Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-21-22-WS �ENILLS Approved: December 12, 2022 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS,MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 21,2022 5:00 P.M. -ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the City Council Work Session at 5:00 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, David Radziej and Steve Scott Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Dave Perrault; Public Works Director/City Engineer David Swearingen; Finance Director Gayle Bauman; Community Development Director Jessica Jagoe and Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk Julie Hanson 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. 2023 Budget Discussion Finance Director Bauman stated staff is requesting City Council to review and provide feedback on the proposed 2023 Budget and CIP. The Truth-in-Taxation meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2022, where a final budget and tax levy will be adopted. A budget workshop was held with the Council on August 15, 2022. Staff was directed to provide proposed maximum levy increase options from 4%to 7%, and Council adopted a maximum tax levy increase of 7.0%on September 26, 2022. The final levy and budget adoption meeting is scheduled for December 12, 2022. Staff commented further on the proposed 2023 budget and described how the median value home would be impacted by the proposed levy. She then asked for comments or questions from the Council. Mayor Grant asked what type of COLA increase surrounding cities were considering. City Administrator Perrault reviewed the proposed COLA increases for surrounding cities with the Council, noting Roseville and New Brighton had approved a 3%increase. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the Council was considering a 3.5%increase. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 21, 2022 2 Councilmember Radziej stated he was comfortable with the 3% COLA along with the anniversary step increases already in place. Councilmember Scott indicated he could support a 3.5%COLA increase. Mayor Grant and Councilmember Holden supported a 3%COLA increase. Councilmember Holmes stated a 3.5%COLA increase may help with retaining City employees. Councilmember Scott agreed a 3.5% COLA increase would assist in keeping the City competitive. Finance Director Bauman commented on the COLA increase that had already been approved for the City's union. Finance Director Bauman asked what range staff should bring back for the levy increase. Councilmember Holden requested staff bring back information regarding a 5%, 6%and 7% levy increase. Councilmember Holmes inquired if the Council would try and reach a consensus at this meeting on the proposed levy increase. Mayor Grant stated he did not believe the Council had to reach a consensus at this time. He asked where the Council was sitting at this time regarding the levy amount. Councilmember Scott explained he supported a 6%levy increase. Councilmember Holmes indicated she supported a 7% levy increase. Councilmember Holden supported a levy increase of 5%or 5.5%. Councilmember Radziej stated he would like to see the levy at 5.5%or 6%. Mayor Grant indicated he would like to see the levy at 5.5%or 6%as well. B. Draft 2023 Fee Schedule City Clerk Hanson stated the City Council annually establishes a fee schedule for administrative, building construction, liquor licensing, park and recreation facility usage, planning and zoning, utilities, business licenses, utility fees, and other miscellaneous permits and penalties that are enforced by the City. Staff reviewed the draft fee schedule noting the proposed changes and requested feedback from the Council. Discussion ensued regarding the proposed electrical permit fees. Councilmember Holden asked how much the City made off of pet licenses each year. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 21, 2022 3 City Administrator Perrault noted the City made approximately$2,000 in pet licensing fees. Mayor Grant stated that a liaison should be appointed given the military presence in the community and to keep the lines of communication open between the City and the military organizations in Arden Hills. C. TIF District 4—Presbyterian Homes Options Finance Director Bauman requested the Council provide direction on which of the available options they would like to pursue related to decertifying TIF District 4. Councilmember Holden asked if standards could be set under Option 2, or would this program be income dependent. She indicated there were a lot of homes in the Glen Paul neighborhood that would benefit from home improvement funds. Finance Director Bauman commented it was her understanding the City could use these dollars to fix blighted properties or to spur development. Councilmember Holden stated she was in favor of Option 2 for residential properties. Councilmember Scott commented he liked Option 2 as well. Mayor Grant and Councilmember Radziej concurred. Mayor Grant asked when the Council had to make a decision on this TIF District. City Administrator Perrault reported the Council had to make a decision before the end of the year when the TIF District is decertified. D. Remote Meeting Direction City Administrator Perrault stated the City Council will want to discuss if, and how, remote meetings will occur going forward. State Statute does provide the option for remote meetings via interactive technology. It should be noted that if the Council continues to allow for remote meetings, the option would be extended to all participants assuming the requirements are met. In short, meetings of public entities must meet these guidelines to meet remotely: • All members of the body participating in the meeting, wherever their physical location, can hear and see one another and can hear and see all discussion and testimony presented at any location at which at least one member is present; • Members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the body can hear and see all discussion and testimony and all votes of members of the body; • At least one member of the body is physically present at the regular meeting location; • All votes are conducted by roll call so each member's vote on each issue can be identified and recorded; • Each location at which a member of the body is present is open and accessible to the public. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 21, 2022 4 City Administrator Perrault reported the two items that would have to be dealt with should remote meetings be allowed long-term is (1) having a staff member manage and monitor the Zoom platform, and (2) we may need to purchase additional equipment, like a camera, to assist in meeting the requirements for work sessions. That said, the staff manage/monitor aspect is not overly burdensome, and the camera likely wouldn't be too expensive, but both are in-addition to how we run meetings today. Councilmember Holmes asked if members of the public would be able to speak under Open Forum if the Council were to pursue remote meetings. City Administrator Perrault stated this would be allowed if the Council would move to remote meetings. Councilmember Radziej questioned if there would be an additional cost for moving to remote meetings. City Administrator Perrault did not anticipate there would be an additional cost for City Council meetings because NineNorth was already attending the meetings. He indicated there would be an additional cost if NineNorth were brought in for Council work sessions since they do not normally attend those. He explained the Council would have to consider if they wanted to extend remote meetings to the City's Commissions and Committees as well. Councilmember Holmes suggested the City just pursue having the ADA immune compromised provisions in place. City Administrator Perrault stated those who are immune compromised may not reach to the level of ADA requirements. Councilmember Holmes indicated she would like more information regarding the ADA rules. She stated she thought the City's goal was to have everyone attending meetings, unless they had a health condition. Mayor Grant explained a request was made to the Council regarding those who were immune compromised should be able to attend remotely, but then this individual suggested all members of the City's Commissions or Committees being allowed to attend meetings remotely. Councilmember Holmes stated most people in Arden Hills had transportation and are able to attend meetings. She questioned why one person was able to make the request that all Commissioners and Councilmembers should be able to attend meetings remotely. She believed this should be an exception and not the rule. Councilmember Holden reported this individual also believed that more people would volunteer to serve on committees if they did not have to drive to City Hall to attend meetings and could attend meetings remotely. She requested staff speak with Nine North to see what the additional expense would be to have the option to allow Council and Commission members to attend meetings remotely. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 21, 2022 5 Councilmember Radziej commented if remote meetings were put in place, City staff could then monitor the usage and the Council could reevaluate the situation in one year. Further discussion ensued regarding how State Statute addresses remote meetings. Mayor Grant indicated he could support the City spending $200 for a new camera in order to support remote meetings. However, he would like to set a limit as to the number of members from a Commission that could attend remotely. City Administrator Perrault commented he did not believe the City would be able to limit the number of members that could attend remotely. Councilmember Holden reiterated the fact that if someone wished to attend a meeting remotely, they would have to go to a public place and would not be allowed to call in from their home. Councilmember Holmes explained she did not support the City moving to remote meetings. Councilmember Radziej suggested this topic be further discussed in January of 2023 with the new City Councilmembers and that the City Attorney be in attendance at this meeting. City Administrator Perrault summarized the comments from the Council noting there was not support to move to remote meetings at this time and noted staff would bring this matter back to the Council for further discussion in the new year. E. Council Tracker City Administrator Perrault provided the Council with an update on the Council Tracker. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND STAFF UPDATES Councilmember Radziej stated he attended a business meeting this week with the North Twin Cities Chamber. Councilmember Holmes commented on the recent Metro Cities meeting she attended. Councilmember Holmes recommended the City have an Ordinance to address campers parked in front yards. Councilmember Holmes requested a crossing guard or police be placed at the Safe Routes to School crossing to Valentine Elementary Hills School. She stated this was a public safety concern. Mayor Grant suggested staff speak with school administration to encourage them to have crossing guards at the Safe Routes to School street crossing. Councilmember Holmes stated she believed Community Development Director Jagoe needed somebody more experienced helping her. ARDEN HELLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 21, 2022 6 Councilmember Scott reported he would not be able to attend the Monday, November 28 City Council meeting. Mayor Grant noted he met with the mayor and city administrator from the City of New Brighton to discuss their new catalytic convertor ordinance. He explained the City of New Brighton was also considering a drone program for the Public Safety Department. Mayor Grant stated he anticipated the Monday, December 26 City Council meeting would be canceled. He recommended the Council consider this at the Monday, December 12 Council meeting along with the one of two regular meetings in the months of January, February, and March. ADJOURN Mayor Grant adjourned the City Council Work Session at 6:55 p.m. A4\ r • --------------------- J ie Hanson David Grant y Clerk Mayor