Moorhead’s environment from a church corner rain garden to becoming part of the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program, a “well done” to Moorhead Finance Director Wanda Wagner from Mayor Del Rae Williams, a garbage question, and financial and planning reports filled the agenda of the Moorhead City Council Monday night.
Representatives from First Congregational United Church of Christ, 406 8th St. S., attorney Peter Karlsson and church council chairperson Steve Beitelspacher, told the council they had a grant from the Buffalo River Watershed District to build a rain garden to filter contaminants and keep them from entering the river. Council member Sara Watson Curry noted this is the first entry the watershed district has made into urban runoff.
City Attorney John Shockley will explore whether it will be possible for the church to go ahead with the project. Boulevard ordinances and regulations throughout Moorhead need to be checked. Karlsson, who holds a master’s degree in natural resources management, said the rain garden would be contoured for drainage and the church would use native plants that have flood and drought resistance.
The city already has met a few of the five steps to enter the Minnesota GreenStep program sponsored by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Council members Joel Paulson and Chuck Hendrickson attended meetings and support the city moving into what Paulson calls an “environmentally responsible program.”
Each year a representative of the Eide Bailly audit firm summarizes the results of the city’s annual audit. Derek Flanagan reviewed the 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The full report is available on the city website. The city received a “clean” audit opinion. A single audit is intended to provide a cost-effective audit in that one audit be conducted in lieu of multiple audits of individual programs. During 2016, the city expended approximately $2.6 million in federal awards. The city has $1 in cash available for every $1 in bills.
Governmental activities include the general fund, special revenue funds, capital project funds and debt service funds. Business-type activities include the proprietary funds such as Moorhead Public Service, wastewater treatment, storm water, sanitation, golf courses, Sports Center, pest control, forestry and Moorhead Municipal Airport.
Economic Development Association Executive Director Cindy Graffeo said that no development plan is in place for the Woodlawn Pointe Redevelopment area but that establishing a tax increment-financing plan needed to be established by August. The council voted to approve the TIF. Nearly $10 million is eligible for reimbursement from tax increments and public improvement costs, purchasing blighted properties and demolition. In 2013, the city took out the century-old power plant that was on the site.
Random items left on boulevards are a concern to both citizens and Steve Moore, public works director. Vincent Proulx asked about the cost and policy of removing items that are not part of regular pick-up and having garbage and recycling totes properly put away. Moore said there may or may not be fees charged to residents who leave items that would usually be picked up during clean-up week on boulevards or exposed to the street. People should call the sanitation department with questions.
Moore reminded citizens that Styrofoam is a four-letter word in the recycling industry and to put it in garbage totes.
Moore reported as part of the council’s committee of the whole that runway repairs, completed in May, of 87 transverse cracks and crack filling along the entire runway completed by city crews saved more than $20,000 from a contractor bid.
The forestry department works to sustain our urban forest. Moore wants to reduce the tree trimming cycle to seven-eight years rather than the current10-12 year-cycle. The shorter cycle is better for the trees. Cougar Tree Care trimmed 720 trees in north Moorhead and forestry crews trimmed 1,700 trees. They areworking on removal of dead trees and those with Dutch elm disease. This year 365 new trees were planted along new subdivision boulevards.
Moore recommended changing weekly curbside service for picking up branches to the same A & B weeks as recycling. This would reduce overall costs and will be a budget request.
Herzog Roofing will replace the City Hall roof for $137,915.
In other action, Williams noted the 150th anniversary of Moorhead and Fargo is coming – both cities were founded in 1871. It takes about three years to plan a celebration. She suggested a budget item be added into the 2018 budget.
The Moorhead Babe Ruth Baseball Team earned kudos for its state championship, the third year in a row.
