Rochester City Council Meeting - Jan. 14, 2019

The Rochester City Council meeting of January 14, 2019, included several spending and facilities matters. Council approved, through the consent agenda, a request to purchase two replacement police vehicles; no vendor or amount was stated. It also approved a motion concerning a one-year extension of the Rochester Community House agreement and renovation planning. The presentation requested a not-to-exceed $4,000 for alterations, repairs, and upgrades; members discussed whether conceptual drawings, estimated elsewhere in the discussion at up to $6,000, should be included and emphasized assessing urgent roof, window, siding, and chimney needs before committing funds. The motion passed. Council also approved cemetery fee schedule updates effective May 1, 2019, intended in part to support capital improvements; specific fee amounts were not provided.

The Community House reported donated building and landscaping work, a city-approved $8,000 replacement of Room C windows, and savings from operational changes, including Comcast internet and elevator maintenance added to a city contract. Council gave first-reading approval to a fire department ordinance amendment making the city manager responsible for appointing the fire chief and specifying that full- and part-time firefighters are direct employees, not subcontractors. Other agenda items included scheduling public hearings on zoning amendments and discussing potential charter amendments; no additional contract awards or bid approvals were identified.