04-30-07 Item 4M, Contract with SRF for AUAR

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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 10, 2006 10 government unit oveISee the AUAR process, which in this case was the City of Arden Hills. She stated there WIS also likely to be a lot of attention paid to this environmental review by various organizations and to ensure that the document was kept beyond reproach, it was best to be contracted through the City and not the developer who had a vested interest in how that environmental review carne out. Councilmember Holden asked why the City did not take the responsibility to set up the interview process instead of Ryan arranging everything. Ms. Barton responded for making the process go more smoothly, efficient, and economical it made sense to do the interview process for all six flnns at once. Councilmember Grant stated he had the same concerns as Councilrnernber Holden. He asked how they anived at the amount. Ms. Barton responded that was the number they submitted with the RFP and there had been no negotiations on the amount. Councilmember Larson indicated he believed staff had been very wise in how they have set this up. He noted these documents were very important to the public when approving a new development and staffhad recognized the important of having an anus length relationship with the developer. He believed this was a srnart move on the City's part to do this. Mayor Aplikowski agreed this safeguarded the integrity of the City. Councilmember Holden requested a memorandum of what the process really was. She asked where they were at. Ms. Wolfe stated as part of getting this consulting team in place, they would submit timelines and the steps involved. She stated these timelines and steps would be forwarded to Council. Councilmember Holden requested the RFP information also. MOTION: Councilrnember Grant moved and Mayor Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve a contract with SRF, Inc. for possible future preparation of an AUAR review relating to the Twin Cities Anny Ammunition Plant such awarding of the contract shall be subject to future Council approval and subject to a funding formulary with the developer. Mayor Aplikowski stated she did not like the word "possible". Councilmember Grant suggested removing the word possible and changing to a "future preparation." Councilmember Larson stated he could not support the motion. He stated the condition regarding having an agreement in place that allowed for reimbursement of the City was something that carne at the time when the contract was brought forward for approval. He stated here all they were doing was to authorize staff to go forward and develop a contract for an AUAR to be brought back to Council for approval. At that point, the expectation would be that the developer would pay for this. He stated he did not see the point in doing this now. Councilmember Grant responded he wanted to ensure the AUAR was not started without Council approval.