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<br />- <br /> <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />.42 <br />43 <br /> <br />it <br /> <br />47 <br /> <br />the city of Chanhassen in 1995 to experiment using this process for purchasing playground <br />equipment. <br /> <br />Response: The Legislature should authorize an extension of the design-build <br />procedure to cities as a less expensive alternative to the standard bid procedure. <br /> <br />SD-5. Providing Information to Citizens (ABH) <br /> <br />Issue: To keep the public updated and informed, state law requires local units of <br />government to publish various notification documents in newspapers, and often dictates which <br />newspapers receive cities' publication business. The number and variety of documents required <br />to be published and the costs of publication are burdensome. Technological advancements have <br />expanded the ways government can provide information to citizens. In many cases, these new <br />technologies are mOTe efficient and cost effective. <br /> <br />Response: Cities should be authorized to take advantage of new technologies to <br />increase the dissemination of information to citizens and potentially lower the associated <br />costs. Specifically, the Legislature should authorize local units of government to designate <br />an appropriate daily/weekly publication; elect alternative means of communication such as <br />city newsletters, cable television, and the Internet; and expand the use of summaries where <br />information is technical or lengthy. Additionally, the Legislature should eliminate outdated <br />or unnecessary publication requirements. <br /> <br />SD-6. Construction Codes (RS) <br /> <br />Issue: Each year the Legislature addresses construction codes issues that have some <br />impact on local governments. In addition, the Construction Codes Advisory Council and <br />Builders' Association of Minnesota have indicated they may be recommending legislation to <br />require statewide enforcement of the building code. <br /> <br />While all cities must enforce certain codes--such as the accessibility code, the electrical <br />code and the bleacher safety code--the state's building code remains a local option for cities <br />outside the metropolitan area. Many greater Minnesota cities have adopted the state building <br />code and all cities within the seven-county metropolitan area are required to adhere to the state <br />building code. <br /> <br />Response: A building code provides many benefits, including uniformity of <br />construction standards in the building industry, consistency in code interpretation and <br />enforcement, and life-safety guidance. <br /> <br />A statewide-enforced building code may have benefits, but requiring it would result <br />in an unfunded mandate. The enforcement of a building code can be cost prohibitive for <br />many cities due to the expenses and overhead related to staffing vs. the limited building <br />activity occurring in some communities. <br /> <br />The League supports adoption of a state building code so long as there is not <br />mandatory enforcement at the local level. The adoption of an enforced state building code <br /> <br />23 <br />