Moorhead City Council Meeting

January 12, 2015

Chuck Chadwick

The Extra continues as the Moorhead’s official newspaper for 2015

The City Council reaffirmed The Extra as the City’s official newspaper for 2015. Minnesota Statutes sets the qualifications for a newspaper to be designated as official. Among the requirements, the newspaper must be printed in English and be distributed locally with at least 500 copies. Each issue must have 50% of the news columns dedicated to local news.

The Extra is a popular weekly newspaper covering over 6,000 square miles of the Greater Red River Valley. It is the largest audited publication of its kind in the region, and is available entirely online on their popular website, www.thefmextra.com. Estimated average weekly readership: 45,000 per issue.

The following are a few of the major Extra’s weekly features highlighting Moorhead:

· Comprehensive City Council Notes

· Moorhead City Mayor Column

· Moorhead Economic Development Authority Column

· Moorhead Public School News – “Spudtacular”

· Moorhead Business Spotlight – “Let’s Talk Business Moorhead” Feature

· “Welcome to Moorhead” publication

Approved a “Advisory Budget Work Group” 6-2

City Attorney John Shockly submitted to the Council a resolution establishing an advisory “Budget Work Group as requested. The primarily purpose of the group will offer monthly advice and comment on the city manager’s proposed 2016 annual budget.

The group will not make formal recommendations to the City Council. Because it is established by the City Council and consists up to three City Council members appointed by the mayor, the group is governed by Minnesota’s open meeting laws. Therefore, the monthly meetings must be announced and opened to the public and make available to the public detailed minutes of its meetings.

Discussion centered on the need for an additional committee or group. Councilmember Otto questioned if adding another level of government was beneficial and whether it was just adding to the workload of the staff. Otto stated that the system in place is working and that the committee is not warranted. In addition, she added that it would be difficult for several council members to attend the daytime meetings. Mayor Williams also expressed concerns regarding staff time and requirements.

Councilmember Hulett stated, “Quite frankly, the motivation behind this matter remains a mystery to me. It simply does not fit with our strong manager form of government. Council members supporting implementation of the so-called “Advisory Budget Work Group” failed, in my opinion, to identify so much as one solid reason to add this additional layer of government to the process of developing the annual City budget. Members recited many of the known concerns that the full Council always addresses in its work on the budget such as the tax levy, the transfer of funds from the electric utility, and being accountable to the public, but none of that is new. “

“More ownership will be the result,” said Councilmember Elmer, with the majority in agreement.

Affirmed Council meeting dates for the 2015

Regular meetings of the City Council are typically held on the second and fourth Monday of each month. Committee of the Whole meetings of the City Council are typically held on the third Monday of each month. Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall in the City of Moorhead, unless otherwise noted. Visit the City’s website for a listing of the 2015 meetings of the Moorhead City Council.

City Investments

The City Council approved the 2015 depositories for City funds. In accordance with Minnesota Statutes and the City of Moorhead’s Investment Policy, the following institutions were approved as depositories for City funds for the calendar year.

· Bremer Bank Bremer Investment Management & Trust

· Wells Fargo Bank of Moorhead Wells Fargo Bank of Fargo

· Wells Fargo Securities, LLC U.S. Bank

· Northwestern Bank of Moorhead American Federal Bank

· Valley Premier Bank Bell State Bank

· First International Bank & Trust Gate City Bank

· Bank of the West Central Minnesota Credit Union

· Minnesota Municipal Money Market Fund

· (4-M) / RBC Wealth Management

· Bremer Investment Management & Trust

· Wells Fargo Bank of Moorhead Wells Fargo Bank of Fargo

· Wells Fargo Securities, LLC U.S. Bank

· Northwestern Bank of Moorhead American Federal Bank

· Valley Premier Bank Bell State Bank

· First International Bank & Trust Gate City Bank

· Bank of the West Central Minnesota Credit Union