The Moorhead City Council Monday night became a governing body with six women and three men, completed negotiations for the new city manager, looked at new transit plans, the upcoming switch to single-stream recycling and decreed this Friday as wear blue to support law enforcement day.
Sara Watson Curry, Ward 1; Melissa Fabian, Ward 2, and Joel Paulsen, Ward 3, took the oath of office from Judge Michelle Winkis Lawson, following the posting of colors by Moorhead law enforcement personnel. Pastor Dan Dornfeld of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd shared a brief homily from the book of Micah about wisdom.
“All three have taken the initiative to schedule meetings, pour over information and are asking good questions. I can see that they will be active participants as we delve into issues. I welcomed them back to executive meetings with voice even though they didn't have a vote yet. Instead of simply watching, they were engaged with the topics. I think that readiness will mean that they will be active the rest of the time, too,” Mayor Del Rae Williams said. The new calendar year with new council members is a good time for renewal and fresh ideas, she added.
Negotiations between the city and new city manager Christina Volkers were completed. She will begin her position Jan. 23 at an annual salary of $153,000. She will be allotted up to $11,000 for moving expenses. City attorney John Shockley said it was a standard contract. Moorhead council members are annually paid $10,212.
Jan. 9-13 was proclaimed Law Enforcement Appreciation Week. All citizens of Clay County are encouraged to “Wear Blue” on Friday in support of law enforcement. Williams signed the proclamation as the representative of the Clay County Joint Powers Committee.
In other action, the council approved the new 2016-2020 Transit Development Plan (TDP). Transit manager Lori Van Beek said new Sunday routes and late night runs on current routes will be implemented.
The TRP was developed in consultation with a cross section of interests, including elected leaders, transit staff, transit riders, the general commuting public, human service agencies, senior citizens, business and industry representatives, private transit provisions, bus drivers and technical staff. The plan complies with federal requirements for human service programs.
A link to the full TDP is available at www.fmmetrocog.org/new/assets/documents/Transit/TDPReport.
Council member Heidi Durand asked Steve Moore, public works director, to share information about single-source recycling.
Transferring the city to single-source recycling will cost taxpayers an extra 75-cents per month in the projected single-stream operating budget for curbside pick-up. This will begin July 1 after totes and dumpsters/containers are delivered beginning mid-June. The first collection day will be July 3.
Single-family homes will have 96-gallon totes with RFID numbers. The software will help the city keep track of use and location of the totes. Multi-family homes will have dumpsters/containers.
Because the system has been planned for a period of time, budgeting of equipment and personnel is covered through assessments and grants. That is why the cost for the new system is so small. The city website was updated Tuesday. That will be followed by a 30-second informational Video, Feb 1. A collection schedule/guidance will go to apartments March 15 with the new recycling guide published May 1 along with a website update and recycling video. A “No-Sort Recycling” brochure will be mailed to all residents May 1.
Council member Mari Dailey said she is excited by the smaller list of non-recyclables. No plastic or Styrofoam egg cartons are allowed, but cardboard cartons like those made in Moorhead are allowed. Likewise, Chuck Hendrickson said “people are pumped” to get this going.
Newly appointed pro-tem mayor Brenda Elmer thanked Moore for being so aggressive about getting this done.
Currently, Moore said about 40 percent of waste is recyclable.
Interim city manager praises staff and city
David Schmidt, interim city manager, believes Volkers is coming into a city with an extremely talented and resourceful staff. “I’ve had a wonderful experience here, although I am looking forward to going back to our organic farm and enjoying life,” he said.
“We addressed several issues while I’ve been here,” he said. “It should be a soft landing for Christina.”
“Bringing people together is one of my skills. With the new council and the work we’ve all done, things should be smooth. The council cares and does the best job it can with the resources it has. The city does need to be one Moorhead,” he said.
“This was an easy place to walk through the door because people know what they are doing,” Schmidt noted, adding the upcoming study of salary comparisons with like cities is always hard.
