March 4, 2025
Those Present: Greg Kunz, Marty Nate, Tee Steadman, Mayor Steve Waechtler, Maintenance Supervisor Shane Clark, Maintenance Hadley Wright, City Clerk Lynette Smith, City Attorney, Adam McKenzie, Addison Ochsenbein of Sunrise Engineering, Sheriff Bart Heslington, Mike Neuman, Sherilyn Christensen, David Jones, Katana Sorensen
Meeting called to order: 7:00 pm Invocation: Hadley Wright
The Mayor was excused from the beginning of the meeting and conducted by Council President, Greg Kunz. The Council entertained a motion from Councilor Marty Nate to approve the added agenda item of Mike Neuman to discuss the cemetery and was seconded by Councilor Tee Steadman. All were in favor and the motion carried. Councilor Tee Steadman made the motion to approve the published agenda and was seconded by Councilor Marty Nate. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
The minutes from February 4, 2025, were read aloud by Clerk Smith. Councilor Marty Nate made the motion to accept the minutes as read and Councilor Tee Steadman seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Mike Neuman came before the council to discuss his concerns at the cemetery. His wife has recently passed away and he was told he would have to wait a few weeks for the snow to melt or be moved in order to get to where she needs to be buried. He was disappointed and felt there are things that could be done to keep the cemetery open and more accessible. He was upset to have to delay his wife’s funeral until March 15th. A few years ago, the council decided to close the cemetery on a year to year basis and dependent on the snow received and some of the challenges we face are where to put the snow and the location of the burial due to other headstones being buried in the snow and the crew doesn’t want to hit a headstone in the process. It is getting tight up there to maneuver in the older part of the cemetery due to the headstones, etc. Mike suggested having a snow blower available and Greg responded that we are looking into a new road plow also.
Police Report: Sheriff Bart Heslington was present to give his report for the month of February. They worked 60.5 hours and had 52 contacts resulting in 2 citations, gave 2 written warnings, 3 verbal warnings and made 6 traffic stops.He said he is working with his clerk to get more detailed reports to present to the council. David Jones brought up some issues he has had and was willing to sign a citation for someone speeding in front of his house and has video footage. The Sheriff responded that he could look at the video to see if it would be admissible or not. David also asked if the wage we had paid to Martinez was being used to pay for the Sheriff Department to patrol out here. The council responded with yes, we have a contract with the Sheriff Department and use those same funds that we were paying an employee.
The Audit for Fiscal year 2023-2024 was tabled until the next meeting when Matt Regen will be finished with the audit.
Addison Ochsenbein, from Sunrise Engineering came before the council to follow up on the Transportation Plan. We need to have this approved before the summer months during peak times to collect data for traffic control. We have received a grant for $30,000 to complete this study but need to approve the scope and fee of $36,000. The extra $6,000 is to cover for active transportation for pedestrians, etc. Sheriff Bart asked if Sunrise would share their findings so they can better direct their efforts. Councilor Greg Kunz made the motion to accept the Transportation Plan and fee. Councilor Marty Nate seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Councilor Tee Steadman made the motion to leave the regular meeting and go into the Public Hearing for the purpose of adopting a fee and deposit for encroachment on the roads in Ordinance #96 and increasing the fees at the cemetery. Councilor Marty Nate seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken and is as follows: Marty – yes, Tee – yes, Greg – yes. Motion carried. The floor was then opened for public comment.
• David Jones started off with his figures of how many homes we have and paying $105.00 a month and how much that should be coming in per year and a lot of people live on fixed incomes and can’t afford raising rates.
• The Council responded that costs have double and tripled since COVID and we can’t afford to get a loan now to make the improvements needed from the tanks down to town. We also don’t qualify for grants based on the income of the citizens and because we don’t have meters.
• City has also been advised to raise rates by 3% every year and wastewater rates have not been increased over 13 years. Water rates did increase in 2023 by $10.
• Sunrise Engineering has looked into other avenues to update our infrastructure and how to supply water, fix leaks within the system, etc.
• Question raised if the City can invest money to earn more to offset costs, etc.
• City Attorney, Adam McKenzie, explained that the Water and Wastewater accounts in a Municipality are dedicated funds and can’t be used for anything else and also can’t be revenue raising. There are limitations on what a City can do and can’t invest like a business can. Those funds are specific for the needs of the water and sewer systems and separate from the General Funds.
• Also explained that not all homes are turned on all the time generating those monthly fees or are connected to the sewer system.
• Questions about the budgets and where to find. They are published quarterly in the News Examiner and posted in the minutes on the website monthly of what each fund has spent or is available as a public records request from the City Office at any time. The yearly budget is also published in the News Examiner in August each year.
• The new water rates will be $46.50 each month and $62.00 for wastewater to keep up with raising costs and maintaining the systems.
• Resolution #2025-03 was discussed for encroachment of roads and to increase the fee to cover the costs. Costs have increased drastically since the fee was originally set in 2018 at $800. Last year the fee to repair the road on Stringtown was $2500. The proposed new fee would be $3050 and $3000 would be a deposit and $50 would be the fee for the permit to encroach the road.
• The cemetery fees for Resolution #2025-04 were discussed. Clerk Smith called around to City’s nearby to get their going rates and we are significantly cheaper. Fees will be increased to $250 per space for Residents, $2500 per space for Non-Residents; to open and close the grave from Monday-Friday before 4:00 pm will be $250, after 4:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, Sunday and Holidays would be $400.00; the cemetery is closed on Sundays for open/closing graves; cremations are $150.00; spaces are limited to 4 spaces per household
Councilor Marty Nate made the motion to close the Public Hearing and go back to the regular meeting. Councilor Tee Steadman seconded the motion. A roll call vote was taken and is as follows: Marty – yes, Tee – yes, Greg – yes. Motion carried the council.
Councilor Greg Kunz made the motion to accept Resolution 2025-03 for the encroachment of the roads with a deposit and permit fee. Councilor Marty Nate seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Councilor Tee Steadman made the motion to accept Resolution 2025-04 for the new fees at the cemetery and Councilor Greg Kunz seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Councilor Tee Steadman made the motion to accept Resolution 2025-01 for the new monthly water fees and was seconded by Councilor Greg Kunz. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Councilor Greg Kunz made the motion to accept Resolution 2025-02 for the new monthly wastewater fees and was seconded by Councilor Marty Nate. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
New booklets for water and sewer for the next two years will be mailed out this week with a statement for each property owner.
Councilor Marty Nate reported that she has spoken with Tim Christensen about a new legal description for the City property on Main Street and he will base it off of the existing fence lines. The cost for doing the legal description for the old railroad right of way will be based off of the other formal legal descriptions of surrounding properties. Lynette will work on getting the maps and legal descriptions from the title company and forward on to Marty and Tim.
The Impact Area was discussed and the maps posted at the City and what the County provided are different. City Attorney, Adam McKenzie explained that the area of impact will be ran by the County instead of the City’s now and that the City can update their map to include property that they expect to annex within a 5 year period and to not split properties; either need to include or exclude the whole parcel.The County will draft an Ordinance where boundaries will be determined and they will hold another Public Hearing for each City to have it’s own Ordinance. Adam will look to see if we have an Impact Area Ordinance already drafted but the City should review the map to adjust our Impact Area and give to the County.
Councilor Marty Nate reported that she has applied for the grants for $12,500 for the crosswalk and the sidewalk came out to an estimated $100,000. Each block for concrete is about $11,000 and gravel is about $36,000. The Mayor also said he was able to find a playground for $9,500. The council agreed for Marty to apply for the crosswalk grant but to hold off on the sidewalk for this year. Councilor Greg Kunz made the motion to purchase the playground equipment at $9,500 and the City will ask for donations to help for installation. Councilor Marty Nate seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
We need to get an agreement in place with the Whitaker’s before they sell their properties for snow placement and the water line to remain open and for the garbage turnaround. Adam will draft an agreement for both parties to sign.
Maintenance Report: Hadley Wright gave their report for the month of February and stated that he and Shane have plowed snow and slush, the County came and helped with a cement barrier that got knocked into the culvert and they are working with the State for a new one. The samples were taken to the lab for the month and all came back ok. They delivered delinquent notices also. The plow truck is in rough shape and needs a new seal, pump and parts of the frame welded, tires on the back need replaced and it blows blue smoke. The council agreed we need to replace and be looking for a new one throughout the summer months and can either keep this one for a backup or sell it to put into the new one.
Office Business: There are 13 delinquent water and sewer accounts for the month of February. Lynette reported that she has a conflict with the next meeting and so it will be held on Wednesday, April 2nd instead. She will also ask Danielle Smith if the Georgetown 2nd Ward Young Women will host the Easter Hunt/May Day again this year. Katana was available to discuss plans for Twin Creek Days. It was decided to keep the day simple and do just the fireworks with a few activities and have some food vendors. Some activities suggested were the foam party, fish pond, breakfast and flag but to scale it all back.
The chair entertained a motion from Councilor Greg Kunz for the council to approve checks and vouchers for the month of February 2025 in the amount of $28,713.36 in the general fund, $10,765.17 in the water fund, and $24,748.48 in the sewer fund, with all funds totaling $64,227.01. Councilor Marty Nate seconded the motion. All were in favor and motion carried the council.
The chair entertained a motion from Councilor Marty Nate that council adjourns from the March 2025 council meeting at 9:55 pm. Councilor Greg Kunz seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion carried the council.
Respectfully submitted,
Lynette Smith,
City Clerk-Treasurer