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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.20.03 Council Minutes COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR October 20, 2003 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ristow at 7:00 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Ristow led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL Members Present: Members Absent: Also Present: Ristow, Cordes, Fitch, Fogarty, Soderberg None Joel Jamnik, City Attorney; Dan Siebenaler, Interim City Administrator; Robin Roland, Finance Director; Kevin Carroll, Community Development Director; Lee Mann, Director of Public Works/City Engineer; Lisa Shadick, Administrative Services Director; Brenda Wendlandt, Human Resources Director; Jim Atkinson, Assistant City Planner; Cynthia Muller, Executive Assistant Audience: 4. APPROVE AGENDA Councilmember Soderberg added item Sa) Letter of Commendation to Community Development Director Carroll. Councilmember Cordes pulled item 7a) Council Minutes (10/1/03 Special) to abstain. MOTION by Fitch, second by Cordes to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS a) Letter of Commendation On October 17, 2003 Councilmembers Soderberg and Fitch, Interim City Administrator Siebenaler, Community Development Director Carroll, Finance Director Roland, Parks and Recreation Director Distad, and Glen Anderson, Chamber of Commerce went to hear a presentation given by Community Development Director Carroll to the Met Council for a Demonstration Grant for the Spruce Street Corridor. Councilmember Soderberg stated Mr. Carroll used some creativity in his presentation which was absolutely clever. After looking at several presentations with charts and concept plans, they all ran together. Mr. Carroll decided Farmington needed to stand out from the pack. He started out with a large picture of a beagle puppy and used that as an analogy to demonstrate that while Farmington is not necessarily a big dog, we are a good dog. He used some points to get the Met Council's attention to help Farmington stand out from the pack. Even afterwards, the Met Council was using the metaphor in their discussions. Councilmember Soderberg was very impressed with the presentation and wrote a letter of commendation. The letter stated he was very impressed with Council Minutes (Regular) October 20, 2003 Page 2 this presentation to the Met Council. If nothing else, Mr. Carroll gave them a presentation they will remember and certainly one that will stand out above the rest. In setting Farmington apart from the pack, perhaps the merits of our request will get a second look and give us that competitive edge necessary to rise above political sway. It is not necessary for us to be a big dog. But if we continue to allow creativity such as you demonstrated I have no doubt that we will be a very good dog. Councilmember Soderberg stated it is the creativity he commends and this carries over to the Interim City Administrator as well to allow Mr. Carroll to be that creative. Community Development Director Carroll thanked Councilmember Soderberg for his comments. He stated if we get any grant money from the Met Council, it will not be because of what happened at the presentation, it will be because we have a good Master Plan. The Master Plan is the result of hard work on behalf of a lot of people. Councilmember Fitch stated he also felt it was a very impressive presentation and one he remembers much more than the others. Mayor Ristow also thanked everyone for attending and for bringing this commendation forward. 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS 7. CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Soderberg noted a couple typos in the Minutes and they will be corrected. MOTION by Fitch, second by Fogarty to approve Council Minutes (10/1/03 Special) Voting for: Ristow, Fitch, Fogarty, Soderberg. Abstain: Cordes. MOTION CARRIED. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Soderberg to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approved Council Minutes (10/6/03 Regular) b) Set November 3, 2003 Public Hearing Various Licenses and Permits - Administration c) Received Information School and Conference - Fire Department d) Approved Professional Services Contract - MIS e) Received Information Park and Recreation Commission Minutes - Parks and Recreation f) Approved Cooperation Agreement Community Development Block Grant Program - Community Development g) Approved Bills APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS 9. AWARD OF CONTRACT Council Minutes (Regular) October 20, 2003 Page 3 10. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS a) Customer Service Response Report - Administration The Customer Service Response Report was presented for April- June 2003. On average 98% of requests are handled within 1-3 days. Staffhas received a 96% rating for being courteous and helpful and residents gave an 88% rating for being personally satisfied with the response. b) Schedule Board and Commission Interviews - Administration Each year board and commission seats expire on January 31. For 2004, 13 seats will be expiring. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Cordes to interview applicants on January 3,2004 at 8:15 a.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. c) Dakota County Draft 2004-2008 CIP - Engineering Two of the requested projects are included in the 2004-2008 CIP which include the Ash Street project and the preliminary engineering for the reconstruction of Main Street. Both projects are programmed for 2005. Regarding the trail along 195th Street between Akin Road and Pilot Knob Road, the county will be able to set aside some dollars from this year and do the project next year. d) September 2003 Financial Report - Finance A summary of revenues and expenditures was presented as of September 30, 2003. The general fund revenues are at 65.8% of budget. Licenses and permits are at 106% of annual actual adopted budget for 2003. Expenditures are at 77% of budget. This is due to capital outlay items and personnel related items. e) Discussion of MUSA Review Committee Process - Community Development Staff discussed three aspects of the MUSA review process including the criteria, the timetable, and the application form. Regarding the criteria, staff presented a comparison of what was used during the 2000 MUSA Review and the proposed criteria. A few changes were made including adding number 7 stating a preference will be given to MUSA applications that could reasonably be expected to expedite or facilitate retail and commercial growth. The timeline is to be used as a guide. A final decision should be made in April 2004. As far as the application, the general questions were removed and staff inserted the specific criteria, as the committee will be asking applicants to address each criteria. MOTION by Fogarty, second by Soderberg to approve the MUSA review criteria, timeline, and application form. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 12. NEW BUSINESS Council Minutes (Regular) October 20, 2003 Page 4 13. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Councilmember Fogarty: Urged everyone to have a safe Halloween. Councilmember Soderberg: Reminded everyone the winter parking restrictions go into effect November I, no parking on city streets between 2:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. He was approached by the Lion's Club to put up signage near the gateway signs at the entrances to the city. The right-of-ways are state and county right-of-ways. He asked if the city would be willing to facilitate local organizations in placing signs in those areas. Community Development Director Carroll stated every Rotary Club across the country has been asked to do a Centennial project. The local Rotary Club would like to explore the possibility of an electronic message board showing what events are happening in town. They are looking at different styles. Sometimes there are structures associated with them that have maps of parks and trails. There may be an opportunity for cooperative ventures between local organizations. Staff could work with the organizations to stay within the sign ordinance guidelines and obtain permission to use state and county right-of-ways. Mayor Ristow agreed it would be a good project. Councilmember Cordes did not have any problem with it, but she would not like to see them next to the gateway signs. Interim City Administrator Siebenaler: Reminded Council that on October 23 Mayor Ristow and Councilmember Fogarty will be having breakfast with the Chamber. The topic will be downtown development and city hall. His second issue dated back to February 18, 2003 when staffwas asked to look at methods for filling Council vacancies. It has been a year since the last election and the next election will be in a year. Staff would like Council to discuss how future vacancies might be filled. He reminded Council anything they do is not binding on future Councils. Staff has contacted the Secretary of State's Office and the City Attorney has researched statutes surrounding Council vacancies. Councilmember Cordes asked if this would be better suited for a workshop. She stated she could talk about this for the next hour. Councilmember Fogarty also felt a workshop was a great idea. Staffwill bring this back at the next Council meeting to set a workshop. Councilmember Fitch stated if this is not binding on future Councils no matter what this body of five agrees on the next body of five could totally disagree. Interim City Administrator Siebenaler stated you would be creating a policy for the remainder of your terms or the remainder of your time as a five- person board. Mayor Ristow stated the policy would remain until future Councils wanted to change it. Councilmember Cordes asked if there was a way to make it an ordinance. Attorney Jamnik replied even with an ordinance, Council could repeal or amend it at any time. Either before or after a vacancy is declared. Councilmember Cordes then asked if it could be a referendum at the next election. Attorney Jamnik replied we do not have the ability to do that as we are not a charter city. Even with that, the Council could vote to remove the charter. Council Minutes (Regular) October 20, 2003 Page 5 Interim City Administrator Siebenaler reminded everyone CEEF will be sponsoring the Halloween Walk at North Trail Elementary School on October 31. Mayor Ristow: Thanked Premier Bank and their employees, Park and Recreation Director Distad, and Dwight Bjerke for the work on the new sign at the ice arena. He urged everyone to support the Tigers football team in the playoffs. 14. ADJOURN MOTION by Cordes, second by Soderberg to adjourn at 7:40 p.m. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, C:~ - ,,0/ ?/7~~ ,?77~eb~~ Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant