City Council - Regular Meeting

And got me at 6 o'clock in the morning Saturday and worked me like a dog.

How far is Kirsch Field from being done? Will it be done this year?

It's done. They chose to have more dirt here. It's leveled out. They mowed it today. It's leveled out and it's ready to go.

I just didn't know.

Well, I'm down to 152. They wanted to slope it out, so they put it on there, but then they lost the tractor in the city. Three, four weeks. Really? Unusable. Did not know that. So I had the blade there to do it, but didn't have a tractor to move it around. Mike did. Yeah. But this one had to have the actual, I needed to have the box blade to be able to level it all out. I used the city tractor today. I built in some golly washers down in T-Mobile.

Is water, is it holding water, the church field?

It is because it needs to be leveled. And I've lost my box blade that I borrowed and had it for months and months and months. I had to get it back to him. I think that's a Duke-ass one. That's my plan maybe next week. Yeah, but that being down for weeks on end certainly put a damper on what I was doing in the field.

You ever heard anything from Keith about this?

I have not, but I called another contractor and they'll be out next week. I kind of gave up on Bloomberg's trying to bid this one here.

I thought the architect was doing it.

Nobody's giving me a bid. I got somebody else coming out to bid it. We need more than one anyway.

We are.

This one here would probably be a little more affordable than the Seattle groups.

Because I'm waiting to put the... So we've got the AC units for these other two rooms. I'm just waiting to get the steel on so that... We don't put something or something's in the way or... I understand.

I was thinking we'd have some by now.

It's been weeks and weeks. I'm not sure Josh and Tony can't do the block work over there.

On that side, they can take it. On this side, no, I got somebody coming to frame this.

Yeah, we got to do something here.

I'm going to try to get that bid next week.

Definitely, we got to get it done before winter. Oh, yeah. Wait What leads held on the monsoons they got in the job the guys did well Tony and Josh the egg job putting that portable up Sounds like Wednesday's gonna go When Wednesday, yeah thunderstorms baseball-sized hail Yeah

During the day.

Two rounds during the day and then come back at night.

I told you guys my theory about Farmington being the highest point of the county and then when all that weather comes in it kind of floats around us. Yeah, we like that theory. I'm as good as any weatherman was just right there.

If you ever want to know the weather, call me because I don't like it. I have one minute. I don't have Bill yet.

All right, I've got six o'clock I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and indivisible with liberty and justice for all Thank you. Welcome, everybody. First thing I'd like to do is have a motion to allow Alderman Gillis to appear remotely.

Second.

I have a motion from Dave, a second from Nate to allow Alex to appear remotely. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed?

Aye.

That will carry. Now can I have a roll call, please?

Gillis? Here. Boggs? Here. Smith? Lemming? Here. Gross? Here. Kruse? Here. Oh. Whoa. I like that. I like that.

That was interesting.

I was like, where did that come from?

And we have attorney Connor on the remotely as well. um everybody's had a chance to look at the minutes this time i will take questions comments concerns or a motion to approve salute second i have a motion from dave a second from jenny to approve the minutes from june 1st 2026 all in favor say aye aye opposed carry um i do not have any corresponds tonight however i did receive a letter late today that Carl Powell is resigning as a part-time officer, going to finally retire for real this time. We thank Carl for his business, and we will accept that at next meeting. Herb, welcome back. It's to you. Thank you. Thank you.

First of all, thanks, everybody, for being supportive and your kindness in my adventure. Not done yet, but we're working on it. The fence around the cemetery is complete. We're all done, we got everything all paid for and everything. What I would like to address tonight to you is our, your permission to have a fundraiser for this remembrance memorial. And if you, it's in your agenda, but this first page will be, there's gonna be 20 tiles. And this would be the first tile. Okay, so if you have some objections to that, you know, please let me know before we, you know, get to that point. We won't do anything until this winter because the people are so busy with other monuments. But a lot of people have said to me, you know, well, what do you mean we don't have markers for these people? Well, you'll look at the statistic page A lot of these go back to the 1800s. And what I've tried to do is give some ideas or some thoughts about why there may not be a marker for these people. And so you can review that. I'm not really going to read it all to you, but it gives you the idea of why some may not. But there are 2,326 out of 8,600 people buried in our cemetery that do not have a marker. And that's why we want to recognize them. Through our research on this, we have found 59 veterans that we didn't know were in our cemetery. And we recognize them individually uptown on the monument, and they'll be on our tablets. And just today, I found another Civil War vet but his name was spelled incorrectly. So those are the kinds of things that happen that will get corrected, but he still doesn't have a mark, whether he spelled correctly or not. But I just thought I'd give you some idea of where these numbers came from in the, you know, the statistic part of this thing. So just some ideas, think about it. But on the last page, we've, May not have this page. Yeah, I didn't give it to you.

Probably didn't give me that page. And I printed them out of order from what you're saying.

Oh, that's okay. But what will happen is that this is going to be a 12 by 30 pad in a brick format like our other concrete that we poured. And it'll be ADA compliant. So there'll be a four-foot walkway all the way around this so that we don't have to deal, you know, wheelchairs will accessibility now I've got an example of what it's going to look like this is going to be there'll be 20 of these okay and the tiles will lay here but it's only going to be two feet tall so young people wheelchair accessible can read it you know instead of having to wonder what's up here there'll be 148 names on every tile But this is some work of Josh Kalanya. He has fabricated this so we know what we're looking at. Is it gonna work? We've got a tile that we're gonna play with. You know, that kind of thing. So to give you some idea of what it looked like. And it's gonna be made out of stainless steel. It won't be made out of regular steel. So anyhow, this is some reasons, you know, It's 22 feet long, three feet high, or excuse me, two feet tall. To the top will be five feet. So somebody, oh, everybody will be able to read it. Okay, it'll be alphabetical. There's no other reason to, another way of reading it. So I would like your permission to have this fundraiser. You need a motion?

I have it in our new business.

Okay, all right. So if anybody wants a copy of this, You're welcome. I've got some extras. So anyhow, thank you very much. I appreciate all you've done and your permission.

Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, sir. Um, have no old business tonight, but we do have some new business. Um, first order of new business. I have discussion, possible action. Um, we participate in fireworks with Elmwood and Yates city. um we traditionally give a donation to this um last year we gave 750 dollars towards the fireworks and these will be held july 4th and at elmwood sweetwater park so i don't know what you guys are thinking of what you'd like to give this year do we know what the total cost is to them i've never never been able to get them to tell me And I've asked.

I just wonder if we're like helping not enough, like not even close or like, you know, we have no idea.

I always had the same question and I've called and left messages again this year to no avail, but I've also been very busy. So I don't know if they haven't called me back. Or they've never come to us and say, that's not enough.

Yeah, because I would hate for it to cost, you know, $10,000. I'd be like, well, Farmington donated a whole $750.

Well, we don't know. Has anybody purchased fireworks out of state recently?

Not recently.

They are cash. I think they are very expensive. I'd like to make a donation of $1,000. I like that better.

All right, I have a motion from Joey and a second from everybody else to donate $1,000 to the 4th of July celebration in cooperation with Gate City and Elmwood. That's going to be a roll call, please.

Gillis? Yes. Boggs?

Yes.

Fleming?

Yes.

Rose? Yes. Krusen? Yes.

All right, thank you. I will attempt to get a hold of these people. You know what? I bet Herb can get a hold of them. um bill atwood oh yeah um next item i have a new business this is uh permission there's a discussion possible action on permission for the oak ridge cemetery members memorial fundraiser and i would like a motion to tell our oak ridge board of managers managers to proceed with their fundraiser second a motion from joey a second from dave that's all in favor aye opposed all right um next item i have for new businesses discussion possible action i am seeking the council's permission so so there was a lawsuit um jacobs versus hennepin that went through the court system recently that made it so the county trustee could not award property sold for taxes directly to the municipality based upon equity and such. Because I was hoping to get just a direct award on two properties this year so that we could care down and help our neighborhoods and maybe find something put more viable back on. so now we have to also be a bidder in this tax sale um so the trustee did put on the two properties that we were interested in that the city is pending demolition regardless of what happened so it may end up with a demolition lien on it but i would like the council's permission to at least put in a bid i'm thinking i'll bid a thousand dollars on each property and see if we get them and Hope for the best. So moved. Second. A motion from Dave, a second from Joey. Bill, do I need a roll call on that?

Yeah, you definitely do.

All right. Let's roll call that, please.

Gillis? Yes. Boggs? Yes. Fleming?

Yes.

Rose? Yes. Kruzan? Yes.

Thank you. I will get those bids placed. The tax sale is July 17th. And for 181 East Court and 427 West Fulton were the two properties that we were going to target. If this works, maybe we'll do it again next year. I don't know. Things that we can do to help clean up our neighborhoods I think is a good thing. Especially if the property is no longer viable for rehabilitation. Last item I have in new business is just a discussion I don't know if everybody's seen or not, the sidewalk outside of Lefty's was completed. It is now ADA compliant up to IDOT standards. We have one other business that is not ADA compliant, and they have requested if something like that can be done for them. Cassandra Anderson Coffee Shop. I'm sorry, I can't think of the name of it. I have asked Maurer Spets to do a feasibility study to see if it's even possible. And I just want you guys to be aware that I did ask for that to happen. It's the only business in the downtown that does not have a door that rolls right in.

I don't know if anybody has any further ideas or thoughts or I not when they came through and all the sidewalks that they have Mike does everybody have a do you have My recollection of that is that someone said they would put an ADA access in the southernmost of the west side going inside the building because and that was previous owner correct right no no all right so is there an um excuse me david that they would have never completed that because you had to sign the city had to sign the one for the partnership

would have not finished them no way is there not being something in place is there a west side mid door that enters there's two doors on the west side i don't know what they go to i was curious rather than coming all the way out to the street the feasibility of going onto the west side and making some sort of a ramp without having to go no i agree and and so

IDOT came back this time. If you'll notice, there's two railings at lefties. And IDOT deemed that those were necessary this time. So I don't know that I disagree with them at all. I'm hoping that there's 40 inches through there that we can get our tractor in. So Shiloh and I have not gone and put a tape measure on it yet. But...

I was thinking that if we went to the west side and didn't have to do everything we did at lefties, we'd go alongside the building and make a ramp.

Yeah, I agree with you, Dave. So I've asked Maurer Stutz to do a feasibility and to give me some options. But I want you guys to be aware that I had done that. And if anybody asks you why is this taking so long, it's because this is how fast cover mode works.

All right, that's all I have a new business leading this into committee reports Jenny you have anything see me What is the current standing of the community garden Good question People are asking and then someone had mentioned I don't remember that maybe there were Donations at one time and is there like a bank account or a fund?

So she created so Ashland Palace and Said that she would spearhead this. She created a 401c3, 501c3, 220, 221, whatever it takes. So I've got a phone call into her to find out where we're at. I mean, at this point, we could still get some things in, I would think, but it also has to be ADA compliant. So I'm afraid we're going to have to have some sidewalks.

And I think it would be fair to ask her if she's no longer interested in spearheading that, that, you know, we would be more than happy to, because other people were willing to do that at that time.

Okay. I agree. I have called. I know she's also very busy. So we all are.

Oh, one more thing. Do we have, so I have not heard us talk about this, but also I miss meetings, down by Jane Johns on Apple, that water sewer, something.

Are we fixing that? So there's a storm sewer there that is a problem, and we have, Shiloh is working with Dillon Water to mine that. Okay, so we are doing something. Yes, so we can solve that problem.

Okay, thank you. Yes, we are going to solve that problem.

all right thanks um joey public safety wise thank you nate sewer thank you alex you have anything sidewalks garbage streets nothing to report this big one thank you leslie is not here lead you dave

Just saying, as I mentioned earlier, we have another company come into bid that finished the work on the outside of this building from the demo. So maybe more of the report next year.

All right, thank you. Out here? I have a motion and a second. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Thank you.

Thanks, Bill. See you, sir.