City of Effie April 9th, 2007 Minutes

In attendance: All present

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm. Motion by Liza to approve the minutes of the last meeting, seconded by Grady, MCU.

Sewer Project: Matt had an update about the possibility of Effie connecting with Bergquist. He stated that Bigfork would not be able to proceed because they would have to pay back the Army Corp of Engineers for the grant money that was given to them. The city was awarded a $445,800 grant from DEED which will provide the rest of the money needed for the sewer project. The project could be ready for bid in a few weeks. There is a small change in the sewer plan. The lines will now be buried 8’ deep rather than 7’. Liza had information on coffin boxes. She stated that most likely the water level in Effie is too high for this type of system. It needs to be above the water level. Mike Olson discussed this type of system. Matt stated that he is looking into a wilderness protection grant to fix the creek after the city sewer is in place and finished. An estimate needs to be obtained in order to apply for the grant. Motion by Matt to get a quote from Mike Olson, seconded by Grady, MCU.

Flooring: Grady stated that the tile flooring was a close-out deal. He will keep in contact with Tom Magni. Tom will come assess the situation. Bill stated that the city paid $3000 and it is unacceptable that most of the tiles have cracked within 15 months. Liza requested that the council look at purchasing draw shades for the windows and doors to help with the direct sunlight. She also asked if the community hall could have an industrial sized mop. Grady said that he would get a quote.

Ordinances: Four to five meetings have been held to discuss the Effie Ordinances and lack of them. Bill contacted the courthouse. He suggested possibly needing consistent law enforcement. He said that the ordinances not covered by state statutes cannot be enforced by Itasca County unless an agreement is made which could amount to $60-$70 per hour. He stated that tax payers could be assessed this cost. Matt asked Bill to get a list of statutes.

Range Water Lease: Motion by Matt to approve a new lease for Range Water, seconded by Grady, MCU.

An auxiliary member said that the floor has been consistently dirty after hall rental and that pop in the fridge is not being paid for. Bill said that the computer needs to be locked. Tranette stated that the current locks are not working and need new hardware. She will call Pierre to repair the problem.

Horse Camp: Liza has a contact that will be able to tell whether the dump site could be used for the camp. She has also been in contact with someone regarding asbestos removal.

Joint Powers Board 10 yr Community Plan: The NIJPB has accomplished their goals and is creating their new 10 year plan. They are requesting that Effie come up with a list of priorities. The council discussed a number of ideas including the horse camp, the old school, ATV trails, pavilion, etc. Grady suggested tying this plan in with the streetscape project. Liza stated that she would like the horse camp in place as she is worried that the trails could go elsewhere and the camp would encourage the trails to go through Effie. Motion by Matt to make the following list the priorities for the NIJPB: 1. streetscape, 2. refurbish old school into housing, 3. ATV trails, 4. horse camp, seconded by Liza, MCU.

Operation Round-Up: The decision about grants will be made tonight. Tom Boland will have the information.

Mowing: Tranette will call Zaspel Lawn Care and ask if Terry can mow this year for the same price as last year. He will be told to include the ice rink but not the old Catholic Church.

Donation:

Bills: Motion by Matt to pay the bills, seconded by Grady, MCU.

Motion by Matt, seconded by Liza to adjourn the meeting, MCU.