City council honors township leader

Talk about it

It was a rare and somber way to start a meeting.

Alexndria Mayor Dan Ness called for a moment of silence at Monday night’s city council meeting in honor of Jim Casper, an Alexandria Township Board supervisor who also served eight years on the city/township joint planning board.

Casper, 80, died Saturday after a long battle with leukemia. He also served on an economic development board and the association for Lake L’Homme.

Mayor Ness praised Casper’s dedication to the community and his long-range planning for the future.

In other action, the council:

New Cultural Inclusiveness Committee gets final OK

•Approved a second and final reading to establish a Cultural Inclusiveness Committee.

According to the resolution, the committee of five to seven members appointed by the council will serve as an advisory body to the council in “matters intended to develop and implement inclusive policies, programs and practices to foster a community which is welcoming, vibrant and inclusive of diversity.”

The committee will also advise the council on services and programs that may be of special concern to the city’s growing and diverse populations.

City applies for program that helps homebuyers

•Agreed to apply for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency’s (MHFA) city participation program to help first-time homebuyers in 2010.

Over the past five years, the program has provided more than $2.9 million worth of low-interest loans to qualified home buyers, according to City Planner Mike Weber.

No city funds are involved in the program. Local banks make and service the loans on behalf of the MHFA.

Borrowers must meet income eligibility guidelines and the homes must be located in the city limits.

Appointments to boards, commissions approved

•Appointed Scott Allen to the Alexandria Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board.

•Confirmed Mayor Ness’ re-appointment of Don Nolting to the Alexandria Lakes Area Sanitary District Board.

•Confirmed Mayor Ness’ reappointment of Jeff James to the Police Civil Service Commission.

•Confirmed Mayor Ness’ appointments of Sara Carlson and Dave Benson to the Liquor Commission. Mayor Ness will also serve on the commission.

•Confirmed Mayor Ness’ appointment of Jeanne Batesole to the Armory Community Task Force.

Beginning year resolutions

•Designated the Echo Press as the city’s official legal newspaper for 2010.

•Designated 19 financial institutions as the city depositories for 2010.

•Set the council meeting schedule for 2010 as the same in the past – the second and fourth Monday of the month, starting at 7 p.m. There is one exception: The October 11 meeting was changed to October 12 because it falls on a holiday, Columbus Day.

•Updated the classifications of city positions and monthly pay ranges. No changes were made in the salary ranges.

•Designated which elected and appointed city employees will be covered under Minnesota’s Workers’ Compensation.

They include the mayor, council members, Airport Commission, Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission Joint Board, Board of Health, Board of Public Works, Cable TV Commission, Cultural Inclusiveness Committee, Economic Development Board, Joint Airport Zoning Board, Joint Planning Board, Park Board, Planning Commission, Police Advisory Commission, Police Civil Service Commission, Storm Water Utility Committee, Tree Board, Airport Zoning Board of Adjustment, County Water Board, Building Board of Appeals and Utility Board.

Street vacations voting change finalized

•Approved a second and final reading of an ordinance that amends city code concerning the voting process for vacated streets.

The section was changed to allow streets to be vacated by a four-fifths vote of the council. In the past, the vote had to be unanimous.

Landlord waiver agreement

•Approved a landlord waiver agreement with Alexandria Homes, Inc.

The medical helicopter service, Life Link III, is leasing a building from Alexandria Homes to be used on the airport property. Alexandria Homes asked the city, as the landlord, to execute a waiver to protect the building.

The city attorney and the airport manager reviewed the waiver and didn’t have any problems with it, according to City Administrator Jim Taddei.

Maintenance of

Cross Country Lane worked out

•Approved a road maintenance agreement with Lake Mary Township concerning Cross Country Lane near Lake Andrew.

The road moves in and out of the city limits and includes both paved and gravel sections, said City Attorney John Lervick.

The city agreed to cover 63 percent of the snow removal costs on the road and the township will pay the remaining 37 percent.

In addition, the city will cover 84 percent of the gravel maintenance and the township will cover the other 16 percent.

Financial transactions authorized

•Authorized the mayor, city administrator and finance director to undertake investment transactions on behalf of the city for the year.

•Amended a resolution that authorized the transfer of city funds. The change specifically authorizes city staff to reconcile the accounts during the year, not on an open-ended basis.

Licenses approved

•Approved charitable gambling permits for the Viking Sportsmen to sell raffles at a March 18 event at Holiday Inn, and for the Knights of Columbus to sell raffle tickets at a March 20 event at Broadway Ballroom.

•Approved a temporary on-sale liquor license for the Church of St. Mary for a February 13 event.

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