A truth in taxation budget presentation, a request for a CUP, well exploration, fee schedules and tort liability limits were all part of Tuesday’s Becker City Council meeting.

 

TMF Properties, LLC. approached the city with a request for a conditional use permit (CUP) to allow for residential rental units above ground level at 13904 1st Street in Becker.

 

The residential rental dwellings would be attached to the rear portion of a laundromat owned by John Gilyard and Kristine Gilyard Kelly. The dwelling currently proposed is a one bedroom apartment approximately 670 square feet in size. The property is zoned community commercial.

 

Historically, the structure on the site had operated as a legal non-conformity consisting of a mixed use of residential dwellings and a laundromat. The applicants propose to use the structure on the site for a laundromat with one residential dwelling above ground and part of the main structure to the rear. However, since the use has been discontinued for more than one year, a conditional use permit is required prior to reactivating the use.

 

TMF Properties, LLC. and its officers, Tim Fisher and Melissa Johnson, intend to purchase, make significant structural and aesthetic upgrades to the site and structure, as well as oversee operations of the laundromat and the attached residential unit.

 

The Becker Planning Commission approved the request and recommended the city also approve, as long as the applicant abides by 10 conditions set forth in the resolution that include lawful use of the property, occupation limits, proper inspections and cause for revocation, among others.

 

Water/Wastewater Supervisor Dave Pesola, said recently the city came upon an eight-acre parcel of land that is for sale on the east side of the Elk River. Pesola said the parcel is situated very near a future well site that city staff has already vetted as potentially able to support a municipal well.

 

The situation on the existing future site, Pesola says, has changed and it is unlikely that locating a new well on that property will be economically feasible. 

 

Well borings in the area suggest that favorable geology may exist on the land that is now for sale.

 

Pesola says the city has an existing easement through the property and staff proposes to have Traut Wells drill two test borings as close to the easement as possible to reduce disturbance to the remaining property. Pesola says if favorable geology is found, a six inch test well will be developed. The test well would then be pumped to determine if there is enough recharge capacity to support a municipal well.

 

The property owner has granted permission for the test borings and has agreed to a first right of refusal which would enable the city to negotiate to purchase the land for no more than the listed price of $200,000. The first right of refusal would be in force until Dec. 31 of this year.

 

Traut Wells provided Pesola’s staff with a quote of $20,835 for work through the test pumping of a six inch well. If the well borings reveal that the site is unfavorable, the project will be terminated and the cost will then be approximately $5,000.

 

Pesola said the current wastewater handling agreement between the City of Becker and Great River Energy (GRE) is set to expire Dec. 31 of this year. Pesola’s staff has had discussions with Great River Energy and both parties agree to extend the agreement with an amendment.

 

The amendment basically changes the contact for Great River Energy, reduces the frequency of wastewater analysis results reported to the city and extends the agreement through the year 2020, which follows along with the city’s  NPDES discharge permit. Pesola says the price per 1,000 gallons of treatment will also continue to increase by one dollar each January of each year of the contract.

 

At the end of each year staff brings forth changes to the city's fee schedule for consideration and approval by council. Clerk Julie Blesi said according to Minnesota Statute 462.353, the city's fee schedules must be updated by ordinance and a public hearing held to consider action on or approval of changes to the fee schedule.

 

The public hearing was held and council voted to approve the schedule.

 

Each year, the city is required to make an election related to statutory tort limits on its liability insurance coverage which renews in February. 

 

Assistant Finance Director Connie Robinson explained Minnesota statutes limit a city's tort liability to a maximum per claim of $500,000 and $1,500,000 per occurrence. She said a city can elect to waive these limits. 

 

If the city does so, a single claimant could receive up to $1,500,000 per claim plus the amount of excess liability coverage the city carries. 

 

Robinson referred to an attachment of the waiver form she presented to council with more detail from the League of MN Cities.

 

Robinson pointed out that the City of Becker has opted to not waive statutory tort limits in the past. She explained the benefit of waiving these limits goes to the injured party. 

 

“The city does not benefit from waiving the limits,” she said. “Plus, the insurance cost would be greater by waiving these limits as the potential exposure to the city is increased per claim.” 

 

Of all the entities insured with the League, Robinson said, approximately 13% make the choice to waive the coverage limits.

 

Robinson said city staff is recommending again to. not waive the statutory tort liability limits for the city.

 

Council concurred.

 

Joe Rigdon, a government consulting manager with Bergan KDV, presented an overview of the 2017 general, special revenue, and debt service budget and their CIP's. 

 

Rigdon went over the overall levy and tax rate in detail in addition to summary detail on the 2017 budgets.

 

Final approval of the 2017 general and enterprise fund budgets will occur at the Dec. 20 meeting.

 

Anyone interested in seeing the preliminary budget information can go to the City of Becker website and access the agenda and minutes for Dec. 6 for a complete description.

 

The next Becker City Council meeting is Dec. 20 at 6 p.m.