At the October 10 meeting of the Chatfield City Council, members unanimously approved the second consideration of Ordinance 461, which makes amendments to the city’s Charter. Councilors must vote unanimously on the second consideration to amend the city’s Charter. The publication of Ordinance 461 was then approved.
The amendments to the Charter take place 90 days after publication. The amendments include the position of city administrator, who will be the chief administrative officer. The administrator will be chosen by the city council based on training, experience, and administrative qualifications. The administrator will be consulted by and advise the mayor and city council.
Officers subordinate to the city administrator include city clerk, finance officer, zoning administrator, EDA coordinator, preservation officer, cable television administrator, and police chief. The city administrator is expected to submit to the city council in the month of August each year a detailed estimate of the taxes which will be required to be levied for the next year. The city council will determine the amount of taxes to be levied and adopt the tax levy.
Other business in brief
•A draft proposal to regulate the use of ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts was presented. Police Chief Shane Fox said he believed the ordinance was ready to go. A motion to authorize the city attorney to draft an ordinance failed with councilors Paul Novotny, Josh Broadwater, and Mike Urban voting no.
Novotny agreed an ordinance is needed, but he was not satisfied with this proposal. Fillmore County allows these types of motorized vehicles on county roads, but the current proposal doesn’t allow them on county roads within the city. The proposal as written will not crack the current problem we have in Chatfield. Novotny suggested some of the requirements like a sticker are already required by state law. He did recognize the need for a sticker on golf carts. The city has the ability to say which city streets or alleys certain vehicles can be driven on.
Broadwater said much is covered under state law; trunk highways are off limits.
Urban made it clear he didn’t want to see the proposal killed, but felt the proposal needed more work. For example, are straddle vehicles (4-wheelers) out or in?
Mayor Russ Smith suggested that if you want things added or taken out, to talk with Chief Fox; they do need to enforce something in town. Novotny maintained there needs to be an education process about laws already on the books. Small children cannot ride on your lap in a car, and likewise, cannot ride in one’s lap in one of these motorized vehicles.
•Approval was given for payment #2 to Osseo Construction Co. LLC in the amount of $86,165 for work completed on the 2022 Ground Water Storage Improvement Project. This payment is for work completed in September on the South Reservoir. There is a retainage of 5 percent or $9,455.
•A contract with Damon Lueck for Chatfield Cable Television (CCTV) technical consulting services was approved.
•Appointments of election judges were approved for the General Election, Tuesday, November 8.
•The council will meet next on October 24.
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