WELCOME — The Welcome City Council met on Tuesday evening. A hearing about the Economic Development Authority (EDA) was first on the agenda. Several EDA members were present and explained what they felt was a legal procedure concerning the removal and replacement of EDA commissioners, Eric Andersen, Dean Weiss, Wes Strausser and Taylor Forsberg. The three reasons in the bylaws to remove a commission member were explained by the City Attorney, Taliesen Burrows, as neglect of duty, inefficiency and misconduct.

The council felt that the replacement of Dean Weiss shortly before his term was up, and no budget given to the City, was grounds for removal. The City Attorney read the bylaws, which he reminded all were legal as opposed to policy, which is not, about the city council appointing commissioners. The EDA members countered that the EDA can appoint officers. The city said that it is not the same. After the commissioners are appointed, the EDA may appoint one of them as an officer. The EDA said that is what they did and gave the council copies of the minutes when Dean Weiss was re-appointed as commissioner and appointed as president. The council countered that his re-appointment was not brought to the council at that time. He was still on the EDA because his term was not yet over, according to the EDA. Both groups agreed that the procedure was not what it should have been, some blaming the former City Attorney and some blaming the city council. All agreed that this needs to be cleared up and the procedure needs to be followed from now on with more transparency, it was mentioned to “do the right thing, the right way”. The EDA has three members and two members from the city council. The council approved the EDA commissioners presently on board as Taylor Forsberg, Wes Strausser, Wendell Rode and (Council members) Elroy Glidden and Dan Schmidtke. Eric Andersen and Dean Weiss were appointed by the EDA, not the city council, so they are not considered EDA commissioners now.

The street for the storage units property was mentioned. Forsberg said the street was promised, and the council said there was an easement, and that means the owner of the property does the entrance road and maintains it, not the city. It was mentioned that the road was not part of the hearing. The city council thanked the EDA members for explaining their position at the hearing and promised that the procedure would be followed better in the future.

The next issue concerning the City Attorney was land purchase just west of the museum by the Welcome Historical Society. The council approved his assistance with the Historical Society to transfer the ownership of the land to the city, as requested by the Historical Society.

Burkhardt and Burkhardt auditors reported to the council that there was a clean audit (meaning things backed by evidence). Concerns were about only one person connected to the city’s financial and accounting systems. The city clerk handles this, and the council should watch carefully so no mistakes are missed. One billing was a concern, but that was due to the transfer of clerks this year and was easily fixed. The city is well fixed as far as tax levy funds and capital improvements are concerned. Cash flow is fine except for the Water/Sewer department, and the auditor commended the transfer from the general fund to water to alleviate the Water/Sewer fund deficit, but recommended increasing the water/sewer rates significantly. The city has sufficient reserves to transfer to water/sewer, but it should be increasing its own cash flow. The council and auditor recognized that rates for school and street projects are affecting tax rates, too. He recommended using reserves for part and increasing rates a little each year.

The street project for this summer was the topic for Bolton and Menk Engineer Travis Winter. He recommended approving the bid from Holtmeier Construction of $3,000,000+ for the project. The council approved the bid.

Shannon Sweeney from the David Drown Associates reported authorizing the sale of the $4,000,000 general obligation improvement and utility revenue Bond series. He mentioned that the city has a good credit rating, which will help with interest, which may be 4.2 percent for twenty years. The cash flow may be helped with the transfer of money to the Utilities Fund, and just a small increase in the coming years. Bids on the bond issue should be submitted soon. The council mentioned that a bond may be paid off in the next years from the water tower and others, and it would help. The council approved the resolution with agreement to sizing down the bond with payment of engineering costs. At the June 3 meeting, the bond sales should be approved.

In other business:

— The request for rock at the driveway and to the concession stand in the ball field was approved by the council, with public works doing the work.

— An insurance adjuster denied the claim by a resident for damage from water in his basement, saying the city did all it could and that flushing unbiodegradable items was not their fault. The resident should consult his homeowner’s insurance. The council asked the clerk to add a reminder not to flush unbiodegradable items into the sewer system, even if the package says they are flushable.

— The public works recommended using a company to fill the flower pots and baskets for the city that would charge $34 per container. The council approved that bid.

— The council passed several payments for bills and bids brought by the public works employee. Chief of Police, Trevor Yochim, reported to the council that the police commission will have its own tax ID soon. He mentioned that the Sherburn Elementary would be having a law enforcement day on May 13.

— The ordinance about grass mowing and sump pump issues is now in effect.

(April to Nov.)

— Clerk Jodi Hemann has passed her six months at City Hall and has been removed from the required probation.