River Heights reverses itself; subdivisions OK now

By Ben Walker

March 30, 2006 | RIVER HEIGHTS -- The City Council rescinded a moratorium on subdivisions Tuesday because they said the implementation of it was illegal.

The moratorium, which was passed on a 3-2 vote two weeks ago, was rescinded at the opening of Tuesday's meeting before the minutes of the previous meeting were adopted officially. City recorder Sheila Lind said the moratorium was rescinded because the issue did not appear on the agenda.

The council also discussed a contract with a utility cost management company that had been signed by former mayor Vic Jensen. The city has been charged $25,884 for the company's services to date for supposed utility savings over the next five years.

"If it's costing that kind of money, we'd better put a plug in it," Mayor Todd Weston said.

Councilman Bill Baker said the council never approved the signing of the contract.

"There has never been a formal contract presented and approved by this council," Baker said. "And I"m gonna go back to him and say we don't have a contract. You've got a contract with Vic Jensen, not with this city council and as far as we know, it's not a valid contract."

Baker said that River Heights, as a size five city, must have council approval for signing of contracts.

Public works supervisor Kent Parker said the cost management company hasn't done anything to save River Heights money. "Nothing's been changed. Absolutely nothing," Parker said.

The city will also need to obtain an electronic recording device as revisions were recently made to open meetings laws. Public meetings must be recorded electronically starting May 2. Lind will continue to record the city's minutes manually.

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