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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWS 02-18-2003 . ~ ~ILLS MEETING MINUTES APPROVED CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003,4:45 P.M. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 1245 WEST HIGHWAY 96 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Aplikowski called the meeting to order at 4:50 p.m. Present: Councilmembers David Grant, Brenda Holden, Gregg Larson, and Lois Rem. Also present: City Administrator, Joe Lynch; Director of Operations and Maintenance, Tom Moore; Director of Community Services, Aaron Parrish; . Recreation Supervisor, Michelle Olson; Deputy Clerk/Human Resources Director, Cynthia Young; and Recording Secretary, Pang Silseth. 2. A ROYAL HILLS PLAY STRUCTURE: PARK FUND OPTION Director Moore indicated that due to potential budget cuts in the General Fund, he requested authorization from the Council to use money from the Park Fund to purchase a play structure for Royal Hills Park. He stated the play structure was listed in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) as a General Fund item, but money from the Park Fund would be used to purchase the structure now, and be reimbursed from the General Fund at a later date. Director Moore stated the balance in the Park Fund was $546,000. He also stated the cost for the play structure was $38,000, including assembly and installation along with safety fiber. Councilmember Holden stated there are many violations with the current structure. CounciImember Larson asked why not pay for the structure out of the General . Fund instead of the Park Fund, if the General Fund could cover the cost? ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003 2 -~~--_. - . Staff was directed to bring this item to the Council Meeting on March 10, 2003. The play structure would be purchased with money from the General Fund. ISD #621 Update 1. District Update; Financial Issues Superintendent Dr. Jan Witthuhn presented and explained demographic information in the Mounds View School District. Director John Maas presented and explained Financial Accountability. Deputy Clerk Young asked if the school board expected an election this fall for a special levy. Superintendent Witthuhn stated there would be a levy, but the actual language and amounts were not required to be made available to the public until September . 2003. She further stated that the effects of a levy not being passed were serious. Those effects were listed on the back page of the financial forecast packet. She added that vocational and technical programs would not be affected because the high schools were part of a network of schools, and vocational and technical programs were offered at those other schools. Administrator Lynch asked ifD.A.R.E. funding would end in 2003. Superintendent Witthuhn replied that the D.A.R.E. program was funded with Crime Levy money, and to her knowledge, funding would not change. The only possible change would be that the program would move to the middle schools. She added that the Student Response Officer (SRO) would continue as they are now. Councilmember Larson asked how the district could justifY a levy with a drop in enrollment. Director Maas eXplained that at the peak of enrollment, which was beyond capacity, the district was forced to lease buildings to accommodate the enrollment sIze. He further explained that with the current reduction in enrollment, the . number of students is at a more manageable number, but programs were still being conducted in leased space. He then stated the district still needed to relocate those ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003 3 - ---- . programs from leased space back into district owned space, which would result in additional savings. He indicated the district would dispose of the building on Hamline Avenue. Administrator Lynch asked if the district was still considering developing athletic fields on TCAAP property. 2. Student Parking and Graffiti Director Moore stated the issues of overflow parking at Mounds View High School and increased graffiti generated an increase cost for the City. He stated students have taken down "no parking" signs. He asked what the school district could do to be proactive in preventing graffiti. Superintendent Witthuhn stated the district sends out the Student Response Officer to ticket vehicles illegally parked. She favored increasing parking fees to an amount higher than bus fare to discourage students from driving to school. She . encouraged the City to post more "no parking" signs, if the City felt they were needed. Boardmember Grivna asked about parking on the telecommunication property. Superintendent Witthuhn stated the district previously visited this idea, but was discouraged because of the assessments. Superintendent Witthuhn responded to the issue of graffiti by stating that the worse incidents occurred during senior graduation. She stated Julie Wikelius, Mounds View High School Principal, would be willing to work on solutions. She also stated the school could possibly revisit the idea of designating an area on school property to be used by students for graffiti. CounciImember Larson asked if it was possible to create a program that would allow high school seniors to contribute to the community instead of drawing graffiti. He indicated a similar program had been very successful in the City of Cottage Grove. . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003 4 -- ~-- . OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE UPDATE Director Moore stated the City had eighteen 50th Anniversary banners up on County Road that were three (3) years old. He asked if the banners should be taken down and whether he should order new banners. He stated $2,500 would cover the cost to take down the old banners, and design and install new banners. He also stated that City street signs were of nine different designs. Surrounding communities had updated their streets signs to include their city logo. The cost for the design and installation of one street sign was $175. It was recommended that the street signs all be done at the same time. He informed the Council that the Karth Lake gauge was installed. He stated he had gotten feedback from residents who thought the installation of the gauge meant the Council would take action again, meaning to pump or not to pump. 2003 PMP ASSESSMENT HEARING . Director Moore stated the 2003 PMP Assessment Hearing was scheduled for March 10, 2003. If the City intended to keep that date, the City must provide residents with 14 days notice. If the City Council extended the Assessment Hearing to March 31, 2003, the notice letters would be mailed March 5, 2003, giving residents a 24 day notice. Director Moore stated staff was ready to proceed with the Assessment Hearing Notice mailing, to make the March 10, 2003, Assessment Hearing date, but staff recommended postponing the hearing until March 31, 2003. Councilmember Rem asked that the assessment notice be easy to understand and the process be clearly outlined. Councilmember Larson stated that the assessments were a separate issue form negotiating easements on the lake shore land. Mayor Aplikowski stated there were no objections to the Assessment Hearing extension date of March 31, 2003. . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2003 5 . TCAAP DISCUSSION Director Parrish summarized the TCAAP meeting that took place this morning. The main topics were Public Land Use Conveyance and the establishment of a video that would be used as a public communications vehicle. Director Parrish infonned the Council that in regards to contaminates, the Development Team would conduct a supplemental analysis for areas not covered in the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. On the issue of environmental insurance, the Development Team would establish a policy that includes the City and future property owners as additional insured. CounciImember Grant asked which contaminates would be covered or not covered in an environmental nsurance policy. Dave Hammernick, Minnesota Army National Guard, commented that asbestos and contaminates that were not released are not subject to the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment. He stated a similar situation had a release of a . contaminate that was not previously discovered, and now was an environmental Issue. The City would most likely be responsible because the City caused the release. Councilmember Rem asked who the City would receive information from and how that information would be verified. She suggested meeting with a City Environmental Attorney to advise the City. There was some confusion between the Vento Plan and the TCAAP Framework Plan maps. Director Parrish explained the two (2) maps were identical and the difference was the text behind the maps; the TCAAP Framework Plan was more specific. Administrator Lynch stated the City had adopted the TCAAP Framework Plan as part of its Comprehensive Plan. Mayor Aplikowski requested copies of the words describing the Vento Plan and TCAAP Framework Plan. . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003 6 ...~ -~ . Councilmember Larson stated Dahlgren, Shardlow, and Uban (DSU) needed to be clearer in their communications. It had to be clear to everyone that we had no intentions to develop the area designated for open area. The general consensus of the Council was that they were fine with the Development Team, but Councilmember Grant said he wished the Development Team was not a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). Director Parrish said that the LLC issue had previously been brought forth to City Attorney Jerry Filla, and the result of that discussion was that some assurances must be in place before the Final Development Agreement was executed. The Council continued to discuss the communication as to how the TCAAP area was going to be developed. They said it was incumbent upon them to address a greater sensitivity to the communication device and the information found therein. Council member Larson asked Councilmember Rem how she responded to the . questions she received from concerned residents. She said she told residents to participate in the meetings. Councilmember Grant asked that the City Council consider this question: How do we define our success? He said, for the developer, it meant making money. He asked the City Council to consider this question for further discussion. Mayor Aplikowski suggested the City Council may be ambiguous in this regard at this time, and suggested waiting to discuss this issue at a subsequent meeting. Administrator Lynch said the Development Team suggested members of the City Council may want to travel to other similar sites in the United States, which may serve to help them visualize a successful project. The City Council said they did not support the idea of traveling at the Development Team's expense, but did support the idea of gaining some information about the results. Planner Rellegers said staff was in the process of planning a tour in May, 2003 . for the City Council and Planning Commission to view several development sites in the Twin Cities area. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18,2003 7 . City Council Reports: Councilmember Grant: NONE Councilmember Holden: NONE Councilmember Larson: NONE Councilmember Rem suggested that there be a City Council contact list published in the newsletter. Mayor ApIikowski received a letter from Representative McCollum regarding the Homeland Security issue, and wondered if coverage by Ramsey County was enough protection for the City. She asked that this issue be brought forward at a later meeting. She suggested discussing 2004 budgeting for the Northwest Youth and Family Services. Mayor ApIikowski recessed the meeting at 9:10 p.m. and reconvened in . EXECUTIVE SESSION at 9:15 p.m. L~~ ~6<dh' Miyor Beve y Ap ikowski /7 M<~~~-'"'~';~~~.'/Z-- Interim Administrator Aaron Parrish .