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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.20.97 Council Minutes " ~ ~""",- p --~ i........ C-Jr)I'J COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR OCTOBER 20, 1997 1. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ristow at 7:00 P.M.. Members Present: Ristow, Cordes, Gamer, Strachan. Members Absent: Fitch. Also Present: City Administrator Erar, Attorney Grannis. 2. Mayor Ristow welcomed and introduced the Council and members of City staff to a group of Boy Scouts and their leaders who were in the audience. 3. Mayor Ristow led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. MOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to approve the agenda with the following as presented. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. Three proclamations were on the agenda for Council consideration. . Member Strachan read a proclamation recognizing the Church of the Advent's 125th Anniversary. . Member Cordes read a letter from Mayor Ristow which was addressed to Farmington Middle School principal Dr. David Thompson and Member Gamer read a proclamation recognizing the School's receipt of a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence Award. . Mayor Ristow read a Certificate of Recognition for Rosemary Swedin in honor of her 30th anniversary of employment with the City 6. Citizen Comments. George Flynn: Reported on an incident which occurred on Saturday morning at the intersection of Elm and Third Streets. The incident caused him great concern for the safety of pedestrians, particularly the young and the elderly, attempting to cross Elm Street at that location. He requested Council and staff take action on the installation of a traffic control device at the intersection. Police Chief Siebenaler noted that a traffic study had been completed and the results would be presented at the November 3, 1997 Council meeting. 7. Consent Agenda MOTION by Strachan, second by Cordes to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approve Minutes - 9/30/97 (Special) and 10/6/97 (Regular). b) Adopt ORDINANCE NO. 097-405 amending the Solid Waste Ordinance and policy. c) Approve a contract with Robert Vogel for HPC Consultant services for 1998. d) Authorize the advertisement for bids for the City's towing contract. e) Appoint Robert Sauter as a Police Officer, effective 10/27/97 f) Appoint Richard Deeg as Fire Marshal/Building Inspector, effective 11/3/97. g) Approve School/Conference request - Parks and Recreation Department. h) Approve School/Conference request - Administration Department. i) Approve Contract for Wetland Ordinance and Mapping update with Bonestroo, Rosene and Anderlik. j) Accept Resignation - Clerk/Typist. k) Approve Development Process update dealing with erosion control measures. 1) Adopt ~ESOLDTION NO. ~~~9~97 approving entering into a cooperative funding agreement with MnDOT for improvements to the Ash Street, Prairie waterway and Henderson Storm Sewer projects. m) Approve installation of a handicapped accessible door at the Senior Center. n) Approve purchase of a portable oxygen kit for a Police squad car. 0) ~pp~ove payment Of bills as submitted. APIP, lIOttONCARRIBD. 8. South Suhurban Xeaieal ClUlter Issues Representatives from South Suburban's Board of Directors were present. Board Chair, Dr. Ralph Nordine, thanked the Council, staff and the community for their expressions of support following the recent decision by River Valley Clinic to send their patients to Fairview Ridges Hospital rather than South Suburban. Dr. Nordine informed those present that, while the decision had been unexpected, they were moving forward with plans to complete their current clinic expansion and hire physicians to staff it. Mayor Ristow requested Council adopt a resolution pledging continued support of South Suburban. KOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to adopt RBSOLttTIOR NO. R120-97 pledging continued support of South Suburban Medical Ce~ter. ApIP, HOTtON CARRIED. 9. Council noted PARAC interviews would take place November 3, 1997 at 6:00 P.M. prior to the regular Council meeting. They also approved the joint City, Castle Rock Township and Fair Board meeting date of November 19, 1997 at 7:00 P.M. at the Dakota County Fair Board meeting room. 10. 208th Street Alignment City Engineer Mann introduced Sheldon Johnson, a traffic engineer from Bonestroo, Rosene and Anderlik. Mr. Johnson had been requested to study the effect proposed changes to the alignment of 208th Street. The changes were suggested by the School District to accommodate an expansion of the Middle School facility currently on 208th Street. Mr. Johnson informed Council that 208th Street's designation as a collector street was of great importance to both the City's and Cougty's future transportation plans, noting the scarcity of east/west conA@ctioI).S within both the City and County. He stated that the School District's suggested changes would defeat its purpose as a collector since the tight curves and right hand turns would negatively affect traffic flow. Mr. Johnson noted that the speed design of the roadway could be reduced somewhat. He also felt that there was an opportunity to meet the needs of both the City and School District, although both would need to compromise. School Board member Robert Brownawell was present and read a letter from School Board Chair John Switze~ which reiterated the District's request to either terminate 208th Street at its current location or realign it to avoid the Middle School campus. Mr. Brownawell als" stated that the District was running out of time to make a decision on purchasing the land for the expansion. Discussion continued between Council, staff and District representatives in an effort to arrive at a consensus on some sort of compromise. MOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to approve Option 2, which would dedicate right of way for 208th Street in the alignment shown on the City'S Transportation Plan. City Administrator Erar reviewed the ramifications of Option 2. Councilmember Strachan suggested attempting wording the motion in a way which would leave room for additional City/School dialogue. Memb~r ~mer rescinded his motion. KOTION by Strachan, second by Gamer to dedicate right of way for 208th Street in an alignment which would be in accordance with its designation in the City's Thoroughfare Plan as a collector street. ~PIF, KOTION CARRIED. In a related issue, Mrs. Ordell Nordseth requested the City consider swapping 30 acres of land currently in MUSA for 30 acres not in MUSA to accommodate a c) development proposed by Jack Benedict. City Administrator Erar pointed out that the City did not have the authority to do SOj the Metropolitan Council controlled MUSA designation. He also noted the City was currently well into the process of requesting a large MUSA expansion and requesting changes at this time was not advisable. He also stated that since the School District had not yet purchased the existing 30 acres in question, any swap at this time would be premature. MOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to direct staff to pursue a 30 acre MUSA exchange if and when the School District purchase was finalized. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Council took a recess at 8:35 P.M. and reconvened at 8:45 P.M.. 11. Surface Water Management Plan Erik Peters and Dan Edgerton of Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik presented the updated Surface Water Management Plan for Council consideration. The presentation covered the Plan's goals and policy issues, suggestions for area charges, conditions unique to the City, and recommendations for implementation. Mr. Peters informed Council that communities in the surrounding area were working on their surface water issues also, and that the area charges suggested in the plan were comparable to those charged by the neighboring communities of Lakeville and Rosemount. MOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to adopt the Surface Water ~f~ Rl~I~K~ Management Plan as prepared. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. The new charges will be included in the 1998 Fees and Charges Schedule adopted the first meeting in January. 12. Appoint New City Auditing Firm. Finance Director Roland stated that 9 requests for proposals had been sent out for a new auditing firm and 3 firms had been interviewed by her and the City Administrator. Following the interviews, the firm of Kern, DeWenter, Viere, LTD. was selected for Council consideration. MOTION by Gamer, second by Strachan to appoint the firm of Kern, DeWenter, Viere, LTD as the City's auditing firm. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. City Administrator Erar recognized the Finance Director for her efforts in the selection process. 13. MOTION by Gamer, second by Cordes to set the following dates and workshops: a) Municipal Control of Public Infrastructure in Private Development - 10/28 @ 7 PM. b) Code of Ethics Ordinance/Conflict of Interest - 10/28 @ 7 PM. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 14. Roundtable Councilmember Strachan: Complimented Officer Jerry Wacker for his work on a recent investigation. Councilmember Gamer: ALF Ambulance has been affected by River Valley Clinic's decision to change hospitals. Noted that it will particularly affect senior citizens since Medicare will not cover ambulance trips to an outside hospital when there is a hospital in the city in which they live. City Administrator Erar: Informed Council that council agendas are now published on the Internet at the City's web site (www.ci.farmington.mn.us). , , L<t,)j ~.ter B9&f4 ~~e~ ,i.~: Stated his fe~li~g9 regarding the School District's failure to communicate with City staff, officials and Board/Commission members on proposed projects in time to allow adequate review and response. He stated he was pleased the Council did not abandon its long range planning goals in order to accommodate the District's short sigl:'ltedness. Mayor R~.~ow: Thanked the Clerk Typist for her past service to the City. Informed Council the City had received Tree City USA designation for 1997. Requested that an amendment to Council by-laws be added to the next regular meeting agenda. Requested staff to investigate a citizen complaint he had received. 15. ~OT10N by Gamer, second by Cordes to adjourn at 9:20 P.M.. A~IP, MoTION o.pI$) . Respectfully submitted, Mary Hanson Clerk/Typist