep up with inflation, but we will keep the annual amount flat at $2,500.”
City Code
Clerk Julie Blesi asked council to approve Ordinance 218, 2nd Series — an ordinance amending Chapter 1, Sections 1.02 and 1.06. Under “misdemeanor” and “petty misdemeanor”, the fine amounts increased under “crime”, the words, “statute or” and “with or without a fine” were added to the definitions section.
Public Hearing
Blesi asked council to call for a public hearing to consider changes to the city fee schedule.
The public hearing was set for Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.
Vehicle Replacement
Chris Lisson said the city’s 1998 Chevy Lumina being utilized by the public works and parks assistant director position is due for replacement. Lisson says the car has just over 175,000 miles on it and has developed a regular oil leak.
“Staff feel spending money to fix the Lumina would not be wise given its years of service,” he said.
Lisson said staff found a Ford F-l50 at Cornerstone Ford similar to the Ford F-l50 that was purchased by the public works department in 2018. He said that vehicle has performed well and that is why staff looked at a similar vehicle.
Cornerstone and Ford were able to meet state bid pricing for the vehicle.
Forty thousand dollars was budgeted in the 2019 public works CIP for this purchase. The quoted price for the 2019 Ford F-150 from Cornerstone Ford is $32,564.
Up Next
The next Becker City Council meeting is Dec. 17 at 6 p.m.
