MONROE - On Tuesday, Monroe Common Council:
• Approved a change to code allowing family members and those with a relationship to a dog owner with a license to use the dog park be allowed to take the dog to the park even if they are not the owner of the animal after a brief public hearing.
• Granted a Class B beverage license to Monroe Theatre Guild for Comedy Night, which Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said would be monitored by officers as would any other event and that if issues like last year's violations that resulted in a warning from the city arose once more, they will "have to take care of them just like we would at any other event." An issue with location of alcohol was preemptively avoided because the license will cover the entire building, unlike last year's, which did not include the backstage area.
• Added the 98-acre parcel recently purchased to the north of Monroe to language in city code describing the ninth ward of Monroe after a public hearing which garnered no public input. The ordinance passed on a unanimous voice vote.
• Held a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and recreating Monroe city code regarding rules of procedure by council members. City Attorney Dan Bartholf said the current code, which mandated a council member vote unless excused by the mayor, was deemed unconstitutional in a previous court case, meaning that if a voting member were to take no action, it would need to be designated as abstaining. The ordinance passed by a unanimous voice vote.
• Agreed to increase Administrative Secretary Arianna Voegeli's wage rate by $1 per hour temporarily by recommendation from the Salary and Personnel Committee to take effect retroactively from Sept. 26 after Voegeli took on extra duties following the departure of Deputy Clerk Nicole Cummings and for work in place of departing City Clerk Carol Stamm.
• Purchased a Linux server and service agreement with Spillman Technologies Inc. to replace a server for just over $68,000 in capital funds. Technical Services Director Rob Jacobson said the current server would be obsolete by the end of the year because IBM will stop supporting it, "which is typical within a decade" for a server. Spillman will manage the project and installation, training staff during the transition. The hardware is shared amongst city departments, though each purchases its own software.
• Appointed City Administrator Phil Rath as active city clerk to replace Stamm, whose last day was Friday. Rath said he and Assistant City Administrator Sam Liebert will split their time between the westside Fire Department and the former EMS building along 12th Street, where they have temporary offices due to the ongoing City Hall flooring project. Rath added that the replacement search has begun, with the position posted publicly garnering 23 applications as of Tuesday afternoon. The deadline for applications is Jan. 21.
• Readopted the 2018 annual budget to clarify amendments between the budget published to the public and the budget adopted by the council. Rath said the numbers needed to be republished and added that the action will not change taxes because the adopted budget was the correct version. The readopted budget had corrections including a higher capital amount than originally published, as well as higher water and wastewater amounts.
• Applauded Stamm in appreciation after Alderman Ron Marsh thanked her for 19 years of service to the city.
• Heard an announcement from Alderman Tom Miller that Jordan Nordby has returned as executive director of Monroe Main Street.
- Bridget Cooke
• Approved a change to code allowing family members and those with a relationship to a dog owner with a license to use the dog park be allowed to take the dog to the park even if they are not the owner of the animal after a brief public hearing.
• Granted a Class B beverage license to Monroe Theatre Guild for Comedy Night, which Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley said would be monitored by officers as would any other event and that if issues like last year's violations that resulted in a warning from the city arose once more, they will "have to take care of them just like we would at any other event." An issue with location of alcohol was preemptively avoided because the license will cover the entire building, unlike last year's, which did not include the backstage area.
• Added the 98-acre parcel recently purchased to the north of Monroe to language in city code describing the ninth ward of Monroe after a public hearing which garnered no public input. The ordinance passed on a unanimous voice vote.
• Held a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and recreating Monroe city code regarding rules of procedure by council members. City Attorney Dan Bartholf said the current code, which mandated a council member vote unless excused by the mayor, was deemed unconstitutional in a previous court case, meaning that if a voting member were to take no action, it would need to be designated as abstaining. The ordinance passed by a unanimous voice vote.
• Agreed to increase Administrative Secretary Arianna Voegeli's wage rate by $1 per hour temporarily by recommendation from the Salary and Personnel Committee to take effect retroactively from Sept. 26 after Voegeli took on extra duties following the departure of Deputy Clerk Nicole Cummings and for work in place of departing City Clerk Carol Stamm.
• Purchased a Linux server and service agreement with Spillman Technologies Inc. to replace a server for just over $68,000 in capital funds. Technical Services Director Rob Jacobson said the current server would be obsolete by the end of the year because IBM will stop supporting it, "which is typical within a decade" for a server. Spillman will manage the project and installation, training staff during the transition. The hardware is shared amongst city departments, though each purchases its own software.
• Appointed City Administrator Phil Rath as active city clerk to replace Stamm, whose last day was Friday. Rath said he and Assistant City Administrator Sam Liebert will split their time between the westside Fire Department and the former EMS building along 12th Street, where they have temporary offices due to the ongoing City Hall flooring project. Rath added that the replacement search has begun, with the position posted publicly garnering 23 applications as of Tuesday afternoon. The deadline for applications is Jan. 21.
• Readopted the 2018 annual budget to clarify amendments between the budget published to the public and the budget adopted by the council. Rath said the numbers needed to be republished and added that the action will not change taxes because the adopted budget was the correct version. The readopted budget had corrections including a higher capital amount than originally published, as well as higher water and wastewater amounts.
• Applauded Stamm in appreciation after Alderman Ron Marsh thanked her for 19 years of service to the city.
• Heard an announcement from Alderman Tom Miller that Jordan Nordby has returned as executive director of Monroe Main Street.
- Bridget Cooke