The Becker City Council met Tuesday to discuss a resolution for a business attraction letter, a home occupation CUP ammendment and a Freedom Days fireworks contract. They also reviewed the latest T-Town parking lot improvements and short-term financial services.

 

Community Development Director Marie Pflipsen said the City of Becker has received a series of site inquiries over the last year. When Pflipsen typically receives an inquiry, she creates a personalized response based on the information requested. 

 

Pflipsen says staff has been working on a site proposal packet that can be easily edited.

 

Pflipsen drafted Resolution 17-11 to allow the mayor to sign a letter of support to include with future site proposals and general business attraction marketing pieces. She said the council passed a similar resolution in 2016, but the letter is now outdated.

 

Applicants Mark and Amanda Haugen, applied for a Conditional Use Permit Amendment to allow for a photography studio home occupation. 

 

Pflipsen said the property currently has a CUP  for a home occupation, but the current conditions are specific to a dog grooming home business. The new resolution proposed (17-12) would amend the existing CUP and allow for the homeowners to operate the photography studio. 

 

Pflipsen says the studio would be in part of the attached garage and a photo viewing room/changing room would be in the basement of their split level home.

 

The planning commission held a public hearing during the March 27 PC meeting. There was only one emailed public comment, which was in support of the amendment.

 

BCC Manager, Jamie Cassidy said BCC staff, and members of the Freedom Days committee and the Parks and Recreation advisory committee have been working on the selection of a vendor to provide fireworks for the 2017 Freedom Days celebration scheduled for Sat., June 17.

 

Cassidy said his staff received two quotes meeting the $7,000 budget for this year's show. The show is expected to last between 15-19 minutes. 

 

Cassidy provided summary sheets for each proposal in each council member’s packet.

 

Pyrotechnic Display, Inc., based in Clear Lake, and RES Specialty Pyrotechnics, based in Belle Plaine, provided the quotes. 

 

After meeting and discussing these proposals with both the Parks and Recreation and Freedom Days committee, Cassidy said staff recommendation is to enter a one-year contract with Pyrotechnic Display, Inc. for $7,000.

 

Furthermore, Cassidy said he is looking for approval to initiate a contract that also allows his staff to extend their contract to three years based on satisfactory performance at this year's event.

 

Last year, Becker city council discussed improving commerce in the T-Town area by improving parking and they did so with a temporary gravel parking lot north of the dental building. 

 

CA Greg Pruszinske said the next step in completing the T-Town parking lot is a supplemental agreement with SEH to perform the engineering work. 

 

Final design services (Tasks 1 and 2) lump sum fee is $18,700, excluding reimbursable expenses and equipment. Expenses and equipment charges are currently estimated at $500.

 

Construction phase services (Tasks 3, 4, and 5) estimated fee is hourly and subject to a not-to-exceed amount of $24,300 including an estimated $2,295 for expenses and equipment.

 

With the resignation last year of Sarah Brunn, the city hired Bergan KDV to help them transition the city’s current assistant finance director into the finance director role. 

 

Pruszinske said the city  signed an agreement with Bergan KDV through March 2017. 

 

Pruszinske said unforeseen circumstances in hiring an accounting clerk made the first phase of the transition difficult for the staff assistant finance director, as the day-to-day operations had to be completed. 

 

Pruszinske said he would like council to consider extending that relationship through 2017 and into the first half of 2018. The new agreement he presented is modified to reflect progress in the finance department, but to still keep support as needed during key periods of the year for the department. Pruszinske said staff would also like to utilize support for the first part of 2018 to help the assistant finance director through the audit cycle.

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is April 18 at 6p.m.