HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.17.14 Council Minutes COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR
November 17, 2014
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Larson at 7:00 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Larson led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Larson,Bartholomay,Bonar,Donnelly, Fogarty
Members Absent: None
Also Present: Andrea Poehler, City Attorney;David McKnight, City
Administrator;Robin Hanson,Finance Director;Adam
Kienberger, Community Development Director;Randy Distad,
Parks and Recreation Director;Kevin Schorzman, City Engineer;
Cynthia Muller,Executive Assistant
Audience: Tim Pitcher, Lena Larson
4. APPROVEAGENDA
MOTION by Fogarty second by Bartholomay to approve the Agenda. APIF,MOTION
CARRIED.
5. ANNOUNCEMENTS
a) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award
The City of Farmington has received this award for the fifth consecutive year.
Finance Director Hanson recognized the work of all staff.
6. CITIZEN COMMENTS
7. CONSENT AGENDA
MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to approve the Consent Agenda as
follows:
a) Approved Council Minutes (11/3/14 Regular)(11/7/14 Special)(11/10/14 Work
Session)
b) Approved Seasonal Hiring
c) Adopted RESOLUTION R62-14 Approving Application for Dakota County
Waste Abatement Funding Assistance
d) Adopted RESOLUTIONR63-14 Approving Submittal of Grant Application to
the Metropolitan Council for the North Creek Greenway
e) Approved Appointment Recommendation—Liquor Operations
f) Approved Bills
APIF,MOTION CARRIED.
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November 17,2014
Page 2
c) Approve Application for Dakota County Waste Abatement Funding
Assistance
Councilmember Bonar publicly recognized the efforts of the city and county with
solid waste and recycling. He was looking forward to a pilot program for
organics.
d) Approve Submittal of Grant Application to the Metropolitan Council for the
North Creek Greenway
Councilmember Bonar noted for the third time the city is applying for a grant for
a trail extension in Farmington to connect to the North Creek Greenway. Parks
and Recreation Director Distad stated some existing city trails will be used as part
of the greenway until the section along North Creek in the Fairhill development
can be finished. The grant application would be from 195th Street south to the
Vermillion River. The ultimate goal is to connect to downtown Farmington.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
9. AWARD OF CONTRACT
10. PETITIONS,REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
a) September 2014 Financial Statement Review
The first nine months should be at 75%of budget. General fund revenues are at
57%. The largest portion of revenue is from property taxes which will be
recorded in December. Finance Director Hanson reviewed various line items.
General fund expenditures are at 68%. Finance Director Hanson explained
various expense budgets.
The general fund fund balance has decreased by$1.2 million to $1.9 million. Staff
is hopeful the fund balance will stay above zero at the end of the year.
11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
12. NEW BUSINESS
a) Adopt Ordinance—Amendment Relating to the Position of Fire Chief
The 2014 strategic plan includes reviewing the fire department's operational and
organizational structure, specifically a full time fire chief/fire marshal position.
The service area population covers 25,000 residents. City Administrator
McKnight sent a survey to the fire officers to obtain feedback on this proposed
change. Common responses from the surveys included role confusion with the
current structure, communication issues between the fire department leadership,
fire officers and city hall leadership. A lot of the administrative duties fall on the
fire marshal and that is at the expense of fire inspections. The current structure is
not always represented at important city meetings during the day and night. It is
hard for a volunteer fire chief to supervise a full time position.
If a full time chief were approved,responses indicated there would be clearly
defined policies/procedures and message,the move is essential to the health of the
department, a full time chief would need to be present at night meetings and
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November 17,2014
Page 3
training and become part of the city management team. Two messages which
were very clear were to not combine the two positions for fire chief and fire
marshal. It would be too much and fire inspections would continue to suffer.
They need more administrative support. A majority of the fire officers
recommended a full time chief with some kind of other fire marshal or fire
inspector position as well as additional administrative support.
City Administrator McKnight made the following recommendations:
1. Implement a full time fire chief position effective January 1,2015, after a
full scale recruitment(this may be closer to March 1,2015).
2. Eliminate the fire marshal position at the same time as bringing on a new
fire chief.
3 &4. Allow six to 12 months for the new chief to evaluate the need for a fire
inspector and administrative support.
5. Allow the new chief to re-organize the department structure as they see fit.
6. Priority items for the new chief would include a department overview,
daytime fire fighter response resolutions and the above structure
recommendations.
The 2015 budget includes funding for a full time fire marshal and paid on-call
chief. Any additional costs for these recommendations are not in the budget and
would come out of the fund balance at an estimated cost of$10,000-$60,000.
City Administrator McKnight noted this proposal is due to the growth in the city
and surrounding area and the amount of work associated with it.
MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to adopt ORDINANCE 014-671
authorizing the recruitment process for a full-time fire chief, elimination of the
fire marshal position, approve the full-time fire chief position description and
amendment of the ordinance as it relates to the fire chief position. APIF,
MOTION CARRIED.
13. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE
Mayor Larson: Parking restrictions are in effect with no parking from 2:30—5:30
a.m. The Secret Holiday Shop is December 6,2014,at the Rambling River Center.
Mayor Larson encouraged residents to follow city activities on the various social media
outlets. Garbage and recycling schedule will change the week of Thanksgiving. Mayor
Larson reminded residents to shop local. November 29,2014, is small business Saturday.
The Knights of Columbus turkey bingo is November 22, 2014.
14. ADJOURN
MOTION by Fogarty, second by Bartholomay to adjourn at 7:31 p.m. APIF,MOTION
CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Cynthia Muller
Executive Assistant