HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.15.24 Council MinutesCity of Farmington
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
Monday, July 15, 2024
The City Council met in regular session on Monday, July 15, 2024, at Farmington City Hall,
430 3rd Street, Farmington, Minnesota.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Hoyt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Hoyt led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Mayor Joshua Hoyt
Councilmembers Holly Bernatz, Katie Bernhjelm, Nick Lien,
and Steve Wilson
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Lynn Gorski, City Administrator
Julie Flaten, Asst City Administrator/HR Director
Leah Koch, City Attorney
Deanna Kuennen, Community & Economic Development Director
Kim Sommerland, Finance Director
Matt Price, Fire Chief
Kellee Omlid, Parks & Recreation Director
Gary Rutherford, Police Chief
John Powell, Public Works Director
Shirley Buecksler, City Clerk
Also Present: Rita Trapp, Vice President, Hoisington Koegler Group, Inc. (HKGi)
Jessica Green, Managing Director, Northland Securities
4. APPROVE AGENDA
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernatz and seconded by Councilmember
Wilson to approve the agenda, as presented.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
5. ANNOUNCEMENTS / COMMENDATIONS
6. CITIZENS COMMENTS / RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
No comments.
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7. CONSENT AGENDA
7.1 Appointment of Additional Election Judges for the 2024 Election Cycle;
Resolution 2024-61
7.2 Amended Final Plat for Vermillion River Crossings Third Addition; Resolution
2024-64
7.3 Second Quarter Construction Report (2024)
7.4 Payment of Claims
7.5 Staff Changes and Recommendations, Including:
• Appointment of Eric Whitmer as the Public Works Superintendent; and
• Appointment of Gavin Janovsky as a Police Officer
7.6 City of Farmington — Firewall Upgrade
7.7 Accepting a Donation of a Park Sign for Daisy Knoll Park from Finch & Daisy
Consulting; Resolution 2024-60
7.8 Additional Services Authorization with JLG Architects for Building
Commissioning
7.9 Professional Services Agreement with Alliant Engineering, Inc. for Staff
Augmentation
7.10 Professional Services Agreement with Alliant Engineering, Inc. for the 2025
Street Improvements Preliminary Design
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by Councilmember
Bernhjelm to approve the Consent Agenda, as presented.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
9. AWARD OF CONTRACT
10. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
10.1 Public Park, Trails, and Open Space Dedication Ordinance
Director Omlid introduced Rita Trapp of HKGi, who presented the park dedication
study findings and recommended ordinance amendments and answered
questions from Council.
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernhjelm and seconded by
Councilmember Lien to pass Ordinance 2024-08 Amending Title 11, Chapter 4,
of the Farmington City Code Regarding Public Park, Trails, and Open Space
Dedication.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays.
11. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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12. NEW BUSINESS
12.1 Authorizing Issuance and Awarding Sale of General Obligation Bonds, Series
2024A
Director Sommerland introduced Jessica Green of Northland Securities, who
presented a report on the number of bidders and interest rates and answered
questions from Council.
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernhjelm and seconded by
Councilmember Wilson to adopt Resolution 2024-63 Authorizing Issuance,
Awarding Sale, Prescribing the Form and Details, and Providing for the Payment
of $3,115,000 General Obligation Bonds, Series 2024A.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays.
13. CITY COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE
Attorney Koch:
The Dakota County Fair is coming up August 5th through the 11tn
Councilmember Bernatz:
Relay for Life is at Boeckman Middle School on Friday. This is an area where,
whether we want to admit it or not, we know far too many people that are affected
by cancer. If you are moved in that direction, I would encourage you to join the
people who are going there.
Councilmember Wilson:
On our Consent Agenda, we approved 14 new individuals that are going to be
Election Judges. Thank you for stepping up, it actually makes our elections go more
smoothly and helps out Shirley and the Team. I want to thank you, in addition to all
those that have previously stepped up to volunteer.
Administrator Gorski:
I would like to welcome Heidi Welsch to the Dakota County Manager position. We're
excited to work with her, and we look forward to seeing her here in Farmington.
Open Door Pantry will be coming to Rambling River Center tomorrow from 3 to 4:30
pm.
Clerk Buecksler:
Candidate filing for Mayor and two Councilmember seats will open on Tuesday,
July 30th, through Tuesday, August 131h, at 5 pm. The Affidavit of Candidacy and $5
fee can be filed at City Hall with the City Clerk. If you have any questions on filing,
elections, or voting, please let me know.
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Director Flaten:
On the Consent Agenda tonight, we approved the Public Works Superintendent. If
you recall, this is a position we had retooled and Staff had changed, so we are really
excited to have found a qualified candidate. It's a critical role for Public Works.
Director Kuennen:
Today we had our EDA meeting — I appreciate the EDA and their input, and we will
be putting together budgets.
Also, the final reminder that tomorrow from 8 — 10:30 am is our Small Business
Resource Fair here at City Hall. We encourage all small businesses to participate.
Director Powell:
We found out late last week that we received a grant as part of the Watershed
Based Implementation Funding that comes from the Board of Water and Soil
Resources. At a state level, a certain amount is allocated to Dakota County or,
specifically, to the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization (JPO),
and then it's a competitive process to score potential projects. In early 2023, we did
a study of various projects we could do to improve the storm water quality being
discharged into the Vermillion River, and we had one project at 4th Avenue and
Willow Street. The estimated cost is $117,000 and the grant amount is about
$71,000 to cover that cost. This would be next year. The balance is split between
the City, the County, and the Watershed JPO, with most of it coming from the
Watershed JPO. We really appreciate those partnerships we have and the JPO
advocating on behalf of the City of Farmington.
Director Omlid:
Reminder that Party in the Park is Friday, July 26th, at Lake Julia Park. At 7 pm is
Kidsdance to start the night off, then about 8:40 pm, we will be showing the movie,
Shrek. The event is free for all, some come out and enjoy.
Director Sommerland:
We are busy reviewing the budget and putting that together for 2025. Lynn, Julie,
and I have met with all the departments to discuss their budget requests in a little
bit of detail. We will be reviewing those, refining budgets, and meeting with Council
at a work session in early August to hopefully bring to you a viable and fiscally
responsible budget.
Chief Price:
This evening, our four Paid -on -Call Firefighters just started their onboarding
process.
We are still working on the tender and waiting on our drop tanks. We will be having
a ceremony for the tender. There was a lot of miscommunications with the vendor
we were dealing with, and they put a rush order on it but it's one of those things
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where we are at the mercy of when they actually make the product again. It's a blue
tarp, which they don't have, so we have to wait for them to make it.
Chief Rutherford:
Tuesday, August 6th, is National Night Out. If you would like to register your
neighborhood event, you can do that through the City's website.
14.ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernatz and seconded by Councilmember Lien
to adjourn the meeting at 8:02 pm.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
R spectfully submitted,
S ' y R sler +v
City Clerk
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