Council to move forward with compensation study

By Anna Jauhola
The Hallock City Council approved a proposal Monday, Oct. 7 from David Drown and Associates to evaluate the city’s pay scale. The compensation study and market analysis is one of three options DDA gave the council to choose from. Councilor Waller was absent.
The council talked about the proposal at the September meeting too, but wanted more information to make a better decision.
“It covers pay equity,” said Kendra Kroening, city clerk/administrator. “Right now we’re structured at a years-of-service structure and this changes it to a points system. Those points go off your job description and that’s where you’d start.”
This study is the same one Kittson County completed earlier this year with DDA and implemented using a 12-step system, she added. If the city uses something similar, it would allow for more movement so employees don’t top out on the pay scale so quickly.
Accompanying the proposal was an example of the benchmarks DDA will use to create a points system – a list of cities similar in size and with similar numbers of employees in government, streets and police roles. However, those numbers were confusing and the council asked for clarification. Kroening said she and Councilor Naomi Larson were scheduled to visit with DDA’s Dr. Tessia Melvin who sent the information.
“She’s not available until tomorrow,” Kroening said Monday evening.
Kroening added that the city still has money left over from the reimbursement received from Otter Tail Power earlier this year to cover the cost of Option 1, which is $3,310.
City Parcel Request
The council again discussed the possible sale of a city-owned parcel along the Two Rivers near the assisted living facility. After the September meeting, the city had the parcel surveyed to determine the floodplain because Ronald Anderson is interested in purchasing the portion of the parcel not in the floodplain.
Mayor Dave Treumer said the survey, done by city engineer Moore Engineering, was billed out at $8,335.
“I have not talked to our engineer to find out if he struck gold or something there. We surveyed the whole south end of town for $15,000,” Treumer said. “So we have considerations of what we’re going to sell the lot for, if that’s the council’s decision.”
Anderson said he’d like the council to consider the fact he is ready to build a house right away, which will add to the tax base for the city, and he’s willing to pay the cost of the survey and the assessed value of the lot.
Councilor Jen Peterson asked whether it will be difficult to get utilities for that location.
“That’ll be an issue, and sewer will be the worst thing,” said Dan Larson, utilities superintendent. “To be hooked up to our sanitary, you’d have to put in probably a lift station to get it to the street.”
From that location, the nearest sewer hookup is on Forest Avenue, which is uphill.
The council did not take action. Instead, Kroening and Anderson were tasked with finding out the assessed value of the parcel and the costs of putting in utilities. Treumer will get an explanation from Moore Engineering on the cost of the survey. And Kroening will look into whether the city must put the parcel up for bids if they are going to sell it – this was something they had to do with a city-owned lot next to Gullander Hardware several years ago, Treumer said. She said she hasn’t had anyone come to the office asking about buying that parcel.
During public comment, Kimberly Soberaski expressed her opposition to the city selling the parcel for private development. She lives behind the hospital and said the parcel and surrounding area is frequented by children, teenagers and nature lovers in general.
“It’s a nature spot where people can walk on the gravel road and it’s like being out in the country,” she said. “A lot of families and kids use the shore there – which I know is not included in the parcel – to go fishing or on the water.”
She asked the council to consider instead placing a fishing dock and kayak launch along that area. Her son is one of the many who often use the location for fishing and locals have started mowing a path down to the shoreline to make it easier to access.
“I think that if you are going to sell it, it should go out on bids,” Soberaski said. “There may be no interest because no one thought it was available because it’s way down by the river. And if the city is going to sell it, we would be interested in purchasing it.”
Treumer and the council thanked Soberaski for her input as they hadn’t thought of that perspective. Treumer specifically added the city will be putting in two docks in Gilbert Olson Park through a Get Out More state grant.
“You made a good point,” Treumer said. “If we get too many interested parties, it’s going to have to go out on bids with a minimum bid. The comments help us make good decisions.”
In other business, the council:
• Accepted the resignation of Ericka Swanson as deputy clerk, effective Friday, Sept. 27.
• Approved updating the banking resolutions, removing Swanson’s name.
• Approved purchasing 19 speed bumps from Locators and Supplies of Fergus Falls, Minn., for $1,234.05, which will be placed on the pavement in Gilbert Olson Park to slow traffic.
• Approved working on an airport layout plan (ALP) to incorporate in the airport’s capital improvements plan update. The ALP is required for the airport to receive state, federal and grant funding, Kroening said. Because the ALP was not included previous to the city hiring Bollig Engineering as its airport engineer, the city must advertise for bids for that position.
• Approved Anderson Construction, Karlstad, to start fixing the dam site as grant funding from the Two Rivers Watershed will expire in December. The bid from Anderson Construc-tion was in two phases – phase 1 $119,141; phase 2 $102,515.
• Approved splitting certified public safety aid money the city received – $39,000 – between the fire department and ambulance service. The council agreed to the split in May, but didn’t officially vote, so now Kroening can write a check to the ambulance service.
• Approved a building permit for Roger Quanbeck to place a 10-by-16 foot pre-built storage shed on his back lot on Grove Avenue.
• Heard from Fire Chief Seth Preble that the fire department sold the International truck for $7,900 and the pumper truck for $35,500.
The next regular meeting is set for Monday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m.