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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02.21.12 Council Minutes COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR February 21, 2012 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Larson at 7:00 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OFALLEGIANCE Troop 116 Boy Scouts,Nathan Wilson and Tyler Haugebak led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Members Present: Larson, Bartholomay,Donnelly, May Members Absent: Fogarty Also Present: Andrea Poehler, City Attorney;David McKnight,City Administrator;Teresa Walters,Finance Director;Kevin Schorzman, City Engineer; Cynthia Muller,Executive Assistant Audience: Jessica Autey, Tim Haugebak,Tyler Haugebak,Nathan Wilson, Holly Ingling,Lenny Hall 4. APPROVE AGENDA MOTION by Bartholomay, second by Donnelly to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS a) Recognize Jessica Autey—Prudential Spirit of Community Award Ms. Jessica Autey received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award which exemplifies the value of volunteer community service and is a role model to other youth as well as adults in the community. Ms.Autey and a friend raised$1600 to make activity kits for teens at Children's Hospital. She also won the Gold Award in Girl Scouts. Mayor Larson presented her with a commendation. 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS 7. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION by Bartholomay, second by May to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approved Council Minutes(2/6/12 Regular) (2/13/12 Workshop) b) Adopted RESOLUTION R8-12 Accepting Donations Rambling River Center Renovation Project—Parks and Recreation c) Approved MN Shade Tree Short Course—Parks and Recreation and Natural Resources d) Accepted Resignation Heritage Preservation Commission and Rambling River Center Advisory Board-Administration e) Approved School and Conference—Fire Department f) Received Information January 2012 Financial Report-Finance 4 Council Minutes(Regular) February 21,2012 Page 2 g) Approved Bills APIF,MOTION CARRIED. f) January 2012 Financial Report-Finance Councilmember May understood the delay for receiving the December report was due to revenue from utility bills. Finance Director Walters added there is also other revenue that comes in January and February. Councilmember May recalled the Rambling River Center and the pool have been moved to the general fund. She asked if they can still appear in this financial report with details on revenues and expenses. Staff will provide that information in the monthly financial reports. Regarding the EDA operating fund, Councilmember May asked if the transfer will be done monthly. Finance Director Walters stated transfers are done monthly, however we don't actually have the money until June and December. The transfer could also be done sooner. City Administrator McKnight noted the December 2011 report will be available at the next Council meeting. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS 9. AWARD OF CONTRACT 10. PETITIONS,REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS a) Adopt Resolution—Approve Street Maintenance Services Joint Powers Agreement-Engineering City Engineer Schorzman presented the Joint Powers Agreement for seal coating. The City has been part of this agreement for the past seven years. This is now a perpetual agreement,rather than year to year. The City does not have to participate in all the items. Farmington was the last City in the group to assess for seal coating. Now that seal coating is included in the levy,the group decided to change to a perpetual agreement. Councilmember May asked if Council will continue to see the amount each year for approval. City Engineer Schorzman can provide a recap of the project,but it would not need approval as it is now included in the budget. Councilmember May asked what happens if the number drastically increases. Staff will not know that until after bids are received, and if there is a drastic change Council will be informed. Councilmember May stated that is the reason she pauses when we add something to the levy. Attention to the detail tends to fade away. She would like Council to stay posted on the numbers. City Engineer Schorzman will have a presentation on the seal coat project at a Council meeting once we are closer to the project. Councilmember May asked about administration costs and are there costs we add to each assessment for City costs. Staff replied no,the administration cost is what Farmington pays to Burnsville for the bid packet process. Councilmember May stated so the amount that is part of the levy is just for the work and materials. Staff stated the administrative cost would also be included,but there will not be personnel costs. 5 Council Minutes(Regular) February 21,2012 Page 3 Councilmember Donnelly noted by all the cities grouping together, everyone should save. Burnsville is actually drafting the documents and managing the process. Mayor Larson confirmed we have someone on site inspecting the work. Is that inspection fee included in this? Staff replied no,the understanding from Council was that you did not want personnel costs included. The$350,000 put in the levy is for seal coating. Personnel costs are already in the budget and are not included in the project. Mayor Larson would like to see actual costs compared to estimated costs to see if we are in line with the$350,000 for seven years to pay for the entire City. Once bids are received staff will share that information. Roads that will not last for seven years will not be seal coated. Councilmember May stated if the bids come in lower,we have an agreement that we will stay with the plan. MOTION by Bartholomay, second by Donnelly to adopt RESOLUTION R9-12 authorizing the City to enter into the Joint Powers Agreement administered by the City of Burnsville for the seal coat and crack sealing improvements. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 12. NEW BUSINESS 13. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Councilmember Bartholomay: He spoke with City Administrator McKnight and Finance Director Walters about the ice arena and concerns Council has received regarding summer ice. He stated there is approximately$111,000 left over from the renovation project. That could be used to purchase the dehumidification system. It would not cover the entire amount, so we would need to bring in the school district and the hockey association to cover it. If we put it in,we also want to make sure we have the revenue. Mayor Larson asked staff to provide the cost of the dehumidification system, then we can invite the school and the hockey association to participate. Councilmember May had asked Finance Director Walters when the last funds were paid, because she was not aware there were remaining funds. If the actual bills come in lower,then the procedure is that remaining funds go to pay down the bond. Part of the reason we did not include the dehumidification system,was not just the cost,but the additional revenue received in the summer would never cover that large expense. So even if there are funds available,the revenue still has to come in. Unless both pieces can be answered, she will not change her position. She understood why parents would want the program to continue in the summer, but did not know the amount of revenue needed to cover it. She agreed the City should give the school and the hockey association a chance to respond. Councilmember Donnelly did not recall we had$111,000 left,but if there is a way to put in summer ice without losing money, he would like to see it. We made improvements to the building and we should see if it comes close to breaking even. The ballfields,parks and trails do not make money, but we still maintain them for the residents. He puts the ice arena in that same category. Last summer was horrendously humid, so that should be 6 Council Minutes(Regular) February 21,2012 Page 4 taken into account. Councilmember May stated we have to have the dehumidification system to have summer ice. Staff will bring information back to Council. Councilmember Bartholomay felt it would be a good idea for Council and the City Administrator to have a retreat to set some goals. It will be held at City Hall and City Administrator McKnight will provide some dates for March. Councilmember Bartholomay thanked staff for the cost savings of$530 for mailing the new City News and Rec Guide. Councilmember May: The City Newsletter and the Park and Recreation Guide are combined into one publication, City News and Recreation Guide. Residents received this in the mail this week. It contains a lot of good information on City services and recreation programs. City Administrator McKnight: The Parks and Recreation Commission would like to meet with the Council as part of the April workshop to discuss the budget and a request to Empire regarding their new ballfield complex. They also want to schedule a date for the annual park tour. August 8,2012 was set for the park tour. City Engineer Schorzman: An article and map on the seal coating project is included in the new City News and Recreation Guide. The CONDAC group,which is a group of cities in Dakota County, discussed a way to combine permitting systems. The county has developed a way for residents to go to their website and obtain permits for the county and cities within Dakota County at the same time. This is a great opportunity to work together. This would be for right-of-way permits, small utility permits, etc. Building permits are not included. Council will provide an agreement related to this at an upcoming meeting. He noted Engineering Technician Kris Keller and his wife had a baby boy this week, and Kris also recently passed his Professional Engineer exam. Mayor Larson: A wine tasting is being held right now at The Ugly Mug. He reminded everyone to shop local. He gave an example of how a local business went above and beyond to provide a service for him. This is what happens when residents get to know local business owners and this happens frequently. This does not happen when you go to big box stores in other cities. Mayor Larson urged residents to support our local businesses. 14. ADJOURN MOTION by Bartholomay, second by May to adjourn at 7:34 p.m. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant 7