Centerville Tidbits
Rink Workers Face Background Checks
This year's city ice rink attendants will be subject to drug and alcohol testing, and will have to sign a waiver allowing Centerville city staff to conduct a criminal records check.
The new policy was passed by city council members at their meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 12. The conditions will apply to all new members of staff employed by the council, but will have the most immediate effect on the seasonal ice rink employees.
The deadline for applications to be an attendant passed on Dec. 14.
The idea for the policy was introduced by Council Member Linda Broussard Vickers, who, speaking after the meeting, said, "All of a sudden it just dawned on me that we should do that.
"I work in insurance and there is insurance you buy to protect organizations from being sued and part of that involves us doing things like this . If you have the ability to check, you should."
The City Council approved the following motion: "From this point forward, all new hires and all juvenile hires have to provide a waiver either from themselves or a responsible adult and direct city staff to check for four criteria: crimes of violence, crimes of dishonesty, drug- and alcohol- related crimes, and crimes against children. Employment is conditional upon providing that information."
In other action, the council:
. Held its Truth-in-Taxation hearing. No residents wished to speak. City Finance Director John Meyer told city council members the city tax levy for the next year would be $1,985,600, an increase of 3.64 percent.
. Passed a resolution to vacate the public easements at 1580 and 1588 Sorel Street, Centerville, and approved the final plat at Sorel's End.
. Approved the city's claims made from Nov. 29, 2007 through Dec. 12, 2007, for the amount of $191,506.63.
. Approved the Centennial Fire District's claims through Nov. 30 for a total of $15,164.26.
. Authorized the transfer of the following funds from the general ledger accounts of the city: Joint Police Station General Obligation (GO) Bond ($78,800.00); GO Bond Series 2004B ($102,000.00); Hunters Crossing I GO Bond ($400.00); Park Fund ($25,000).
. Authorized a short-term loan of $275,000 between city funds to pay for the development of Hidden Spring Park until such time as funds are available from developer fees to cover the cost of the park. The loan was made from the sanitary sewer fund to the park fund, and repayments are due to begin on September 1, 2009 at a rate of 6 percent.
. Approved the 2008 residential recycling program guidelines and goals set by Anoka County.
. Approved a request from Centennial Lakes Little League to use the Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park ball fields for the 2008 from 4 p.m. to dark, Monday through Friday.
. Authorized the expenditure of funds not to exceed $9,800 to pay for the replacement and repair of play equipment at Tracie McBride Park.
. Agreed to write a supporting letter at the request of North Anoka Meals on Wheels to help the organization's bid for funding.
. Passed a resolution to secure a letter of credit for the Rice Creek Watershed District in the amount of $31,000 for the Backage Road project from Mainstreet Bank, Centerville.
. Agreed a resolution to return the TIF (tax increment financing) District 1-4 fund balance to Anoka County. The City Council terminated Centerville's TIF district in January 2006, but received TIF funds throughout the remainder of 2006, resulting in a fund balance, and will have to re-pay this money to Anoka County, to be shared out among all cities in the county.
. Authorized the city administrator and public works director to make a decision on whether to proceed with the replacement of security lighting at the fire station, which is leased from the city by Centennial Fire District. Replacement costs cannot exceed $2,000.
. Agreed to pay the final bill from Volk Sewer & Water, Inc. for work performed at Hunters Crossing in an amount of $61,813.15.
. Authorized payment of the third and final bill from Gustafson Excavating, Inc. for improvements made at Fairview Street in an amount of $16,403.89.
. Resolved to increase by 3 percent the pay of all city staff who are not part of a collective bargaining agreement, effective from Jan. 1, 2008.
. Passed a resolution to self-administrate its employee benefits plan, with assistance from AFLAC. The city contribution for 2008 will be $900 per employee. City council members made the stipulation that the council take out public benefits liability insurance to protect itself in the event of incorrectly administering any benefits.
. Adopted the Wellhead Protection Plan, which has been eight years in the making. The city council will now consider developing ordinances requiring the capping of wells which are considered to be too close to the city's two municipal wells.
. Agreed to allow all city staff members to finish work at noon on Christmas Eve, with the remaining four hours of the day to be given as paid leave.