HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.18.17 Council Minutes CITY OF FARMINGTON
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
DECEMBER 18, 2017
1. Call to Order
Mayor Larson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Larson led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Roll Call
Present-Larson, Bernhjelm and Craig
Absent-Bartholomay and Donnelly
Staff Present-Administrator McKnight, Public Works Director Gehler, Parks and Recreation
Director Distad, Human Resources Director Wendlandt, Community Development Director
Kienberger and Attorney Jamnik.
4. Agenda
Motion by Bernhjelm, second by Craig,to approve the agenda. APIF, motion carried.
5. Announcements/Commendations
a) Recognition of Community Support of Hurricane Relief Efforts for Port Aransas,Texas
Andrew Herzberg and Amy Flom shared with the city council a summary of the hurricane relief
project that the Farmington Community Disaster Team sponsored for the city of Port Aransas,
Texas. Port Aransas was hit by Hurricane Harvey earlier this year and the Farmington team
responded by sending a semi-truck full of supplies to Texas.
The city council expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to the organizing group and the
entire community for their support of this effort.
6. Citizen Comments
a) Response to Ms. Kim Walton
7. Consent Agenda
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Motion by Craig, second by Bernhjelm,to approve the consent agenda:
a) Approve Minutes of the December 4, 2017 City Council Meeting-Administration
b) Approve Minutes of the December 11, 2017 City Council Work Session-Administration
c) Approve Farmington Fire Relief Association 2018 Pension Contribution-Administration
d) Approve Temporary On-Sale Liquor License for St. Michael's Church-Community
Development
e) Approve Rambling River Center Roof Replacement Project Change Order#1-Parks
f) Adopt Resolution R57-2017 Accepting Donations to the Rambling River Center-Parks
g) Adopt Resolution R58-2017 Approving the Waste Delivery Agreement with
Ramsey/Washington Recycling and Energy Board-Municipal Services
h) Approve Seasonal Hiring-Human Resources
i) Approve Regional Safety Group Joint Powers Agreement-Human Resources
j) Approve Bills-Finance
APIF, motion carried.
8. Public Hearings
None
9. Award of Contract
None
10. Petitions, Requests and Communications
None
11. Unfinished Business
None
12. New Business
a) Dakota Broadband Board Joint Powers Agreement
Administrator McKnight presented the draft Dakota Broadband Joint Powers Agreement for city
council consideration. The city has been working with Dakota County,the Dakota County CDA
and the other cities in the county on a possible countywide broadband project.
For several years,the county and the cities within the county have been working on a way to
aggregate our fiber network resources to offer improved institutional network services and to
have the capacity to provide service to commercial parcels that may not get desired data
capacity from existing service providers.
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The study group has inventoried existing fiber assets and proposed a method for sharing costs
to complete and operate the network through a joint powers agreement. City staff members
from the administration, HR/IT and community development departments have all been
involved in this process.
The study group has identified what pieces of the network exist and what pieces will need to be
built to create a countywide network. The initial cost of filling the gaps in the combined
network is estimated at$1,677,441 to cover 5.775 construction miles. Farmington's share of
this cost is estimated at$34,941.
The two main areas of benefit to Farmington from participation in the partnership include:
1. The city currently only has one network connection to the Internet. This single
connection creates a liability to our continuity of operations should something
catastrophic occur to that single connection. The proposed I-Net would provide
multiple layors of redundancy so that the city would have access to the Internet through
other locations.
2. Having robust or redundant access to the Internet and choice of ISP's is a critical point
for many high tech businesses. Having a network that allows more ISP's to operate in
our market and that allow access for our existing ISP's will provide our businesses with
valuable competition for services. This is likely to be a large selling point for current and
future businesses.
The joint powers agreement has already been approved by Dakota County and the Dakota
County CDA and is being considered by all of the cities, except Eagan, in December and January.
The estimated budget impact to Farmington would be $34,941 for the I-Net gap project costs
and $8,388 as our estimated annual operating costs.
McKnight thanked all of the city staff members involved in the project.
Motion by Craig, second by Bernhjelm, to approve the Dakota Broadband Board joint powers
agreement. APIF, motion carried.
b) Ordinance Concerning Telecommunications Permitting and Right of Way
Management
Public Works Director Gehler presented the new ordinance concerning telecommunications
permitting and right of way management.
In May the legislature passed new language that addresses small cell wireless facilities in
response to new technologies telecommunication companies have been deploying. In
collaboration with Dakota County and the other cities, ordinance language was drafted to
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provide consistency throughout the county and metro area. Staff has reviewed the city's
ordinances related to the right of way management and specifically small cell wireless facilities
and drafted amendments to bring Farmington in line with other local agencies.
The fees associated with the new permits in this ordinance were included in the 2018 fee
schedule already approved by the city council.
Motion by Bernhjelm, second by Craig,to approve Ordinance 2017-735 repealing title 8,
chapter 1, section 4 of the Farmington City Code concerning street/curb breaking permits and
repealing title 8, chapter 11 of the Farmington City Code concerning telecommunications
permitting and replacing them with a new title 8, chapter 11. APIF, motion carried.
c) 2018 Community Development Block Grant Funding
Community Development Director Kienberger presented the 2018 Community Development
Block Grant funds and proposed distribution. The city has been informed by the Dakota County
CDA that we will be receiving an estimated $31,775 in funding for program year 2018 (7/1/2018
through 6/30/2019). This is the same estimated amount we received in 2017.
City staff is proposing to allocate the dollars as follows:
• $15,000 allocated to a planning study category to study the Highway 3 corridor for
development opportunities. This will also allow us to pursue a CDA redevelopment
incentive grant in the same amount and meet the match requirements.
• $10,000 for the commercial rehabilitation grant program.
• $5,000 for senior services financial support program.
• $1,775 for residential rehabilitation/home improvement loan program.
Councilmember Bernhjelm asked if the city had approached Empire Township about
involvement with the Highway 3 corridor study. Kienberger stated that although these two
entities have met three times recently the issue has not been discussed due to the comp plan
related issues taking up most of those meetings. It is something that can be discussed in 2018.
Motion by Craig, second by Bernhjelm,to adopt resolution R59-2017 approving the application
of the City of Farmington for fiscal year 2018 Dakota County Community Development Block
Grant Funding. APIF, motion carried.
13. City Council Roundtable
Bernhjelm-Shared information on a meeting coming up in January at the Rambling River Center
on helping to make Farmington a dementia friendly community.
Craig-Thanked everyone involved in the hurricane relief project and expressed her appreciation
for the Farmington community.
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McKnight-Thanked all of the city councilmembers and city staff for the work performed in 2017.
Distad-Shared that outdoor ice rinks are now open for the season.
Larson-Reminded residents to donate to Toys for Town, shared the revised garbage collection
schedule for the next week and encouraged residents to shop local.
14. Adjourn
Motion by Bernhjelm, second by Craig, to adjourn the meeting at 7:30 p.m. APIF, motion
carried.
Respectfully Submitted
David McKnight, City Administrator
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