CITY OF  LANCASTER, MINNESOTA LANCASTER CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS   The Lancaster City Council met for its Regular Meeting on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall.  The following members were present: Rice, Olson, Swenson, Barron and Stenquist.   Corrine Karboviak, George Zondagh and Tom Sebanaler were present.   Ron Jasmer, representing Widseth, Smith and Nolting, the firm designing the Community Center attended the meeting with the final blueprints and information regarding the new estimated cost of the project.  Due to time elapsed, some design changes and storm sewer needs the costs of the project are now projected at $998,300.00.  Ron expressed the need to have local contractors and material providers bid and have a large part of the construction as this has the potential to hold down costs.  Outside contractors would factor in employee costs such as travel and per diems and costs of transporting materials.  USDA has requested that the council review the additional costs and gap in financing and have a plan in place to deal with the issue.  The council has already chosen to bid the project with alternates that can be deleted if the project is over budget.  These alternates are the Storm Sewer, paving stones, west sidewalk, HVAC modifications, food service equipment and tables and chairs.  USDA has an additional $35,000.00 built into their financing package for contingencies that the council may request.   The council must also designate other alternates for funding the project per request of the USDA.  Olson moved to make up any funding shortfall by the use of additional USDA loan funds, Community Center Donation fund and general fund monies, second by Barron and carried.   Clerk reported that the Community Center Donations to March 31, 2012 $35,608.06 with additional funds still being received.   Clerk reviewed correspondence received from Daniel Hunter requesting that a hookup fee of $35.00 be waived.  Clerk reported that she asked Mr. Hunter to attend this meeting to discuss the issue.  George Zondagh, public works director was in attendance.   Zondagh explained that he had shutoff Hunter’s water after 2 mailed notices and a posted notice and a verbal promise from Hunter to pay the bill.  Zondagh stated that Hunter had been informed to hand deliver the payment by 4:00PM, the payment was not received by that time and the water was shut off.  Hunter paid the account later in the same day and the water was turned back on.  The clerk reported that she billed the hookup fee of $35.00 as directed per the city ordinance, this is the fee that Hunter is disputing.  At this time Mr. Hunter has not appeared at the council meeting.  Olson moved to deny the request for abatement of the hookup fee as the fee was billed according to city ordinance, second by Barron and carried.   At this time George Zondagh and Tom Sebenaler, Sewer director,  discussed the sewer issue on 1st Street between Family Foods and Agri Sports.  The sewer has a broken area somewhere in this block and blocks up intermittedly.  The sewer is at least 12 feet deep in this part of town making conventional repairs very difficult.  They recommend that the sewer be cleaned and a video camera be used to document the sewer line condition and exactly where the break is.  Then if possible have a company that does instaform in place without digging repair to this section and then if possible use the instaform technology to repair the line from manhole to manhole.  The instaform technology is likened to placing a tube sock in the line then activating materials inside the “sock”  to act like cement in a tube shape and the materials bond and dry almost instantaneously.    These repairs need to be done as soon as possible because the sewer could block completely at any time and then the instaform option would not work,  Stenquest moved that the recommended approach be used if possible, second by Olson and carried.   Zondagh reports that he is scheduled to take his waste water license test April 26th, 2012 in Alexandria, MN.  Barron moved to pay Zondagh’s l fees, mileage, perdiems and hotel costs associated with the test, second by Stenquist and carried.   At this time Daniel Hunter arrived and visited with the council regarding the hookup fee charge of $35.00.  Hunter requests that the hookup fee of $35.00 from July 2011 be removed from his account.  The council stated that they felt that the ordinance must be followed in regards to payment due dates and shutoff procedures.    Olson moved to approve the minutes of the March 14, 2012 annual meeting, second by Stenquist and carried.   A copy of the Minutes will be posted at the Lancaster City Hall and U.S. Post Office and available upon request to the clerk.   The council reviewed the April 2012 Bills to be paid.  Swenson moved to approve the bills for payment, second by Stenquist and carried.  An abstract of bills will be posted with the minutes and are available upon request to the clerk.   Council reviewed the agreement with Northwest Community Action for administer the Community center grant reporting and payment implementation in the amount of $20,000.00.  Barron moved to accept the contract and allow the Mayor and clerk to execute the contract, second by Stenquist and carried.   Mayor reported that the CRP contract that the city has implemented with Tom Sebenaler as operator will end in 2012.  He reports the that the contract has lapsed and this will be okay as then the property located just south of the New Lancaster Addition can then be used for other purposes.    Council reviewed the county commissioner redistricting information received from the Kittson County Auditor.   Clerk handed out diagrams for the proposed changes to be made to the city hall to accommodate a city clerk’s office and a meeting room for smaller group use.  Barron suggested checking with the School industrial arts teacher and see if he would be interested in having some classes take this on as a project.   Council reviewed the March City and Liquor Store financial information, Liquor Store Daily sales and gambling reports.     The Lancaster Lions requests permission to remove the large pine trees from the downtown gazebo park and replace them with smaller pine trees.  Swenson moved to allow the removal and replacement of the pine trees, second by Olson and carried.   Stenquist reported that Jen Rice, Manager, would like to look into buying an autofry for use in the Liquor Store.  The mayor directed Stenquist to work with Rice and develop  and prioritize plans for Liquor Store remodeling and replace and updates for equipment.   Stenquist moved to make a request for gambling funds for Fire Department Equipment  from the Lancaster American Legion Post #214,  second by Swenson and carried.   Council Adjourned as there was no further council business.     Carol Johnson, Clerk/Treasurer               Other links: Lancaster Riverside Golf Course | Lancaster 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