September 9th, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes
The White City Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 7:00PM at the McKnight Community Center; the meeting was delayed one week due to the Labor Day Holiday. Mayor Gladis called the meeting to order at 7:00PM. Roll call was taken, council members present were Cutler, Haines, Sunderland, Lagerstrom, and Wright; Alderman Schwartz was absent. Don Weigel representing Banner Engineering and Julie Westberg were the evening’s guests. All motions are unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Mayor Gladis began the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by roll call.
Motion by Cutler, seconded by Wright to approve the agenda.
Motion by Wright, seconded by Cutler to approve the minutes from the August 5, 2024, meeting.
Motion by Lagerstrom, seconded by Haines to approve the bills as presented.
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APPERA BIOAG ENERGY BIZZY BEE CLEANING BRKINGS-DEUEL WATER CENTURY BUSINESS PRODUCTS CITY OF WHITE COOKS WASTEPAPER & REYCLE CORE&MAIN COURTESY PLUMBING EAST RIVER ELECTRIC POWER FIRST BANK & TRUST CC FIX IT SHOP LOCKSMITH HEARTLAND POWER HENDRICKS FARMERS LUMBER INFOTECH SOLUTIONS KIRA MOORSE LOWES HOME IMPROVEMENT PESTS B DEAD PRUNTY CONSTRUCTION SCHWARTZ MANURE HAULING SD DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SDMEA SHERWIN-WILLIAMS SD 811 WESTERN AREA POWER SD DEPT OF REVENUE SD RETIREMENT SYSTEM EFTPS HEARTLAND POWER SD DEPT OF LABOR AFLAC HARLAND CLARKE ITC, INC. HORIZON TANK SERVICES BROOKINGS COUNTY SHERIFF PAYROLL TOTAL |
$72.44 $567.62 $400.00 $4,244.20 $51.13 $1,877.62 $5,281.10 $340.34 $400.81 $4,683.00 $756.37 $183.00 $33,865.71 $47.96 $192.00 $200.00 $2,303.46 $240.00 $84,101.19 $427.37 $15.00 $399.00 $298.38 $173.25 $1,562.84 $1,897.39 $1,529.48 $2,947.61 $2,218.40 $25.00 $635.88 $104.78 $383.52 $10,000.00 $1,595.65 $6703.11 $164,021.50
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DUST MOPS/TOWELS/MOPS FUEL CLEANING FOR AUG 2024 1,439,000 GALLONS USED PRINTER COPIES CITY UTILITES JULY & AUG 2024 FS1-263-15 2X15 REP WATER METER INSTALL WHEELING FEES MCKNIGHT HALL NEEDS CENTER POST REKEYED 98.14 MILLS/KWH WHOLESALE PREMIUM FAST GRAB SERVICE FEE JULY 2024 DEPOSIT REFUND SWEETBRIAR ALUMINUM PEST CONTROL WATER/SEWER PROJECT GRAVEL FOR CITY WATER TEST YEARLY DUES FOR 2024 RED PAINT FOR WATER TOWER LOCATES FOR JULY&AUG 900KW 360,998KWH JULY 2024 TAXES JULY 2024 RETIREMNT PAYROLL TAXES AUG FIREHALL PAYMENT FEE JULY 2024 PREMIUM DEPOSIT SLIPS AUG 2024 PHONE USAGE INSULATE RISER PIPE AUGUST PATROL AUGUST 2024
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The Floor was opened for Public Comment. Mr. Lagerstrom announced that due to a change in school staffing and a desire to reach more residents who work out of town during the day, the Community Library would be changing their hours to be Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30PM to 6:00PM. Additional open times will occur during home games in White to allow local residents a chance to see the resources which the library has available for their research and literary entertainment needs.
Mayor Gladis introduced Don Weigel from Banner Engineering who is the project engineer for the current work occurring in town. Initial discussion focused on citizen comments about traffic in town. A lengthy discussion occurred which came to two general consensus points. First, establishing a route through town by posting further signs would create a de facto detour thus legitimizing the additional traffic which is not what anybody wants. Second, communication needs to occur with law enforcement about enforcing the detour – especially for truck traffic; however, this will be difficult as the City does not currently have a posted Truck Route or ordinance about heavy traffic on “side streets”. Further discussion about this will need to occur as the City moves forward with the project.
Shifting focus to the current project itself, work is progressing roughly to schedule for Phases 1.1 (2nd St) and 1.2 (4th St). It is the intent of the contractor to start roadbed preparations on 2nd Street during the week of September 16, then shifting to 4th Street on during the week of the 23rd with the intent to start paving on the 30th of September resulting in the major construction for this year being complete by the middle of October. A question was raised during this period about drainage along the new streets – the intent is to have the ditches and driveways prepared in a manner that water ponding is not a significant issue which may result in some sculpting to driveway approaches, though this is not foreseen to be a major change from what was present before the project started.
Planning for the next construction season was discussed. Phase 1.3 (West Main St) and 1.4 (East 5th St) are the focuses for 2025. Banner is currently working on plans and specifications to use the remaining funds from the current award which will increase the scope of these phases so that: 1) Phase 1.3 will be Main Street from the “curve” by Complex Ave to Hooker Ave; and 2) Phase 1.4 will be East 5th Street from the Old Care Center / Farmhouse to Hooker Ave.
An additional discussion was held about Phase 2.0 of our City’s efforts to bring our Sewer and Water system to modern standards. Mr. Weigel discussed four areas of work to be focused on: 1) Phase 2.1 = 5th Street from Hooker to Stella Ave; 2) Phase 2.2 = 4th Street from School to Railroad; 3) Phase 2.3 = Lincoln / School / and Railroad Avenues from 5th Street to Main; and 4) Evans/Patrick Avenue from 4th to 6th Street, less the portion with houses on it. Based on current construction costs, and allowing for inflation, this Phase 2.0 has an approximate price tag of $2.8 million plus engineering design fees. Alderman Lagerstrom made a motion, seconded by Sunderland to approve Banner Engineering drawing up initial plans so that the City may apply for funding through the State of South Dakota’s Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The motion passed, and Mr. Weigel will return at the next meeting with the appropriate resources so that the City can approve the notification of intent to apply which is due on October 1, 2024.
After thanking Mr. Weigel for his time, at 7:45PM Mr. Gladis introduced the Budget Committee of Aldermen Sunderland and Lagerstrom and Finance Officer Cooper to allow them a chance to discuss their efforts over the last three months in formulating the 2025 Budget. Mr. Lagerstrom led the discussion noting that while our budget is balanced, the structure of it depends on a transfer from our checking account to make it work. Our City has always relied upon its Enterprise Funds to balance the General Fund – this coming year (2025) due to added debt for much needed purchases and rising costs-of-goods, we are not going to be able to do that without digging into our cash reserves. After using the Sewer Fund “surplus” to cancel the negative balances of the other funds, we have a small forecast surplus to supply General Fund operations. Throughout the budget process, we did our best to keep our taxes reasonable and utility rates economical for our residents, though there will be some necessary increases to rates in order to continue providing reliable service to our customers. After much discussion over issues and discoveries from the budget planning process, Alderman Sunderland made a motion to accept the First Reading of Ordinance 2024-1, the 2025 Budget Resolution, Alderman Haines seconded the motion and the First Reading was accepted.
Discussion then moved to the 2025 Tax Levy Ordinance 2024-2 at 8:22PM. After explaining how the City revenue stream depends upon various sources of taxes and fees, the Council agreed to increase property tax rates by the maximum amount allowed by law; Alderman Sunderland made the motion to accept Ordinance 2024-2 as written, and with the second by Alderman Cutler the First Reading of the 2025 Tax Levy Ordinance was accepted.
One particular issue which was discovered during the Budget Process is that the utility rates which we are charging to our customers is not adequate to support long-term fiscal health for the City without significantly affecting our budget. Discussion on both Water and Electrical rates was held. Water rates were decided to hold off adjusting until we do some research with how that may affect future funding of our Sewer & Water Project Improvements. Electrical Rates were discussed in depth – last week Mr. Lagerstrom and Mrs. Cooper sat down with a representative of Heartland Power who is one of three partners that provide electricity to the City. The result of that discussion coupled with research by the Budget Committee and discussion with the City Council will result in a few changes to how the City operates its Electric Enterprise. The first change is that the City will pursue “remote read” electric meters so that our residents are more accurately charged for their usage – it is the intent of the City to have that happen sometime during the late-Spring/early-Summer of 2025. Secondly, the City will adjust its billing cycle to reflect how the Power Suppliers bill us which will help considerably with the City’s ability to maintain adequate cash flow. Finally, the City Council agreed that in order to be able to continue affording maintenance and improvement of the City’s Electrical Grid, rates for all users will be increasing by one penny per kilowatt hour. This increase will represent a $10 to $12 monthly increase to the “average household” which in turn will provide enough funds to the City to allow for maintenance of the system and stay fiscally solvent. Alderman Cutler made the motion, seconded by Wright to increase electrical rates for all Residential and “Light Commercial” customers from 11 to 12 cents per kilowatt hour; and for “Industrial” users from 7 to 8 cents per hour, with this rate applying to November 2024 usage which will be billed in December 2024. After clarifying discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Completed with the main business of the evening, Finance Supervisor Sunderland provided a brief Finance Office Report. The City is searching for a firm to perform the 2022-2023 Audit which we are required to do by State Law. Due to retirement of the previous firm, we are working to find a new relationship that is affordable and reasonable to the City’s needs. Further discussion will follow at the next City Council Meeting.
The Maintenance Report was given by Superintendent Chad Landmark. His main focus now is working on getting required certifications to operate the City’s Sewer and Water Systems. He is making preparations for the upcoming winter season, and has otherwise been kept busy by the construction work in town needing verification of water and electrical lines as they are digging.
The next meeting date was set for Monday, September 23rd at 7:00PM for a Special Meeting that will focus on further Budget Discussion and Sewer and Water Project Planning.
With no further business, motion was made by Wright and seconded by Haines to adjourn at 8:52PM.
Scott Gladis, Mayor
Matt Lagerstrom, Alderman Ward Three