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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.18.11 Council Minutes 7a.. COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR April 18, 2011 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Larson at 7:00 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Boy Scout Kyle Johnson of Troop 118 led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Members Present: Members Absent: Also Present: Larson, Bartholomay, Donnelly, Fogarty, May None Joel Jamnik, City Attorney; Peter Herlofsky, City Administrator; Teresa Walters, Finance Director; Lee Smick, City Planner; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant Mary Yakibchuk, Shelly & Kyle Johnson Audience: 4. APPROVE AGENDA Mayor Larson pulled item 7i) Approve Bills for discussion. MOTION by Fogarty, second by May to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS 7. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION by Fogarty, second by May to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approved Council Minutes (4/4/11 Regular)( 4/11/11 Workshop) b) Received Information First Quarter 2011 New Construction Report - Building Inspections c) Approved Temporary On-Sale Liquor License - Administration d) Approved Request to Waive Fees for Farmers' Market - Administration e) Approved Abatement Request - Finance f) Approved Equipment Shared Use Agreement with Red Wing - Municipal Services g) Approved Sentenced to Service Contract - Engineering h) Approved 2011 Mowing Contract - Engineering i) Approved Bills Mayor Larson asked about the bill for floor mats for City buildings. When Council met with staff, Council was informed the liquor store purchases their own mats. Mayor Larson asked if mats need to be replaced once a week. Staff should check on the cost to clean them and to purchase them, and do whatever is cheaper. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 7 Council Minutes (Regular) April 28, 2011 Page 2 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS 9. AWARD OF CONTRACT 10. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS a) Minnesota Green Steps Cities Report - Planning The Minnesota Green Steps Program offers an opportunity for the City to become good stewards ofthe environment. Mr. Phillip Muessig from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency gave a presentation on the program. The program is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of28 best practices. Farmington has already completed 16 of the 28 best practices. Therefore, participating in this program would provide some recognition for work staffhas already done. The biggest time commitment is doing the inventory of what the City has done and plans to do. City Planner Smick has already done the majority of this work. The program is not tied to any funding or regulations. Councilmembers were uncomfortable with where the program is leading and staff time is a concern. Mr. Muessig stated Cities in the program are getting credit for things they are already doing and are seeing a cost savings in City buildings. It is possible to stop participating in the program at any time. An example of marketing the program is to include it in the annual report for what the City has done during the year. It will show the City is sustainable and willing to go the extra mile. Council was concerned with the 1,000 hours of staff time because we have reduced staff. However, this program would make us more appealing for grants. Council suggested staff explore members of the community who would be interested in helping with this program. City Planner Smick stated the comprehensive plan does not have a sustainability chapter. Staffwill utilize the Green Step program as the sustainability chapter. There are a number of items staff has already done and it is very important the City receives recognition for that. There has been a lot of time commitment by staff and community and residents should understand what we are doing for the environment and social and economic issues. The City has completed 16 best practices. That puts the City into the step three category. As far as what is remaining, there are three items required. The fIrst is to enter base line information into the Minnesota B3 database, the second is audit all City owned buildings. We have the opportunity to have a LEAD certified specialist, Doug Bonar, who would do this for free. The next item to be completed is reporting the progress, organize goals, outcomes and measures for the City's plan. The City also currently does this. In the comprehensive plan staff can update this and have goals and measures for each of the chapters. The third item is the economic side and where the businesses would fall into place. This includes identifying new businesses in the green economy and supporting them. One way is through incubator space which the Council and EDA have supported. Another way is the 8 Council Minutes (Regular) April 28, 2011 Page 3 Buy Local campaign. This is being done through Grow Farmington. These three items would total 108 hours of staff time. Part of the Green Steps program would be an ordinance to allow chickens in residential areas. This would require an interim use permit for properties under 2.5 acres and the permit would be valid for two years. The maximum number of hen chickens allowed would be 12. Roosters are not allowed. A shelter or enclosure is also required. Some residents have contacted the City with an interest in allowing chickens. Staffalso asked if they should research wind turbines in residential areas. The majority of Council agreed with moving forward with the Green Steps program, but cautioned about using too much staff time. Staffwill also bring this to the Grow Farmington meetings. Regarding chickens on residential lots, the majority of Council agreed to limit the number of chickens to 3, and to renew the permit yearly. Some Councilmembers cautioned this could open a box of complications and the majority of residents don't expect to have chickens in residential areas. If the City is going to do this, we need to make sure we cover our costs. Council also suggested the chicken ordinance and the Green Steps program should be a budget discussion. Council directed staff to research wind turbines and bring back information on residential size turbines. b) Census Numbers Comparison - Planning Council had asked for a comparison of population numbers estimated by the City versus the Met Council. Staffs estimate is closer because of using 2.95 persons per household versus the Met Council's 2.75 persons per household. As of December 31,2010, staffestimated a population of21,654. The 2010 census showed a population of21,086. Adopt Resolution - Approving Final Plat Riverbend 4th Addition - Planning Mattamy Homes has submitted the Riverbend 4th Addition fmal plat. This is located west of Dakota County Estates and north of Meadow Creek. The plat consists of31 single-family residential lots and 4 outlots. Lots range from 7,280 sq. ft. to 19,848 sq. ft. Contingencies of the fmal plat include: c) 1. An executed deed shall be recorded with the finaljlat mylars that transfers ownership of Outlots A, B, C, and D Riverbend 4 Addition to the City of Farmington. 2. The fmal plat approval is contingent on the preparation and execution of a Development Contract. 3. The satisfaction of all engineering comments as well as approval of the construction plans for grading storm water and utilities by the Engineering Division. 9 Council Minutes (Regular) April 28, 2011 Page 4 MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to adopt RESOLUTION R22-11 approving the Riverbend 4th Addition fmal plat with the above contingencies. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 12. NEW BUSINESS a) City Administrator Search Process - Human Resources City Attorney Jamnik stated there are two questions for Council to answer tonight. One is whether to approve the position description and notice for the ad, and the second is to confIrm the process to fill the City Administrator position, either by using a search fIrm or do the process in-house. Council discussed the requirement of a Master's Degree or equivalent. City Attorney Jamnik explained it would be a Master's Degree or an equivalent degree. Some Councilmembers were concerned with losing a good candidate that may have a four-year degree with an extensive amount of work experience. It was decided to change the ad to read a Master's Degree preferred. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to approve the notice. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. The next question was whether Council is comfortable proceeding with Council and staff performing the search process or use a search fIrm. Mayor Larson has discussed this with Human Resources Director Wendlandt and they agreed that using a search firm would not be necessary. Staff could place the notice on several government websites and publications. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Donnelly to proceed with a Council and staff management recruitment process. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. There were also optional items for Council to discuss tonight involving the next steps or they can be discussed at a later meeting. Councilmember Bartholomay suggested a couple different processes. One could be for Mayor Larson and the Human Resources Director to review the applications and select a number determined by Council, submit them to all Councilmembers to pick their top five, and have the Human Resources Director tabulate the results. Or the second option could be for all Councilmembers to receive the applications, hold a weekend workshop, have the applications numbered for privacy, and make their selections. City Attorney Jamnik added or there could be a combination ofthe two options. Council needs to be comfortable with who the invitations for interviews are sent to. This can be accomplished through either approach or they can be blended and have each Councilmember submit their top five and have a meeting to review the common list and narrow it down or add to it. Mayor Larson agreed with staff and himself eliminating those who are not qualified and those who are qualified sent to Council to pick their top five. City Attorney Jamnik cautioned to make the number of selections manageable. With each 10 Council Minutes (Regular) April 28, 2011 Page 5 Councilmember selecting five you could have 25 applicants. Usually there will be approximately three on everyone's list and another 10 or 12 outside of that grouping. That would be the time to have a Council meeting to determine which ones from the second tier to invite to an interview. Councilmember Fogarty stated if the Mayor and Human Resources are going to narrow down the candidates before they are sent to Council, they will need more insight as to what Council as a group considers qualified and not qualified. Councilmember Donnelly stated ifwe choose 25 different candidates, then we have a bigger problem than choosing a City Administrator. He agreed there would be at least three on everyone's list. City Attorney Jamnik stated with the Mayor and Human Resources determining which ones meet the qualifications, Council could still have the list of all applicants so if someone is on the lower tier that Council wants to move up, you could. The one thing we have to avoid is inter-communications between Councilmembers away from a public meeting. We have to integrate the review ofthe list with a meeting or workshop. Councilmember Fogarty recalled in 2005 the applications were numbered and Council came up with a list of 12. City Attorney Jamnik stated those individuals are not considered fmalists until they are offered and accept the interview. Those 12 were sent to PDI for review. The background by the Police Department was done once we reached a smaller group of applicants. Councilmember Fogarty would like to do that same process with PDI. She would also like to have a candidate reception with the finalists for the public. As far as appointing an Interim City Administrator, Councilmember Fogarty suggested Mayor Larson bring a couple options to Council. 13. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE a) Process for Revising EDA Composition - City Attorney Councilmember Bartholomay would like to add two ex-officio members to the EDA. Mayor Larson heard from a resident who felt the EDA should be kept to elected officials. Councilmember May suggested having an advisory board where the Council appoints members to an advisory board rather than an authority. Councilmember Fogarty stated she never agreed with elected officials being the EDA, so she was open to having more resident input. She favored an EDA that is more community based rather than Council based. Councilmember Donnelly agreed with getting more community and business involvement to help elected officials make the right decisions for the City. Councilmember Bartholomay stated the two ex-officio members would not have voting rights, but would sit on the board. Ifwe transition into having five residents and two Councilmembers, we would have two residents up to speed. Councilmember May stated the biggest issue right now is the EDA deficit. It would be nice to work through that issue fIrst. Councilmember Fogarty agreed the current EDA needs to come up with a plan for the deficit and not hand it off to others. City Attorney Jamnik stated the Council would make the appointments, not the EDA. The Council could direct staff to seek applicants to serve as ex-officio members of the EDA. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to have two ex-officio members appointed to the 11 Council Minutes (Regular) April 28, 2011 Page 6 EDA and direct staff to begin taking applications for the next 30 days and then conduct interviews. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Councilmember Donnelly: He has been absent due to health issues. Councilmember Fogarty: The Easter Carnival will be held on Saturday at Meadowview Elementary. Councilmember Bartholomay: There was a Grow Farmington branding meeting last Thursday. The next meeting will be April 28. Councilmember May: She participated in the Games for Change organized by the high school students. Proceeds of$2500 and 300 food items went to the food shelf. Finance Director Walters: The Finance Department budget meeting will be held on Wednesday. Mayor Larson: The brand for Farmington is Farmington Friendly. Council had a budget meeting with the Parks and Recreation Department which also oversees the liquor stores. The stores are open and management is looking for ways to save money. There will be another wine tasting coming up. Money spent at the Farmington liquor stores stays here and goes to the Parks department which helps bring the tax base down. This is very important for the community. Saturday, April 30, is pond and park clean-up. There will be a celebration in Rambling River Park following the clean-up. Curbside clean-up starts next Saturday. Apri121, Valmont Industries will be holding a blood drive. 14. ADJOURN MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to adjourn at 8:40 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant 12