HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-15-12-WS 'It
- RZEN HILLS
Approved: November 26, 2012
CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING
OCTOBER 15, 2012
5:00 PM—ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Pro-Tem Nick Tamble called to order the
City Council Work Session meeting at 5:03 p.m.
Present: Mayor David Grant (arrived at 5:04 p.m.); Councilmembers Brenda
Holden, Fran Holmes, and Nick Tamble
Absent: Councilmember Ed Werner(excused)
Also present: City Administrator Patrick Klaers; Director of Finance and Administrative
Services Sue Iverson; Parks and Recreation Manager Michelle Olson; Public Works
Director Terry Maurer; Community Development Director Jill Hutmacher; City Planner
Meagan Beekman; and Deputy City Clerk Amy Died
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The Council accepted the agenda as presented.
2. AGENDA ITEMS
A. Celebrating Arden Hills City Festival Recap
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson provided a recap of the 2012 Celebrating Arden Hills
City Festival, which took place on September 15, 2012. She explained that an attempt was made
to establish a volunteer committee to coordinate the event, but in the end, only one person
committed to that task. As such, the planning of the event was primarily done by three people:
Kim Tamble, resident of Arden Hills; Sara Grant, Recreation Programmer; and Michelle Olson,
Parks and Recreation Manager.
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson noted that a budget of$25,000 was established with the
thought that the City would contribute $10,000 and that contributions would cover the remaining
$15,000. The City ended up receiving $11,625 in donations and in-kind donations, which was up
from last year's event. Expenses remained approximately the same as last year, but the number of
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 2
community booths increased, and the businesses were well-received. Additionally, she indicated
that she received several phone calls and emails from residents who enjoyed the event.
Councilmember Tamble stated that the one negative response received was in regard to the issue
of fireworks debris landing on and around a resident's property, and the fact that it happened was
unfortunate.
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson stated that the wind dictates where fireworks debris will
land, and even if the fireworks were launched over the lake, chances are debris would then end up
on the property of homeowners along the lake.
Councilmember Holmes expressed concern over the complaint that was received by the resident
and stated that the City needs to look for other options.
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson explained that in talking with the fireworks company,
one option is to launch fireworks from the middle of the lake using barges. The City would need
to build or purchase the barges and find a storage location. She indicated that she is unsure of the
cost. Another option is if the island owned by Northwestern College could be used to launch
fireworks. She noted that she asked permission once to use the island and they were not in favor
of it at the time, but she will ask them again.
Councilmember Holden questioned whether or not the City wants to continue holding the event
year after year. She noted that in talking with the people in attendance at the event, many were
not residents of Arden Hills. She asked if the event was worth the time and money spent.
Mayor Grant agreed that a surprisingly large number of people in attendance were from other
communities.
Councilmember Holden suggested having a smaller-scale event such as a movie and fireworks.
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson agreed that a movie with fireworks or a concert in the
park, or even a couple of movie nights during the summer might be a nice change of pace. The
lack of community volunteers makes putting on a large event difficult.
Discussion ensued regarding ideas for next year's event. Council consensus was for staff to do
some research on alternative options and costs and report back to the Council.
B. 2013 Fee Schedule
Deputy City Clerk Dietl presented the proposed 2013 Fee Schedule. She noted minor changes to
the fee schedule that are due to increases in the price of materials and fees. She explained that the
utility rates and charges (i.e. WAC/SAC fees) were not analyzed at this time, but will be discussed
at the November work session when the utility rate study will be discussed.
Councilmember Holden questioned who is utilizing adult intramural club field rentals.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 3
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson stated that many clubs, once they find out there is a fee,
do not rent the field because they cannot afford the rental fee. The fee is necessary because the
adult-size cleats tear up the field and require more staff time for repairs and maintenance. The
intramural programs are the primary user of the fields.
Councilmember Holden inquired if Northwestern and Bethel College students were utilizing the
City's fields because the schools do not want them using the schools' fields.
Parks and Recreation Manager Olson stated that they are using the City fields and is not sure of
the schools' policies.
Councilmember Holden recommended allowing only softball and baseball field rentals and
eliminating intramural field rental.
Councilmember Holmes agreed that only adult club softball and baseball rentals should be
allowed.
City Administrator Klaers stated that there are two options: not allow intramural rentals or raise
the fees to address the damage caused to the fields.
Public Works Director Maurer suggested not allowing adult soccer/flag football/rugby type
sports on the outfields of the City's softball fields in an effort to have the fields more ready for
softball and baseball players in the spring.
Councilmember Tamble suggested increasing all the fees in the fee schedule by 10%.
Mayor Grant said that he agrees with that approach. Staff wages and overhead have both gone
up, so the fees charged to cover these expenses should also be increased.
Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson stated that between salary and
benefits, the increase from last year was four percent.
The consensus among the Council was to raise fees on the proposed 2013 Fee Schedule by five
percent. Four percent is due to the increase in salary and benefits of staff and another one percent
is to offset the increase in supplies and overhead. A few exceptions were noted, such as building
construction fees, which are set by state statute. Utility rates will be discussed at a work session
in November as part of the utility rate study, so at this time, no increases are being proposed. The
return check fee, which had been $30, is becoming $35 based on bank fees charged to the City.
Finally, some adjustments are being made to the fees for false alarms. Staff was directed to
update the proposed 2013 Fee Schedule and bring it back for adoption at a Council meeting in
December.
D. Draft Website Policy
This item was moved up on the agenda because Arlene Mitchell, website ad hoc committee
member, was in attendance.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 4
Community Development Director Hutmacher provided a copy of the draft Website Policy and
noted that the City has designed a new website that will become active in December. As such, the
website ad hoc committee has suggested adopting a policy to provide guidance on what should
and should not be allowed on the City's website. She stated that some of the guidance items
include: what external links will be allowed on the City's site; what types of events will be
promoted; what news and announcements will be displayed on the home page; the duration that
information and documents are displayed on the site; procedures for updating and editing the
website; and site standards for formatting, punctuation, and graphics. She stressed that the main
goal is to keep the home page updated and "clean".
Councilmember Tamble stated that any information found on the home page should be timely
and current.
City Planner Beekman affirmed that the thought behind information appearing on the home page
is that it will be newsworthy to all residents. She said that a downed power line or a water main
break would be good examples of information worth putting on the home page.
Councilmember Holden inquired about the section of the policy stating that the City will not
post information related to fundraisers.
Community Development Director Hutmacher confirmed that the proposed policy states that
no fundraising information, whether for profit or nonprofit organizations, will be promoted on the
City's website.
Councilmember Holmes stated that she agrees with having no fundraisers at all on the site
because otherwise it is difficult to determine where to draw the line.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that the City will be creating a Facebook
account, so items that are not allowed on the City's website could potentially be posted on the
City's Facebook page instead.
Councilmember Holden questioned if the Lake Johanna Fire Department's minutes would be
found on the City's website because the draft Website Policy states that documents and
information generated by other entities would only be provided through a link to the entity's
website.
City Planner Beekman stated that the intent is to only post documents on the City's site that the
City has created. In the scenario of the Lake Johanna Fire Department (LJFD) minutes, the City
would provide a link to LJFD's website, which is where people would be able to access those
particular minutes.
Community Development Director Hutmacher noted that the policy does state that the City
Administrator ultimately has the authority to oversee all aspects of the City website.
City Planner Beekman added that this document is a policy and not an ordinance, which means
that exceptions can be made.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 5
Mayor Grant questioned what the perception will be if an entity that we link to from the City
website has a posting on their webpage that may be considered controversial. For example, one of
the schools may post information on a topic that they are advocating.
Arlene Mitchell, website ad-hoc committee member, stated that from the City's website, there
will be links to other entities, such as the schools. If a school is advocating for something, the
City is simply providing a website link that presents the school rather than a particular topic that
they may be advocating.
Councilmember Holden indicated that she liked the policy and felt that it answered her
questions.
Councilmember Tamble reiterated that the policy states, "The City Administrator, or his or her
designee, shall oversee all aspects of the City website." He noted that this language should
address any issues that may come up because the policy gives the City Administrator the ultimate
authority.
The consensus among the Council was that the draft Website Policy is acceptable with no
suggested amendments.
C. Fiscally Constrained Street CIP
Public Works Director Maurer noted that earlier in the summer, the City Council asked for a
fiscally constrained CIP with an average spending level of $1,000,000 per year. The
understanding of staff is that the amount was to include all expenditures for street projects without
regard to the funding source or whether a portion of the funding was recovered through
assessments.
Public Works Director Maurer presented a spreadsheet containing a list of future projects and
their estimated expenditures and funding sources.
Councilmember Holden stated that there are three projects that have to be done and they are the
US 10/Highway 96 grade separation project, the County Road E bridge over TH51 project, and
the Lexington Avenue/County Road F improvement project.
Public Works Director Maurer noted that those projects are currently in the 2013 —2017 CIP.
City Administrator Klaers stated that the PMP cost estimates are based on full reconstruction,
so those figures could be high and they reflect the maximum amounts that would be required.
Councilmember Holden stated that she would like to know how many homes are in the
Glenview and Indian Oaks neighborhoods. Both neighborhoods are on the list of future projects
and her concern is that there may be significant expenses to both the City and the residents
because of the fact that there are so few homes in those neighborhoods to share the costs. She
noted that the assumption is that all the neighborhoods will get curb and gutter and total street
reconstruction. The reality is that some may not get curb and gutter, and street reclamation (which
is roughly half the cost of total reconstruction) may be an option.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 6
Discussion continued regarding the eleven projects outlined in the 2013 —2032 Street CIP.
Council consensus was to move the Glenview neighborhood PMP from the year 2020 to 2015,
with the assumption of a street reclamation versus a total reconstruction, which will reduce the
total cost by roughly $800,000. Additionally, roughly $600,000 can come out of the B2 district
project, and the costs associated with the County Road E bridge over TH 51 project can be spread
out into future years.
City Administrator Klaers stated that as the TCAAP project and the Joint Powers Agreement
move forward, the City will likely need upfront money for the Alternative Urban Areawide
Review(AUAR). The only source for that money is the PIR Fund.
City Administrator Klaers suggested thinking about a franchise fee on gas and electric utilities.
He stated that there are advantages to imposing a franchise fee, such as being able to generate
revenue from tax exempt properties. Mounds View and New Brighton are two neighboring cities
who have implemented a franchise fee. He noted that while franchise fees can be a political topic,
they can be a big source of income. Typically, some of the revenue from franchise fees goes
toward street projects.
Councilmember Holden stated that some organizations are interested in offering a one-time
donation(i.e. buying a fire truck) versus the long-term commitment of a franchise fee.
City Administrator Klaers stated that franchise fees could be a more dependable revenue source.
Council consensus was to discuss franchise fees after the first of the year.
Public Works Director Maurer inquired if the Council is interested in having staff apply for a
MCES grant for a half million dollars for inflow and infiltration reduction. If the Council would
like staff to submit the application, staff will need to put something on the next agenda for
approval. In his opinion, he would like to apply for the grant, and if awarded and unwanted, the
City can always turn it down.
The Council directed staff to bring it to the next Council meeting for consideration.
E. Gateway Sign Update
City Planner Beekman stated that at the last City Council meeting in September, Council gave
staff direction to stop efforts regarding the installation of the Gateway sign at the corner of
Lexington Avenue and County Road E. There were concerns regarding the placement of the sign
at that particular location and staff was directed to research alternative sign locations.
City Planner Beekman noted that she contacted representatives of Arden Plaza (they are paying
for a portion of the Gateway sign) to ensure that they were agreeable to the sign potentially being
located somewhere other than the corner of Lexington Avenue and County Road E. She
confirmed that Arden Plaza approved of the Gateway sign being installed in whatever location
works best.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 7
City Planner Beekman explained that the City does own an easement at County Road D and
Cleveland Avenue that could potentially house a sign, but the easement specifies that the sign
cannot exceed four feet in height. Another possible location for this sign is on the triangle parcel
at 3151 Lake Johanna Boulevard.
Councilmember Tamble presented a sketch of a possible layout for the sign with landscaping on
the triangle parcel. He noted that the sign would look best situated closer to the front portion of
that piece of property so it does not look `lost' on the site. He suggested planting trees or other
embellishments and estimated approximately $800 -$1,000 worth of material cost.
City Planner Beekman noted that Public Works Director Maurer is comfortable with his staff
doing the planting, which would cut down on commercial landscaping costs.
Councilmember Holden inquired if the sign will be lighted and if the plants can survive the salt
from the street.
Councilmember Tamble stated that the sign will be lighted and plants hardy enough to survive
salt will be chosen for the landscape plan.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA) is in receipt of the final environmental report from the testing that was done on the
triangle parcel. It will be another month or two before a final report is issued by the MPCA. She
explained that there is soil contamination, but it is approximately 10 to 12.5 feet deep, so there
should be no issue installing a sign or planting material at that location. She did note that there
are currently no deed restrictions; however, if it was to be developed in the future, it is likely that
the MPCA would need to be contacted regarding additional remediation.
The Council requested that staff research possible park related items or decorative items, as well
as their cost, for placement on the triangle parcel in conjunction with the Gateway sign. A few
suggestions included a gazebo, a clock, and benches.
F. 2012 Fall Community Cleanup Day Update
City Planner Beekman provided an update on the fall cleanup day that was held on October 6,
2012. She noted that twice as many cars came through on Saturday than during the fall event last
year, and $2,659 were collected in fees. The increase in participation may be due to the fact that
separate mailers went out to individual households rather than an advertisement in the City's
newsletter.
City Planner Beekman stated that the cleanup day event is cosponsored with the City of
Shoreview. The event is organized and managed by the City of Shoreview who is proposing to
offer the event free of charge to residents. This would encourage added participation by residents
and would likely reduce the amount of staff required for the event. Additionally, it will eliminate
long wait times associated with vehicle inspections and fee collection.
Discussion ensued regarding whether or not the City was agreeable to waiving the fees.
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2012 8
The consensus among the Council was for staff to contact the City of Shoreview to discuss the
fees associated with the cleanup day. The Council is interested in the possibility of charging a flat
fee of $10 per vehicle. The Council would also like staff to contact the surrounding cities to
inquire about their cleanup days and any possibility of cosponsoring with a different neighboring
city.
G. Performance Review on Police Services
City Administrator Klaers stated that the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department Contracted
Communities group provides a written performance review on Police Services on an annual basis.
He explained that comments from each community are collected and compiled into a report as
part of the annual review. He requested that the Council provide him with their individual
comments within the next ten days.
Councilmember Holmes stated that she is disappointed that in the past, the deputies have not
responded to the City's request for more neighborhood friendly services.
Councilmember Holden agreed that this service has been lacking in the City.
COUNCIL COMMENTS & STAFF UPDATES
City Administrator Klaers stated that staff would like to bring a case forward regarding the
concept PUD for the Holiday Inn property. He suggested a special work session be held on
Monday, October 22 or hold a special work session before or after the regular City Council
meeting on Monday, October 29.
Council consensus was for the special work session to be held at 5:15 p.m. on Monday, October
29, 2012.
City Administrator Klaers stated that staff has been working with Ramsey County staff on the
Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) for TCAAP. Additionally, staff has met with both Ehlers and
Michael Norton of Kennedy and Graven regarding the JPA.
Councilmember Holden inquired about the former Carroll's furniture building.
Community Development Director Hutmacher stated that U.S. Bank has indicated that the
building will be sold at auction sometime before Thanksgiving.
Councilmember Holden requested information on recreation revenues.
ADJOURN
Mayor rant adjou ed the City Council Work Session EM
X
Patrick Klaers David Grant
City Administrator Mayor