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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.01.99 Council Minutes COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR November 1, 1999 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, Soderberg, Strachan Verch City Administrator Erar, City Attorney Jamnik, City Management Team 4. APPROVE AGENDA MOTION by Cordes, second by Soderberg to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS a) Staff Introduction - Community Development Department Brad Schmoll was introduced as the new Building Inspector/Fire Marshal. b) Employee Service Recognition - Liquor Store Operations Manager Paul Asher was recognized for 25 years of service as Liquor Store Operations Manager. 6. CITIZEN COMMENTS a) Ms. Nancy Paulos - Gateway Signs Ms. Paulos requested the City plant flowers at the gateway sign on CSAH 31. Staff will pass on the request to the seasonal gardener at the beginning of the next growing season. b) Mr. David Moss - Storm Water Drainage Mr. Moss had questions regarding the drainage ditch located behind his home, the future of the farmland adjacent to the drainage ditch, and possible improvements to his backyard. Mr. Moss was referred to Lakeville City staff and Farmington Planning staff. c) CSAH 31 Project Questions - Summary Report Council received a summary of the questions raised at the October 18, 1999 Public Hearing. Council Minutes (Regular) November 1, 1999 Page 2 Ms. Jodi Pietsch, 5624 Upper 182nd Street and Mr. Tony Cassens 5638 Upper 182nd Street, stated they would like stop signs or speed bumps on Upper 182nd Street. Ms. Pietsch noticed the police have been in the area, but felt they are sitting in the wrong location. Cars are speeding down Upper 182nd Street trying to make the green light on Pilot Knob. Cars are also going through the stop arm on the school bus, and she is worried children will be hit. Police Chief Siebenaler stated they have been notified of two school bus arm violations, but only partial license numbers were received. He encouraged Ms. Pietsch to contact him regarding where she feels patrol cars should be placed. Staff will look at the situation further. Mr. Kevin Mahlstedt, 19347 Eureka Court, was representing the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Farmington basketball program. He is concerned about school facilities and how they are scheduled and that the children he is representing were shut out of their school facilities and moved to the 3rd and 4th grade elementary school. The difference between the gyms is between tile floors and wood floors. Mr. Mahlstedt would like some help to develop their program. They have been shut out of practice time. He stated there is a total of 18 sections of practice time. Park and Recreation has 15 sections and they have 3 sections. He would like to see the schedule balanced out. He would like to trade Tuesday night for the 8th and 9th grade building for North Trail Elementary for the 3rd and 4th grades. Fifth- eighth grade could then play on wood floors instead of tile floors. Mr. Mahlstedt feels elementary children belong in elementary schools. He would like 3 more sections of time so they would have 6 sections and Park and Recreation would have 12 sections. He was of the understanding there is a Community Education policy where Park and Recreation gets first choice. Mr. Tim Weyandt, 19447 Ellington Trail, stated he and approximately 12 people went to the City to express their need for an in-house basketball team. They went to travel and got the support of travel. They wanted to co-exist with the City and there have been three or four meetings with the City. The meeting he recalls is, they went around the room - 7 people were in attendance. There were a number of issues and the City seemed to be at least verbally accommodating. The main concern was travelling typically gets the use of the better floors with the older kids, because the tile floor does not mean anything to the younger kids and the baskets are lower. It was decided, in the best interest of the community, the gym should be split up so the younger kids can use their O\\<TI elementary gym, and the older kids could use the Middle School with wood floors. At that time he asked when does us and you come together. They went around the room and he stated Joy Lillejord, Park and Recreation Program Supervisor, said it is not an issue, we get second choice after the schools as to who gets the gyms. It is a City program, we are taking the Middle School, I do not want to talk about it. Mr. Weyandt asked her how she could say that, and he stated Joy replied it is not an issue, we are not going to discuss it anymore. Mr. Weyandt stated it was their idea and they brought it to the City. He wanted to know why the gyms cannot be shared. There is no conflict, why will Park and Recreation not share. Mr. Weyandt then asked if we are satisfying egos. He does not see any rationale behind it. Council Minutes (Regular) November 1, 1999 Page 3 Mr. Kevin Mahlstedt stated they really want to help basketball expand. When the 6th and 7th grade building was built, the basketball program donated additional money to upgrade the backboards and rims, and now they are shut out. Mr. Mike Sturm, 17133 Franchise Way, Lakeville, stated he started the Farmington basketball program several years ago. The travel basketball came to the City to start a program for travel basketball. At that time the in-house program decided they did not have the resources to help and turned them over to the City. They have to go to Community Education to get the practice times, but cannot get them until after the City has been scheduled. Mr. Doug Engelman, 18050 Echo Terrace, stated he coached every level of basketball. He is concerned with the kids. He helped with the Park and Recreation program last year and the kids started to dwindle away towards the end of the program. He noticed the kids were undersized for the equipment. He feels a solution is to put 1st - 4th grades at the elementary school. Both programs will be hurt because the kids will not like it. He applauds the efforts of Park and Recreation, but this is one block to improving the program. Mr. Mark Zitzmann, 19428 Ellington Trail, stated he just came from basketball practice. The wood floors are wonderful, but they could be damaged. The kids come in off the street and do not have a separate pair of basketball shoes. They were shooting free throws and sees bad form, as the kids are not strong enough to reach the baskets. They are teaching kids the basics. There is a good 3rd and 4th grade program and we need to work together. Ms. Janet Chapman, 18967 Euclid Path, has a child in in-house basketball and one in traveling basketball and is concerned with injuries. Older kids are prone to more injuries on tile floors. When they go to tournaments, they play on wood floors and are not used to them. The young kids in the in-house program are not as competitive, they are learning basic skills and would not have the injury factor. Mr. Kevin Mahlstedt, stated they do not want to slow the in-house program down. They want it to work. Ms. Thor Alexander, 19312 Ellington Trail, stated she and her husband coach basketball. There are some Farmington parents who take their younger kids to Apple Valley to participate in their program and are all in the elementary school. She felt the City would want to keep Farmington kids here and start them out in the elementary schools. Mayor Ristow stated comments will be reviewed and staff will respond. Councilmember Cordes stated the information will be reviewed, but the basketball programs do need to approach the School Board, as they assign the gyms. Mr. Mahlstedt stated he spoke with Jenny Reis, Community Education, and she sends a calendar of available school dates, the City puts in what they want, and then she books it. But that is where the other programs are cut out. Community Education sets the policies and if the policies are not Council Minutes (Regular) November 1, 1999 Page 4 working it needs to start there. It is not Council's authority to force Park and Recreation out of the gym. She was wondering if any of these comments have been forwarded to Park and Recreation. Ms. Mary Ramun, 18515 Exodus Avenue, stated she is a 6th grade girls basketball coach. She is concerned if a deadline is not set to resolve this, the season will be gone. The board wanted to know if it would be done on a time element. So if the traveling program had their times together and presented them to Park and Recreation that they would have precedence or at least be factored in. As a coach, she goes from the Middle School which has markings on the floor to a school that has no markings, and then to a game situation, and it becomes very hard. Park and Recreation Director Bell, stated Tim Weyandt mentioned a meeting with the staff and asked when that was. Tim replied it was probably June with Scott Topel and Joy Lillejord. Mr. Weyandt stated there was one point of the meeting that came to a head, but there was no rudeness prior to that point. There was a domination and a that's the way it is going to be. Joy was not rude. Mr. Bell stated he met with Jody Armond Jones on August 4 at Community Ed to discuss the problem of gym space. The City told them what was being looked at and felt they had a workable solution, now we do not. After the program last year, a group of parents contacted the Park and Recreation staff and indicated they were not happy with the way the City in-house program was being run and wanted it run differently. He did not recall that any problems were mentioned regarding the elementary school or that there was an issue with sharing the Middle School. Park and Recreation Director Bell will meet with basketball representatives to discuss the situation. Mr. Mark Zitzmann, 19428 Ellington Trail, requested a right turn lane on Akin Road to 194 th Street. Staff will respond. Mr. Tony Cassens, 5638 Upper 182nd Street, asked how they determine snow plowing on corners and the amount of sand being used. 7. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION by Strachan, second by Soderberg to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approved Council Minutes (10/18/99) (Regular) b) Set November 15, 1999 Public Hearing Date - Various Licenses and Permits c) Adopted RESOLUTION R95-99 - Establishing Election Precinct 4 d) Approved Appointment Recommendation - Police Department e) Approved Release of Development Contract - Westview Townhomes f) Approved 1999 Community Development Block Grant Subgrantee Agreement g) Approved Assessment/Sewer Connection Agreement - CR 72 Project h) Approved VRWMO Joint Powers Agreement Amendment i) Approved Proposed 2000 - 2004 CIP j) Received information School and Conference - Public Works Department k) Approved bills APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Council Minutes (Regular) November 1, 1999 Page 5 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS a) East Farmington Conditional Use Permit - Grading and Excavation Sienna Corporation withdrew their Application for a Conditional Use Permit for Excavation and Grading for East Farmington 7th Addition. 9. AWARD OF CONTRACT 10. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS a) Acknowledge 1999 Budget Award The City was notified by the Government Finance Officers Association that the 1999 City Budget submittal has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for fiscal year 1999. 11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a) Adopt Ordinance - Seasonal Parking Restrictions The proposed ordinance stipulates a seasonal parking ban on all City streets from November 1 through April 15, from 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. or after a two-inch or greater snowfall until the streets are plowed curb to curb. At the beginning of each season, there would be a period of two weeks where warnings would be issued. After that period, vehicles would be ticketed and towed. MOTION by Soderberg, second by Cordes to adopt ORDINANCE 099-440 amending Title 9, Chapter 1 of the Farmington City Code concerning parking of motor vehicles on City streets. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 12. NEW BUSINESS a) Request for Senior Center Funding - Townships The Senior Center Advisory Board asked the Council to waive the additional non- resident membership fee at the Senior Center. Staff proposed a means for the Council to waive the Senior Center non-resident membership fees and remain consistent with other program fees, by requesting that the Townships provide funds to offset the costs related to these non-resident fees. If a Township does not provide funds, those residents will be charged a non-resident fee. MOTION by Strachan, second by Soderberg authorizing requesting $250 each from Empire, Castle Rock and Eureka Townships for non-resident membership fees. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 13. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Councilmember Cordes: Received information from the Extension Office regarding a conference on Farmland in Natural Areas. Fire Chief Kuchera received a letter of thanks from the County for their assistance with a recent accident. Parks and Recreation Director Bell: The new Senior Center van is in. Council Minutes (Regular) November 1, 1999 Page 6. 14. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Frontage Road - Highway 3 Project Council adjourned into Executive Session at 8:20 p.m. 15. ADJOURN Executive Session adjourned at 8:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, /; ..."L p;' "7 ~;? ~7VLAcCL- // /~~J 'Cynthia Muller Executive Assistant