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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCWS 05-17-1999 MINUTES . CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA WORKSESSION MONDAY, MAY 17, 1999 4:45 P.M. - CITY HALL, 4364 WEST ROUND LAKE ROAD CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Dennis Probst called to order the City Council Worksession at 4:54 p.m. Present were Councilmembers Beverly Aplikowski, Gregg Larson, and Lois Rem; City Administrator, Brian Fritsinger; Assistant to the City Administrator, Kevin Ringwald; Public Works Director, Dwayne Stafford; City Accountant, Terrance Post; Parks and Recreation Director, Thomas J. Moore; and Administrative Secretary, Sheila Stowell. Councilmember Malone had previously notified staff that he may not be available for the meeting. Councilmember Rem arrived at 5:02 p.m. DISCUSSION ITEMS a. Morris Property Acquisition . Mr. Ringwald reviewed the background and possible Morris Communications property (fka, Naegele property) acquisition located within the Gateway Business District. Staff and Morris have held several meetings to-date, regarding the status of the marketing of the property. Morris Communications, notified staff that they are soon approaching a point where they will be making a long-term decision on what to do with the property. The options identified by the company included: I. Removing the property from the market and not considering further development of the parcels; 2. Selling the property to a developer who wishes to do something less than office; or 3. Selling the property to the City/EDA. Items discussed included those three options and their respective budget impacts; the City's maintenance of development in this area; purchasing the property on a deferred basis; the Council's vision for development of this property; and the possible relocation of ATS Steel. Staff was directed to continue pursuing a more formal approach to the potential acquisition of the property, provided it was possible to do so on an installment sale purchase arrangement with Morris Communications and that the price paid matched up with the EDA's revenues. Staff was . further directed to return to the Council with more firm details and a projected time frame for purchase that would relate to the City's revenue sources and future development and tax increment financing opportunities. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 17, 1999 2 . b. City Hall. AudioNisual Dcsie:n/Bude:et Revisions Mr. Fritsinger introduced Kate O'Reilly and Kyle Moorhead of Electronic Interiors, Inc., design consultants for the proposed audio/visual component of the new City Hall facility. The City Council was asked to provide direction to City staff, the design consultant and architect, on the recommended final design for this component of the new City Council chambers. Mr. Fritsinger reviewed the history of how staff and the City Council had arrived at this design; the original survey of Councilmembers for their requested design and amenities; Council and staff visits to other City Halls and the Metropolitan Airports Commission followed by further and more detailed discussion of those various amenities; meetings of the design subcommittee consisting of Mayor Probst, Councilmember Aplikowski and himself; and the continued paring of the original estimate as provided by Electronic Interiors to provide a basic design for the audio/visual needs. Ms. O'Reilly and Mr. Moorhead reviewed cost comparisons of other City Halls and the budgets of those audio/visual systems; the various components of the design, including the sound system; presentation tools; video display; video processing; cable castinglITV system; the control system; and a summary of the entire package. Discussion items included each of the various components as follows: . Sound svstem It was the consensus of the Council to incorporate the addition of several speakers to the hallway to facilitate potential overflow crowds. Presentation Tools Councilmember Larson expressed concerns regarding the need for the extensive presentation equipment outlined by the design consultants, and questioned whether it would be more prudent to concentrate on installation of the infrastructure, with additional equipment installed at a later date, particularly as it related to the rear-screen projection screen. The Council indicated it would like a pull down screen and overhead projector added to the project. Video Disolav Discussion items included the potential need for, and cost effects, of redesigning the Council Chambers if the rear-projection screen design were eliminated; ceiling height availability if design were to instead include an overhead-mounted projector and projection screen; and the desired quality of projections for audience, Council and home audience via cablecast. Video Processing The design consultants were directed to include a pull down screen in the ceiling and . overhead capabilities, as addressed in the last page of their presentation. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 17, 1999 3 . Cable Casting/I TV Svstem Specifications call for a two camera system. The design consultants stated that this was a basic system, and that the elimination of many graphics and other amenities had been completed when reductions had first been requested in the original proposal and budget. Discussion included various options of removing cablecast capabilities altogether; available cable dollars for that purpose; incorporation of existing equipment in the new facility; and current and future expectations of residents for a quality system in the new facility. Control Svstem Discussion related to the actual location of the control panel and contrast between a wireless or hard wired system. It was the consensus of the Council that the design consultants proceed with the hard wired system. Related overall project discussion included whether the City wanted to increase future cable casts to include the Planning Commission meetings. Mr. Fritsinger asked for specific direction from those Councilmembers present regarding their support of the current budget and program as outlined and refined in the Electronic Media Technology Budget Description dated May 10, 1999, as prepared by Electronic Interiors, Inc. . After extensive revicw and discussion, Mayor Probst and Councilmembers Aplikowski and Rem were supportive, with reservations, of those elements as presented by the design consultants and statf, at an estimated system total of$119,210. Counci1member Larson expressed his concern regarding the necessity for installation of the rear-projection screen and amenities at this time, provided the infrastructure was included in the initial design. Mr. Fritsinger sought further Council direction as staff was attempting to put the finishing touches on the overall City Hall design program, and the audio/visual component affected the design timing and status of the overall project. Mr. Fritsinger stated that staff and the design consultants were seeking direction from the Council on whether or not to proceed with the design as laid out by the consultants, and the projected costs, or whether redesign of the Council Chambers and the ultimate redesign ofthe audio/visual component would be necessary. With the absence of Councilmember Malone at this meeting, and the uncertainty of how the overall City Hall project would or would not proceed depending on the timing of the land transfer process, it was the consensus of those Councilmembers present that staff be directed to bring this component of the City Hall project back to the Council at the May 24,1999 meeting or future meeting, for a formal decision on whether to proceed with the $120,000 audio/visual package as presented, depending upon the status ofthe overall project. . It was the consensus of the Council that the projected addition of a third camera at an estimated additional cost of $11,780; and the addition of a bulletin board system for cable audience at an estimated additional cost of $5,553 were not necessary at this time, provided the infrastructure ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 17, 1999 4 . capabilities were included in the original design. Preliminarv Budl!:et Review c. Mr. Fritsinger and Mr. Post presented an outline of the proposed process to be used as part of the 2000 budget process. The City Council was asked to provide feedback and/or direction to staff on the calendar and proposed process. Staff was directed to prepare for the preliminary 2000 budget process, using a "zero" tax levy increase as a baseline, and to prepare for presentation the various ramifications for the June Council Worksession of implementing such a baseline. d. 1998 External Audit Mr. Steve McDonald, of Abdo, Abdo, Eick & Meyers, was in attendance and provided a brief preliminary review of the 1998 external audit and management letter, prior to formal presentation at tlle May 24, 1999 City Council meeting. Mr. McDonald and staff were directed to proceed with preparation of the formal presentation, as planned, at the May 24, 1999 Regular City Council meeting. 1999 COMMITTEE STRUCTURE OVERVIEW . At approximately 7: 10 p.m., Mayor Probst welcomed thirteen (13) existing and potential committee members related to the City's various advisory committees and task forces. Those interested potential committee members present included: Aaron Frederickson Tom Steele Roger Aiken Chuck Mertensotto A. Clayton Zimmerman Arnie Delger Fred Baude Ray McGraw Megan Ricke Don Messerley Rich Straumann Chuck Stoddard Marty Rye Written interest and comments on serving from those not able to attend the meeting included: Sue Schroeder Steve Zilmer James David Smith Mark Kelliher Following Councilmember, staff and audience introductions, Mayor Probst gave a brief review of recent committee reorganization, which had been in process over the last few years by the City Council. Mayor Probst stated the purpose for the meeting tonight was to introduce some of the Council's objectives and goals for committees and task forces on a more personal basis, and to encourage continued participation of existing committee members, and enlist new residents to serve in their various areas of interest in the new committee structure. . Mayor Probst stated the purpose of the restructure was to better utilize limited staff and financial resources, and provide closure on various projects for volunteers serving, in addition to allowing ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - MAY 17, 1999 5 . for more community involvement, which in turn allowed the City to receive many opinions and views, and provided a means of advocacy back into the community. Mayor Probst reviewed the memorandum distributed by mail to existing and potential committee members, specifying the creation of four standing committees and the proposed task forces planned for implementation. Councilmembers, respectively, reviewed the purpose of holding off on appointments to task forces until after Labor Day, to accommodate summer vacations and schedules. Mayor Probst advised those present that Councilmembers were anticipating meeting individually with standing committees and task forces to allow for more individual concentration on the City's philosophy, budgeting, committee/Council process, and other issues of interest to the committees, in the form of a "training" session, as they receive their charge from Councilmembers. Various members of the audience, Mayor Probst, and Councilmembers discussed various issues, in open forum, regarding timing of task force creation; purpose of standing committees and how they related to day-to-day operations; cross-over liaisons by committee members; the need for direct involvement between committees and Councilmembers to allow for more timely interaction and input; roles of Council and staff Liaisons; the historical nature of some of the . committees; the communication of information and research by committee members to the Council and community; the unique identify of each committee and their specific needs of staff and financial resources; the changing personality ofthe community and interest from citizens; and the need for the Council to look at the global picture in making decisions as related to the recommendations of the various committees. ADJOURN MOTION: Councilmember Aplikowski moved and Councilmember Rem seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:40 p.m. The motion carried unanimously (3-0), with Councilmember Larson having left the meeting. .