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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-26-2020-Rft,.4-- Hnrs Approved: November 23, 2420 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING ocroBER 26, 2020 7:OO P.M.. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor David Grant called to order the regular City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. Note: On March 20th, the Mayor signed a determination allowing Councilmembers to participate in City Council meetings via telephone pursuant to State Statute 13D.02I Present:Mayor David Grant, Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, Dave McClung and Steve Scott Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Public Works Director/City Engineer Todd Blomstrom; Finance Director Gayle Bauman: Community Development ManagerlCity Planner Mike Mrosla; and City Clerk Julie Hanson via telephone: City Attorney Joel Jamnik and Kyle Axtell, RCWD PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to aDDrove the meeting agen da as oresented. A roll call vote was taken. The motion c arried unanimouslv (5-0). 2. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL None. 3. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INQUIRIES None. 4. STAFF COMMENTS ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL _ OCTOBER 26, 2O2O 2 A. COVID- 19 Update City Administrator Perrault provided the Council with an update on how the City was responding to COVID-19. He encouraged residents to visit the City's website for the most current and up to date information regarding COVID-l9. He reported the Minnesota Department of Health and CDC also had websites with current guidelines and recommendations. He explained the City of Arden Hills remains in a peacetime state of emergency and City Hall will remain closed until further notice. He indicated City staff remains operational and can be reached via phone or email. He discussed the small business emergency assistance grant program that was approved by the Council noting this program had been funded through CARES Act dollars and an update would be provided later in the meeting. Councilmember Holden asked if staff knew how long State employees would be working remotely. City Administrator Perrault deferred this question to Councilmember McClung. Councilmember McClung explained State employees would be working remotely through June of 2021. B. Transportation Update Public Works Director lcity Engineer Blomstrom provided the Council with an update on the I- 35W MNPASS project noting construction was approaching final phases for 2020. Public Works Director lcity Engineer Blomstrom stated notification letters were sent to property owners within the Hazelnut Park/Glen Paul neighborhoods describing how to access the recently recorded presentation that was posted to the project website. He explained the recorded presentation was done in lieu of a public meeting due to COVID-19. He commented fuither on the important information that was included in that presentation and encouraged the public to contact City staff with any comments or questions. Councilmember Holden asked if New Brighton Road had been paved. Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom explained the patching had not been completed for the culvert replacement project on New Brighton Road. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Septemb er 28, 2020, Regular City Council October 12,2020, Special City Council Executive Session (Closed) October 12,2020, Regular City Council Councilmember Holmes stated she had minor corrections to the October 12 Regular City Council minutes on Page 4 and these changes were presented to the City Clerk. A B C ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O 3 MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to annrove the Sentember 2 2020 R esular Citv Council meetins minutes. 0ctober 12. 2020, Specia I Citv Council Executive Session (Closed) meetins minutes. and October I 2-2020 Resular Ci Council meetin p minutes as amended. A roll call vote was taken. The motion carried unanimously (5-0). 6. CONSENT CALENDAR Motion to Approve Consent Agenda Item - Claims and Payroll Motion to Approve Third Quarter Financials Motion to Approve Addendum to Extend Recycling Services Contract - Republic Recycling Motion to Approve Ordinance 2020-003 Amending Chapter 6, Section 660, Subsection 660.05, Subd. 8 - Nuisances and Offenses - Garbage, Refuse and Recycling Containers - PC 20-019 Motion to Approve Resolution 2020-050 Extension of Planned Unit Development and Conditional Use Permit Approvals (1718, 1720, 1722 Parkshore Drive and 4177 Old Highway 10) - Summit Development - PC 19-002 Motion to Approve Appointment of Communications Coordinator MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a A B C D E F motion to aDDrove the Consent Calendar as oresented and to authorize execution of all necessarv documen ts contained therein. A roll call vote was taken. The motion unanimouslv (5-0). 7, PULLED CONSENT ITEMS None. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. 9. NEW BUSINESS A. City of Arden Hills Purchasing Policy Mayor Grant stated the City's Purchasing Policy was last updated in 2014. Since that time, the State Legislature has revised Minnesota Statute 471.345 on Uniform Municipal Contracting Law increasing contract limits and Minnesota Statute 471 .38 on Claims requiring local govefirments to have a policy on electronic funds transfers. He commented further on the proposed changes and noted information related to Cooperative Purchasing and Environmental Purchasing needs to be added. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O Mayor Grant expressed concern with the increased spending authority for the City Administrator and purchasing power that would be allowed for unbudgeted items. He explained he was fiscally conservative and this item should have been left in. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Co uncilmemher Holmes seconded a 4 motion to annrove an undated Ci of Arden Hills Purchasins Policv. Councilmember Holmes asked if the "lowest bidder" language was going to be revised versus being removed. Mayor Grant recalled this language should refer to the City accepting the lowest qualified bidder. Councilmember Holden explained the next statement in the policy allows the City to reject any and all bidders. Councilmember Holmes recommended the language read the City will accept the lowest qualified bid. Finance Director Bauman indicated she reviewed language from other cities purchasing policies and amended the language to read as presented noting the City would have the right to reject any and all bids if it is in the best interest of the City. She stated she would be happy to further amend the language. Councilmember Holmes commented she would like to have the first sentence added back into the policy including the word qualified. In addition, she recommended the second sentence remain. Councilmember Holden questioned who would determine if a vendor was qualified or not qualified. Mayor Grant stated he was uncertain how this would be determined, but noted staff was working to qualif,z vendors for City projects. Public Works Director lcity Engineer Blomstrom reported that the City's standard specifications include criteria for defining a responsible bidder. Staff evaluates each bidder based on these criteria. Councilmember Holden stated the term that should be used then would be responsible and not qualified. Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom commented this was generally the case. Councilmember Scott explained it was his opinion the City was covered by the wording in the second paragraph. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O City Attorney Jamnik concurred with Councilmember Scott stating it was better to eliminate the first sentence and to use the language proposed by staff. Councilmember Holmes stated she would support the City Attorney's recommendation A roll call vote was taken. The motion 4-1 (Mavor Grant onoosed). B Resolution 2020-052 Allowing Disbursement of Remaining Funds and Closing the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program Community Development ManagerlCity Planner Mrosla stated on June 25 Governor Tim Walz announced a plan to distribute $853 million in federal funding to Minnesota communities impacted by the COVID-I9 pandemic. The funding was authorized by the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. City funding was calculated on a formula of $75.34 per capita and the amount allocated to the City of Arden Hills totals fi745,040. The City submitted its certification form for Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) monies on July 6. The funds are now available and the City is required to expend all of its funds byNovember 15,2020. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained at the direction of the City Council, the City of Arden Hills made available $150,000.00 of CARES Act Funds to create a Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program. The intent of the grant program is to provide financial assistance to local businesses to help them continue their operations, preserve employment, and prevent business closures in an effort to encourage long-term economic vitality in Arden Hills. The program provides locally-owned and operated businesses with an emergency grant of up to $5,000. The program was launched on Augusl25,2020. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained at its October 12, 2020 meeting, the City Council adopted resolution 2020-049 extending the application window for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program until Friday, October 23, 2020. Staff has promoted the program through previously discussed methods and has received one ( I ) new application at the time of writing this. Staff will provide an update to Council as to any new applications received. City staff has received 24 applications and has awarded funds to 18 businesses or $90,000 of the $150,000 available. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla stated staff is asking for Council direction to on how to distribute the remaining Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program funds. Businesses that have previously submitted applications, but not all of the required documentation, will be required to submit all outstanding documentation by November 2,2020.\f no additional documentation is received by the aforementioned due date, the businesses will be no longer eligible for assistance. Staff will then take the remaining funds and evenly distribute them among the qualifyrng businesses. Staff will contact businesses that have been previously awarded funds and request them to submit a certification form and required documentation by the end of day on Novemb er 2, 2020 in order to receive additional funds. Should Council want to proceed with the proposal aboye) a resolution has been provided for consideration. 5 Mayor Grant asked why the program date was cut off on November 2. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla explained staff was looking for a little window of time to finalize all documentation prior to November 14. Councilmember Holden questioned how many businesses would be able to get all of their documentation to the City by November 2. She stated she hated to miss an opportunity to help local small businesses. She asked how the remaining funds could be used by the City if not granted to small businesses. Mayor Grant reported these funds can be used in other ways Finance Director Bauman indicated these funds can be used for PPE, payroll for public safety, police and fire personnel. City Administrator Perrault commented further on why the November 2 deadline was selected in order to assist staff in understanding which businesses would be awarded funds and how the additional CARES Act dollars should be allocated. Councilmember Holden asked if there were 25 or 27 businesses that applied for grants. Community Development Manager/City Planner Mrosla reported the City received two additional applications on Friday, bringing the total number of applications to 27 . Councilmember Holden inquired if the remaining dollars from the grant program should be used to offset police and fire expenses given the amount of staff time that would be required to get these dollars to local businesses. Mayor Grant recommended any surplus balance not be distributed back to businesses. He believed City staff had done a great job getting grants to local businesses that had requested assistance. Councilmember McClung agreed with Councilmember Holden and Mayor Grant. He reported the City had advertised this program well and also conducted site visits to promote the small business grant program. He stated he was comfortable with the November 2 deadline. He supported any excess funding be put towards public safety salaries, which have been considerable. Councilmember Holmes explained she spoke with City Administrator Perrault about this matter and understood the City still had a significant amount that could be used for public safety costs. She suggested the excess be given to the Mounds View School District given the additional expenses they were incurring. Mayor Grant questioned if the school district was an eligible entity to reseive these funds. Finance Director Bauman stated she would have to investigate this further and explained there would have to be a need for the grant. Mayor Grant reported the school district has more than 50 employees and therefore would not qualify for a grant. 6 ARDEN HILLS CITY COLTNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O Councilmember Holmes indicated she was not suggesting the school district apply for a grant, but rather that the excess from the small business grant program be given to them instead of being put towards police and fire expenses. Mayor Grant stated this would be a whole new program for the City. He questioned what if the City could give money away to another entity from the General Fund. Finance Director Bauman commented she was uncertain that the City Council could take this action without a specific program in place. City Attorney Jamnik discussed the restrictions that would be in place to use funds from the General Fund and described how this differed from the policies in place within the Small Business Assistance Program. Councilmember Scott stated these funds were to be used for a specific purpose, to provide relief for small businesses. He recommended the excess being distributed to the remaining businesses that have applied. Councilmember Holmes disagreed stating these funds were allocated to the City to do whatever the City Council deemed appropriate. She was of the opinion $30,000 to $40,000 could greatly benefit the school district. She indicated there were additional funds available to cover police and fire expenses. Mayor Grant reported NYFS was a non-profit that the school district works with. He wondered if the City could allocate funding to NYFS. Community Development ManagerlCity Planner Mrosla explained one local non-profit had applied for assistance, but it was not NYFS. Councilmember Holmes stated she would like to withdraw her suggestion that the funding be given to the school district. Councilmember Holden questioned if those that have applied would still be considered for a grant prior to November 2. Community Development ManagerlCity Planner Mrosla stated this was the case. He explained an option would be to move to approve the proposed Resolution with an amendment, striking number two from the Now Therefore language. Mayor Grant indicated this may be the right direction for the Council to proceed. He commented he could support the deadline being extended to November 6. MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Mavor Grant seconded a motion to adont 7 Resolution #2020-052 Allowins Disbursement of Remainins Funds and Closinq the Small Business Emersencv Assistance Grant Proqram. under ltem 1 chansins November 2 to November 6. and striking Item 2. A roll call vote was taken. The motion carried 4-1 (Coun cilmemher Scott onnosed). ARDEN HILLS CITY COLTNCIL _ OCTOBER 26, 2O2O Resolution 2020-051 Rice Creek Watershed District Drainage Proceedings Under the Watershed Law Public Works Director/City Engineer Blomstrom stated on October 19,2020, the City Council reviewed a request from the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) for the City's consent to conduct drainage proceedings for Ramsey County Ditches 2, 4 and 5 under the Watershed Law. The Council directed staff to place the RCWD's requested resolution on the City Council agenda for October 26, 2020. The RCWD is currently developing plans for improvements to Ramsey County Ditch No. 4 (RCD 4) to convert a section of open channel ditch to piped storm sewer between County Road C and Terrance Drive. The proposed improvements would address bank failures, erosion and sediment being transported downstream into Oasis Pond, Little Johanna Lake, and Lake Johanna. The Rice Creek Watershed District is requesting conculrence from the City of Arden Hills to conduct the necessary proceedings for the project in accordance with the Watershed Law (Minnesota Statute 103D) rather than the Drainage Code (Minnesota Statute 103E). He reported Kyle Axtell with the Rice Creek Watershed District was present to further discuss this item with the Council. Councilmember Holmes coillmented the Council did not receive this Resolution within the work session packet. She indicated the proposed Resolution was very general and did not address the specifics of this project. She suggested this item be tabled to allow for the Resolution to be redrafted and made more specific. Mayor Grant proposed the Council listen to the presentation from Mr. Axtell. Councilmember Holmes recommended the presentation be held at a later date when the Resolution was redrafted. Mayor Grant stated Councilmember Holmes could move to table action on this item. Councilmember Holden stated she agreed with Councilmember Holmes. She explained at the work session that the Council stated they would not agree to all districts because the fees were unknown. She commented she was appalled by the drafted Resolution. Mayor Grant inquired how the Council wanted to proceed. Councilmember Scott indicated he supported the Resolution because the RCWD was seeking concordance from Arden Hills and noted a number of other cities have already given their concordance. Councilmember McClung reported he could not support the Resolution as drafted. He stated he could support a Resolution that addressed Ditch 4, but had concerns with what was being done with Ditch 2 and Ditch 5. He noted if this item were brought to a vote, he would not support the Resolution that was presented to the Council. Kyle Axtell, Project Manager for the Rice Creek Watershed District, explained he sent a draft Resolution to staff that omitted anyreference to Ditch 2 and Ditch 5. I C ARDEN HILLS CITY COLTNCIL - OCTOBER 26, 2O2O 9 Mayor Grant stated a motion to table does not require a second Councilmember Holmes reported the proposed Resolution does not address the specific project, how much the City would pay, or how much Arden Hills residents would be assessed. She stated she would like to see more detail. She requested comment from the City Attorney regarding this situation. City Attorney Jamnik advised the Resolution was quite vague but noted the final decision rested with the City Council. MOTION: Councilmember Holmes moved and Councilmember McCluns seconded a motion to table action on Resol ution #2020-051 - Rice Creek Watershed District Drainase Proceedinss Under the Wa tershed Law to a date uncertain. A roll call vote was taken.The motion carried 4-1 (Councilmember Scott opposed). 10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None 11. COUNCIL COMMENTS Mayor Grant reported he met with MnDOT along with Councilmember Holden to discuss closures on Snelling Avenue. He stated the MnDOT Deputy Commissioner was in attendance. He thanked staff for the time they have put into this project but noted the project would be moving forward. Mayor Grant explained the State approved $500,000 for the Arden Hills watermain project under Lexington Avenue through the recently approved bonding bill. He thanked Senator Jason Isaacson and Representative Kelly Moller for their leadership and support on this project. Councilmember Scott congratulated Gretchen Needham for being selected as the City's new Communications Coordinator. He stated he looked forward to working with Gretchen in the future. Councilmember McClung reported the Lake Johanna Fire Department closed on the purchase of the property along Pine Tree Drive. He explained the next step would be to discuss the future fire station. Councilmember Holmes thanked the legislators for their assistance with the bonding. She thanked the Public Works Department for clearing the City of snow after the recent snow event. Councilmember Holmes stated she was very disappointed with MnDOT's decision to close off Snelling Avenue to the Glen Hill neighborhood. She anticipated the proposed u-turn would not be a safe altemative. ARDEN HILLS CITY COI-INCIL _ OCTOBER26,2O2O l0 Councilmember Holmes commented the Arden Hills Foundation was looking at funding new neighborhood watch signs. Councilmember Holmes suggested the Foundation also consider posting GreenStep City signage She encouraged the City collect broken and outdated Christmas lights again this year. Councilmember Holden stated she appreciated the fact the bonding bill had been approved to include S500,000 for the City of Arden Hills project. She questioned when the Safe Routes to School grant was due. Public Works Director lcity Engineer Blomstrom reported the Safe Routes to School grant was ongoing for greater Minnesota (outside the seven country metro). Councilmember Holden questioned how many benches were located in the City. She stated she would like to see more benches within the trails in her area of the City. Mayor Grant encouraged Councilmember Holden to apply for a grant through the Arden Hills Foundation. Public Works Director lcity Engineer Blomstrom indicated staff did have a park bench inventory. He stated he could provide this information to the Council. ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a motion to adiourn. A roll call vote was taken. The motion carried unanimouslv (5-0). Mayor Grant adjourned the Regular City Council Meeting at 8:17 p.m. ,t J e David Grant MayorClerk