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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 02-08-1999 . . . MINUTES CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 8, 1999 7:30 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Dennis Probst called to order the regular City Council meeting at 7:30 p.m. Present: Mayor Dennis Probst, Councilmembers Beverly Aplikowski, Paul Malone and Lois Rem. Absent: Councilmember Gregg Larson. Also present were City Administrator, Brian Fritsinger; Public Works Director, Dwayne Stafford; City Accountant, Terrance Post; and Recording Secretary, Lori Rolfson. ADOPT AGENDA Mr. Fritsinger noted a correction to the February 8, 1999 agenda. Item number three, Approval of Minutes, should read, "January 25, 1999..." not "...1998..." Mayor Probst suggested under Unfinished and New Business items 6B and 6C should be moved up and item 6A should be considered as the last item. MOTION: Councilmember Aplikowski moved and Councilmember Rem seconded a motion to adopt the agenda for the February 8, 1999, regular City Council meeting, as amended. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. January 25,1999 Regular Council Meeting Councilmember Rem requested a correction on page 7, fiftb paragraph, "...public hearing discussions with Ramsey County..." MOTION: Councilmember Malone moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the January 25,1999, Regular Council meeting, as amended. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). CONSENT CALENDAR A. B. C. D. Claims and Payroll Regular Employee Statues, Nancy Randall 1999 Business License Renewals Briarknoll Drive Stop Sign Placement and Removal . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 2 MOTION: Councilmember Malone moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar and authorize execution of all necessary documents contained therein. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Probst invited those present to come forward and address the Council on any items not already on the agenda. There were no public comments. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS B. Resolution #99-09, Approving an Application for Authorization to Conduct One- Day Off-Site Gambling Mr. Post explained that the Circle Pines/Lexington Lions Club submitted an application for Authorization to Conduct One-Day Off-Site Gambling. The application references a proposed April 17 , 1999 raffle activity at the Arden Hills Holiday Inn. Licensed Gambling organizations are permitted one such off-site activity per year, with local jurisdiction approval. The request is similar to one approved by the Council in 1998. The organization has agreed to be bound by the City's trade area spending requirement as are other licensed gambling organizations in the City. Last year, a similar event was staged, with $360 being contributed to the New Brighton Lions Club from raffle profits. Mr. Post stated that two representatives from the Lions Club were available at the meeting to answer any questions. Mr. Post advised that Staff recommends the City Council consider adopting Resolution #99-09. He pointed out that the body of the Resolution states that the event would be held on April 15, 1999. This should be amended to April 17, 1999. MOTION: Councilmember Aplikowski moved and Councilmember Malone seconded a motion to approve Resolution #99-09, Application for Authorization to Conduct One-Day Off-Site Gambling, as amended. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). C. Ordinance #312, Relating to Parking Regulations Mr. Stafford explained that the City of Arden Hills Public Safety Commission received a letter from Ms. Michele Owen relating to a parking ticket she received while parking overnight in front of her home on Arden Oaks Court. Following a discussion of Ms. Owen's letter and the existing Ordinance, Chairman Tholen asked that the Commission consider changing the City Ordinance to match that of the City of Shoreview's and closely match the City of New Brighton's Ordinance. The current Ordinance states that, during the months of October 15, through April 15, no parking is allowed between the hours of I :00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. The Public Safety Commission . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8 1999 , 3 recommends this be changed to state, "No vehicle shall be parked on any street for more than 30 minutes between the hours of2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m." This Ordinance would be in affect year- round and would attract attention to neighbors, as well as the police, to any vehicles parked on City streets during these hours. This could reduce the likelihood of vehicles which do not belong in the area to be parked there, yet allow vehicles 30 minutes of parking in the event of an emergency or brief visit. Public Safety Commission Chairman Tholen had suggested that this may reduce crime and will be easier to enforce as the 30 minute, year around time frame will be easier to monitor than the existing Ordinance. City Attorney John Miller had reviewed the proposed Ordinance change and found it acceptable with rewording ofthe paragraph on "Winter Parking Regulations" which he proposed. Mr. Stafford advised that the Public Safety Commission recommends that the City Council adopt Ordinance #312 relating to the amendment of Parking Regulations, and direct Staff to publish a summary of this Ordinance in the official newspaper. The Commission also recommends that the existing signs relating to the current Ordinance be replaced with six new signs at key City entry locations to be decided later. The new signs would be an abbreviation of the revised Ordinance. Councilmember Aplikowski expressed a concern for the City plowing the roads after only two inches of snow. She asked Staff if this is practical. Mr. Stafford eXplained that plowing after two inches is the goal of the Public Safety Commission as salt and sand do not work well with more than two inches of snow on roadways. Councilmember Aplikowski expressed a concern that six signs may not be adequate. She suggested that the Public Safety Commission could determine the best number when installing the new signs. Mr. Stafford stated that the number of signs could be changed, even if the Ordinance is adopted as presented. Mayor Probst concurred with Councilmember Aplikowski's concern for the number of signs. He suggested the adoption of the Ordinance not limit the number to six as more may be needed. MOTION: Councilmember Malone moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to adopt Ordinance #312 relating to the amendment of Parking Regulations, and direct Staff to publish a summary of this Ordinance be published in the oflicial newspaper. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). A. Bethel Park Project Mr. Fritsinger explained that the Parks and Recreation Commission is asking the City Council to review the concept of participating in a joint park project with Bethel College. The City was contacted by Bethel College during this past summer with an inquiry regarding a potential park ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 4 . development project. The project would combine the use of Bethel College's 10 acre parcel, west of Old Highway 10, with the City's existing park property immediately adjacent to the west. Last fall a draft concept plan had been received from Bethel College. This concept plan reviewed the site and the potential opportunities which may exist. These opportunities would address some of Bethel College's recreation needs as well as needs of the City. The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed this initial request as its September 29, 1998 meeting and subsequently at its December 1, 1998 and January 7, 1999 meetings. These meetings helped to refine the information from City Staff and Bethel College in order to come to an initial conclusion whether or not there was merit to proceed with consideration ofthe project. The concept plan includes two soccer fields, one softball field, six tennis courts and parking. The combination of the property owned by Bethel College with the City's property will provide the ability to address the potential wetland and drainage issues. The City's property does not provide much else to the project, other than the opportunity for trails or other options which may be suggested through discussions with the neighborhood and the Parks and Recreation Commission. For the most part, the project is being proposed on Bethel College property. . The cost of the project is currently estimated to be between $750,000 and $1,000,000. The intention is for Bethel College to fund raise for the estimated $1,000,000 project cost. If the City participates financially, it would make the project more feasible from a fund-raising standpoint. The material proposed to be used for the fields would be higher than standard grade and used at City parks and Bethel College would maintain the facility year-round and be responsible for lining and striping of fields for its events. The City would be responsible for lining and striping of fields during its game day events and during summer months. At the last Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the Commission discussed the on-going programming needs of the City and what the proposed concept would provide the City of Arden Hills. Bethel College has some serious needs for softball, intramural sports, physical education and soccer. The fields are proposed to be used by Bethel College during much of the school year. The City would gain use of the fields during the summer time, when the school year is not . . III sessIOn. The Parks and Recreation Commission spent a great deal of time determining what the opportunities would be for the City. The conclusion was that while there was some concern about programming there was enough of a comfort level at this time that the City could move forward with the analysis and look closer at the programming as the process is worked through. . Of the types of uses being proposed the City has the greatest need for soccer fields, followed by softball fields, and the least need for tennis courts. The question had been raised of the need for additional tennis courts in the City. It had been suggested by Recreation Supervisor, Tracy Peterson that the additional tennis courts could be used with any programs for City activity. This need may be stronger for Mounds View High School and the on-going activities they have. The City could program other activities in the area. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 5 Other questions which had been raised during this process by the City Staff and residents relate to the project specifics of the site. At this point, Staff had not invested a great deal of time analyzing these issues. The intent had been to meet with the Council first to determine if the concept and general uses being proposed make sense for the City prior to discussing the site specific items. Staff has continued to gather information which would be considered should the Council proceed with the review of the project. This information includes a traffic analysis of Old Snelling Avenue to the determine how the site would be affected. Staff has scheduled a meeting this week with Ramsey County to discuss the issue of the width of Snelling Avenue and determine if changes are needed to be made to the road. Changes may be needed in order to address speed and safety issues which have been raised by Bethel College and the community. A full detailed site survey had been completed and is now available. In addition, the City performed wetland delineation's of the various wetlands on the site. Other issues which had been raised by residents or Parks and Recreation Commission members had been: · There is no intent to light the soccer, softball or tennis courts. . The ownership of the fields is yet to be determined, and will need to be evaluated by attorneys. . There is no agreement for the joint use of the facilities and such an agreement will have to be developed and approved before the project proceeds. · The parties will need to determine who constructs the project. . Ramsey County is open to considering other options for the design of Old Snelling Avenue Mr. Fritsinger advised that the Parks and Recreation Commission has recommended that the City proceed with the exploration of the possibilities for a joint project with Bethel College, and that neighborhood meetings be held in order to obtain additional input. Should the City Council support this recommendation, the Council should move to direct the City Staff to proceed in this manner. Councilmember Aplikowski inquired regarding the location ofthe City's park land. Mr. Fritsinger stated that the City's park land is basically located west of the large wetland on the site and is shown in gray on the map. Mayor Probst requested confirmation that Bethel College currently uses some of the City facilities for their womens softball. Mr. Fritsinger stated that was correct. Mayor Probst asked, if the proposed facilities were built, would all of these activities move to the new location. Mr. Craig Hjelle, Bethel College, stated that the proposed project would become the College's primary activity location. Mayor Probst asked how Bethel College had determined the number of proposed tennis courts. Mr. Hjelle stated that six would be the minimum needed in order to run a varsity tennis program. The College currently has six and would want to maintain this number of courts. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 6 Mayor Probst asked how much t1exibility there would be in terms of design. He asked if there is a belief that the number of fields currently shown in the proposal would be the minimum required and this number could change during the final phase of the project. Mr. Hjelle stated that there would have to be some flexibility with the project, primarily due to the wetlands and the size of the property. He indicated that Bethel College intends to work closely with the City Staff in order to match up the needs of the City with the needs of the College. Mr. Hjelle confirmed that the primary needs of the City would be for soccer and softball. The strongest need for the College would be the tennis courts. He noted that the College had initially hoped to add more softball fields to the site. Mayor Probst asked if the softball and soccer seasons for the College overlap. Mr. Hjelle stated that softball is a spring sport and soccer is not. Mayor Probst asked if it would be possible to overlay a softball field over the soccer field. Mr. Hjelle stated that this option had been considered and it did not appear to be feasible. Mayor Probst opened the meeting up to public comments. He noted that the action being taken by the City Council would not be to approve the concept plan. It would be to authorize Staffto continue discussions with Bethel College and for the Parks and Recreation Commission to initiate more extensive neighborhood meetings. StatY would also be directed to continue working with Bethel College to resolve the final layout and mix of facilities. Mayor Probst noted that the City of Arden Hills has a limited number of park facilities. He stated tbat there is a need for community facilities for use by Arden Hills and the surrounding communities, particularly in the area of soccer fields. He expressed his belief that this may be a positive way tor the City to gain significant park facilities. Mr. Corbin Kristufek, 1640 Chatham A venue, expressed a concern for the effects the proposal may have on the existing park land and trail system. He expressed an additional concern for the amount of space available for soccer, softball and tennis within the community. He noted that the TCAAP area becomes the property of the National Guard in March. He suggested the City consider the use of some of this land for additional recreational facilities. Mr. Kristufek referred to the proposed cost of the project and noted there are regulations and laws which need to be complied with. He asked how much money would have to be spent by the City in order to perform a practical analysis and other actions needed to be taken prior to building near a wetland. With regard to the TCAAP area, Mayor Probst stated that the transfer taking place on March 15, 1999 primarily involves park preserve space which would be controlled by the National Guard. The Comprehensive Plan did identify a joint use athletic facility for all communities at the north side of the facility. At this point it is unknown when the area would be cleaned up, however the hope is to have the area available within five years. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 7 . Mayor Probst stated that the cost issue clearly needs to be dealt with. He noted that the City Council had not yet determined at what point the City could not afford the project and this would be a function of how successful the fundraising is. Mr. Michael Coopet, 1636 Chatham Avenue, stated that he takes exception to the suggestion that the Parks and Recreation Commission had concluded that they were satisfied with the amount of use Arden Hills would gain. Hc indicated that at previous Parks and Recreation meetings there had been no consensus that there would be adequate use by Arden Hills. Mr. Coopet stated that he also takes exception with the comment that the City of Arden Hills needs additional park space. He stated that Arden Hills is a bedroom community and some residents like the fact that the City is limited by the amount of park space. Mr. Coopet stated that the proposed project would be an incredibly invasive procedure. Large hills would be leveled and the topography would be substantially changed. He also pointed out there would be issues with traffic, crowds and noise. Additionally there are environmental legal procedures which must be met. . Mr. Coopet stated that if he were to begin a project such as this one, an executive summary would be compiled of the what the costs would be and if it were a feasible project, prior to spending time in extensive meetings. He suggested that the process thus far has been putting the cart before the horse. He asked if anyone really knows what will be needed in order to move on to the next step. Mr. Boyd Paulu, 3782 McCracken Lane. stated that his house would be most severely affected by the proposal as the tennis courts would be directly behind his house. He noted the proposal includes no lighting at this time and expressed his concern that there would be lighting at some time in the future. Mr. Paulu indicated that the drawing of the proposal does not adequately show how the property currently lays out. He noted tllat the trail the City has been maintaining is not located at the outlot. Additionally, the proposed location of the northerly tennis courts is on a large knob which is heavily wooded with mature oaks. This knob would be leveled if the proposal is approved. Mr. Paulu stated that he had purchased his home 11 years ago knowing that Bethel College owned the property. At that time the Comprehensive Plan had indicated athletic fields in the area however, he did not believe they could be constructed due to the wetlands. The project would also negatively affect the wildlife in the area. At this time there are not many geese in the area and the proposed fields would attract them to the neighborhood. . Mr. John Hotchkiss, 3720 Chatham Avenue, noted that there had been comments that the City needs more soccer and softball fields and asked where the parking would be. He also pointed out that there is a law which states that all other alternate sites must be considered in order to minimize the impact on the wetlands. He asked if all other alternative sites have been considered. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8, 1999 8 Mayor Probst stated that the parking needs would be more for the City's usage rather than the College's. At this point an assessment has not been made as to the number of required parking stalls. Mayor Probst referred to the issue of the need to consider all possible sites prior to proceeding. He indicated that this would be a requirement if Federal Funds were being used. He stated that he was not sure that a private development would be required to consider all possible sites. The College has the right to develop the parcel so long as it meets the guidelines of the limited use of the zoning for the site. He stated that, although he may be off base, he would caution those with this concern that this may not be an element to rely on. Mayor Probst stated that there had been good points brought up. He agreed that a thorough evaluation must be completed. He also indicated that he was not sure if the City had started in the right place, as Mr. Coopet had pointed out, however, the City had to start somewhere. Mrs. Jeana Kristufek, 1640 Chatham Avenue, stated that she had moved to Arden Hills one and one-half years ago and plans to stay there. She indicated that she had chosen Arden Hills over other, overly developed surrounding communities, because of its rolling terrain and limited commercial development. She stated that she would hate to see Arden Hills level off the land simply for athletic fields as this would be at a great cost to the City and homeowner's property values. Mr. Paulu stated that the Minnesota Wetlands Conservation Act provides that no person shall drain or fill a wetland in full or partially, without first having a wetland replacement plan approved by the local government. Mayor Probst stated that he had not meant to suggest that the wetlands could be arbitrarily removed. He had interpreted trom comments made that other sites within the commnnity must be considered and this was the issue he had intended to address. Mr. Paulu noted that Bethel College is proposing to incorporate City property into the project. He suggested this may have other implications in that they would not only be developing their own property, they would be looking to include the City park property in the development. He echoed Mr. Coopet's concern that so much time and energy is being invested in the proposal that it may be impossible to back out. Mayor Probst stated that Mr. Paulu's point was well taken with regard to the City park property. He indicated that when the investigation had initially begun, it was believed that the two properties would co-mingle better than the proposal indicates. Mayor Probst stated that the project is in its early stages and a great deal will need to be done in order to determine what mayor may not be accomplished. Ms. Rowena Ochiagha, 1539 Oak Avenue, stated that she was aware that the land is owned by Bethel College and the development of it is inevitable. She expressed her hope that, as the plan moves forward, Bethel College would be a steward for the wetlands to ensure there is no excess fertilizer or herbicide runoff. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8 1999 , 9 . Mayor Probst noted that the action requested is for the City Council to either stop the process or direct Staff to continue working with Bethel College and Parks and Recreation in order to gather additional information. Councilmember Aplikowski asked if the area to the north, near the corner of County Road E2, is Ramsey County open space. Mr. Fritsinger explained that most of this land is owned by the City and was part of the Chatham development park dedication. Councilmember Aplikowski stated that she is sensitive to the neighborhood responses. She indicated that she had lived in the same neighborhood for over 22 years and had felt the same concerns when the Chatham development had been proposed. It hurts when things change because most people do not like changes. She pointed out that the Chatham neighborhood has brought a great deal of resources to the City and what needs to be considered is how good this proposed project could be for the City. Council member Aplikowski stated that she would like to do what the neighbors want, however she is in favor of expanding athletic opportunities. She stated that she would be in favor of deliberately looking at the project for more answers. . Councilmember Rem stated that it would make sense to move forward to learn more about the site and what can and cannot be done on it. She noted that Bethel College owns the land and ultimately would make the decision on what would be done. She stated that it would be helpful to have additional public discussions to determine what the possibilities are. Councilmember Aplikowski asked ifthere would be any cost to the City to move forward with this consideration. Mr. Fritsinger stated there would be costs to the City to involve the City Engineer as well as Staff time. There would also be a cost to the City if other consultants were brought in. Council member Rem asked, even if the City did not move forward with the project, how much of the City Engineer's time and studying would be needed. Mr. Fritsinger stated that, even if the City were not involved in the project, it would still incur some engineering costs related to the review of the site. If the Council chooses to proceed, the Staff should frame out the process. This would give a better idea as to the costs the City and Bethel College may incur. He suggested that prior to the next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting Staff would discuss what the process may require and this information could be used by the Parks Commission to set up future meetings. Councilmember Aplikowski asked for additional rationale of how Bethel College had come to this request. Mr. Hjelle explained that the project has it roots in the fact that Bethel College has a need to develop athletic facilities. The Campus Master Plan had been updated and approved. At that time the Planning Commission had requested the College to show recreational fields on the site. . Mr. I-Ijelle indicated that both Bethel College and the surrounding communities have a strong need for these types of facilities and this project would benefit both. He noted that the concept is . . e ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 10 not new. There had been ajoint effort at the new Wayzata High School where the fields at the High School are owned by the City of Plymouth. Mr. Hjelle stated that there are no hidden agendas with the project. He indicated that Bethel College will work with the City and pointed out that Bethel College has made donations in the past to Parks and Recreation in order to support parks. The College also feels there are advantages to working with the City for fund raising. In response to the issue of the mature oak trees on the property, Mr. Hjelle stated that Bethel College is sensitive that the proposed tennis courts are encroaching into this area. The hope of the College is to preserve these trees and keep the courts as far away from the area as possible. With regard to lights, this issue is similar to the one raised when the football field had been constructed. Lights had not been proposed then and are still not being used. There currently are six tennis courts on the campus which are in disrepair. These tennis courts have been in place since 1972 and have never been lighted. All campus activities happen during the day so there would be no need for lighting. COlmcilmember Malone reiterated that the property is privately owned and can be developed. He pointed out that Bethel College is making an effort to integrate the land use into the conununity. He agreed that the steps taken thus far may be out of process and noted that the community is normally not aware of this sort of development proposal until it is presented to the Planning Commission for approval. Councilmember Malone stated that the cost of the project will be an issue. Although the City has a fixed budget for capital expenditures, this project may not require a great deal of capital funds which may make it an attractive proposal. The City would be negligent if they were to not pursue the opportunities. Councilmember Malone stated that the issues regarding the wetlands and lighting are legitimate, however there is no way to control at this point what may happen in the City years from now, He stated that the City is in the early journey of fact finding and will work its way through the process. He stated that he appreciates the public's point of view and that the City does need to move forward and collect additional information. Councilmember Rem suggested the idea of a Task Force. She indicated this process may be more efficient if there is a formal structure and a regular meeting schedule. Mayor Probst stated that it was his hope that, ifthe Council chooses to move forward, it would direct the Parks and Recreation Conunission to continue working with the public as it has in the past. This has worked during past controversial park issues and the Commission has been successful in coming to conclusions which satisfy both the City and the residents involved. MOTION: Councilmember Aplikowski moved and Councilmember Rem seconded a motion to direct Staff to work with Bethel College on site planning issues and for the Parks and Recreation Conunission to hold neighborhood meetings to gather input regarding the proposed concept plan. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 11 . Councilmember Aplikowski asked if Bethel College had a proposed timeline for the project. Mr. Fritsinger stated that they do not. There will be many issues to resolve before setting a timeline. Councilmember Aplikowski asked, if the project does move forward, how soon could it be completed. Mr. Fritsinger stated that the College had hoped to develop the park this year, however, this may be unfeasible and the project may have to wait until the year 2000. Mayor Probst expressed his support to continue moving forward with the review of the proposal. He stated that any drop-dead issues must be resolved first. He agreed that there will be financial issues with the City and, ifthe project requires a fifty-fifty cost participation by the City, the project will be in serious trouble. The motion carried unanimously (4-0). ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS Mr. Fritsinger referred to the bench handout regarding the 1999 Council Retreat. He indicated that he had met with Mr. Dennis Cheesebrow to put together a program, based on the Council's input. The intent is to determine if it would be feasible to complete the retreat in one day, rather than the standard one and one-half day. . Mr. Fritsinger asked for input from the Council about whether or not the proposed schedule would be on track with their expectations. He stated that he does need to let the hotel know if the City will need the space on Saturday as well. Mr. Fritsinger stated the plan for the morning would be to review what had been done last year. Since there are two new Councilmembers this year it would be helpful to go back and determine if there is a correct interpretation of the City's philosophy statement. From there the discussions could move to the key goals and objectives which had been set for the coming year. In the afternoon the Council could discuss the issue of committees and how they help or hinder the process and how they might be better utilized. The Council would also take this time to discuss the organizational structure from a services contract standpoint. There may be some interest in the future of adding to the City Staff some programs which are contracted out such as police or fire protection. The Council could also discuss internal Staff changes over the last two years and how this fits together with the goals for 1999 and the year 2000, Mr. Fritsinger indicated that the agenda which had been put together would not include specific discussions of adding or deleting committees. If there is interest in a more detailed discussion of any of the points presented, Staff would need to rework the agenda and add the half-day back in to allow enough time. . Mr. Fritsinger stated that he would present two questions to the City Council and Department Heads prior to the retreat to allow some pre-thinking on some of the key points. The two questions would deal primarily with the high priorities and key expectations the Council and Department Heads have for the organization and the City. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 12 The intent is for a continuation of the discussions from previous years regarding an understanding of the process for day-to-day projects, the organizational structure, and who the City is and what the City is about. Mayor Probst stated that, although he would support a one-day retreat, ifthere would not be enough time to accomplish what needs to be done, it may make sense to continue into the evening or schedule another time to continue the discussions. He stated that is important that, by the end of the day, the City have produced an action list as it relates to the committees. He indicated that there is an unprecedented number of people expressing interest in participating in some of the committees. He would be concerned if the retreat did not result in some sort of game plan. He would prefer for the City to deal with these issues at a specific level by the end of the day and, ifnot, there may be another block of time needed to accomplish this. Councilmember Aplikowski asked if the one-day program would be designed for both the City Staff and the City Council. Mr. Fritsinger stated that it would be. Councilmember Aplikowski agreed that there needs to be a conclusion regarding the committee issues, even if it requires additional retreat time. Councilmember Malone suggested that the retreat could be accomplished in one day providing the objectives are focused on. He noted that the intent for the retreat is to be a highlight of the issues, not specific details. If the first issue is to set objectives, these objectives should be limited and should include the discussion of committees. He wondered if some of the other proposed objectives require a great deal of attention, One key issue would be regarding the City Staff structure. He noted that much of the City structure is defined by statute. He expressed his concern of not having too many issues on the agenda. He reiterated that the retreat could be accomplished if it is limited to just a couple of issues. Councilmember Aplikowski stated that, in addition to reviewing the City Staff and structure, the mission statement should be reviewed to ensure the City is still on track with its goals. Councilmember Rem suggested that if the goal were to finish by the end of one day, the discussions need to stay on track and someone would need to keep and eye on the clock and ensure that the discussions are moving in the proper direction. Councilmember Malone asked ifthe hotel would be cheaper on Saturday compared to Friday. Mr. Fritsinger stated that it may not be. Councilmember Malone stated that he had considered the idea of moving the entire retreat to Saturday. Mr. Fritsinger stated that he could look into the rates, however it was his belief that if the entire retreat was held on Saturday the rates would be the same. The half day on Saturday would be cheaper as there would be no lunch or dinner provided. Mr. Fritsinger stated that the City had received information regarding the liability and workers compensation insurance. He stated that Staff had discussed the idea of setting up a special fund for the annual dividends. This would allow for any long-term insurance needs the City may have. " . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8,1999 13 Mr. Fritsinger noted that a few years ago the City carried a $500 deductible and this had been moved up last year to $1,000 in order to reduce the rates. The rationale behind setting up a special fund for the annual dividends would be to assist in ongoing claims and for the possibility to increase the deductible to further reduce the annual rates. A higher deductible could save the City up to $5,000 to $18,000 depending on the level of deductible. Mr. Fritsinger indicated that the Staff would present this option the City Council to determine if the Council is comfortable with Staff increasing the deductible. He noted that, in years with few claims this will be a good option, however in years with a large number claims there could be a down side. Mayor Probst stated that this option would be worth looking into. If the City has the opportunity to be self insured and the claims have been down it would be appropriate. Mayor Probst asked if the insurance policy covers incidents such as high-speed police chases through the City. He also asked, since the Ramsey County Sheriff Department acts as the police department for Arden Hills, if a high-speed chase incident were to occur, would this be the City's or the County's liability. Mr. Fritsinger stated that, in such an instance, the City would probably be named co-party. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Department carries a policy in such a way that it does cover the City for those activities, however the City would most likely be named in a law suit. Mayor Probst asked if the liability and workers compensation insurance policy would be the policy which would deal with this sort of situation. Mr. Fritsinger stated that it would be. Councilmember Malone requested confirmation that the workers compensation claims have been down over the last few years. Mr. Fritsinger indicated that this was correct. Councilmember Malone suggested that this may be due to the fact that they had not been handled properly in the past. Mr. Fritsinger stated that there had been only one claim last year. He noted that Mr. Stafford has, over the last few years, implemented training and managed care programs for the employees. He noted that most liability claims involve vehicles and there have not been any major claims. There had been one claim a couple of years ago when the tree chipper had been stolen out of the City's garage. With relation to the schedule for the retreat, Mr. Fritsinger noted that there was also a Worksession scheduled for the same week. He asked if the Council would want to cancel the Worksession as the only item on the agenda was to review the marketing brochure which is nearing completion. He suggested Staff could play it by ear whether or not to hold the meeting. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - FEBRUARY 8, 1999 14 Councilmember Malone noted that the Worksession was scheduled for Tuesday, February 16, 1999, therefore the decision on whether to hold the meeting must be made soon. Mr. Fritsinger stated that Staff would need a decision by Wednesday of this week. Councilmember Aplikowski requested confirmation that the content of the marketing brochure is available for review. Mr. Fritsinger stated that this was correct and suggested that it should be reviewed in its entirety. Councilmember Aplikowski agreed and noted that all that would be left to do would be to go out for bids and determine the cost. Councilmember Malone suggested the Council continue with the Worksession as planned. COUNCIL COMMENTS Mayor Probst expressed his curiosity as to why the Lake Johanna Volunteer Fire Department had not bid the Arsenal contract. He noted that in the past the Fire Department had bid both contracts and requested confirmation that they chose not to do so this year. Mr. Fritsinger agreed and indicated that he had no information as to why they had made this decision. ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember Malone moved and Councilmember Aplikowski seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (4- 0). ~, . Brian Fritsinger City Administrator NOTICE OF MEETINGS The next regular City Council meeting will be held Monday, February 22, 1999 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arden Hills Council Chambers.