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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 07-21-1997 I e - MINUTES CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA WORKSESSION MONDAY, JULY 21,1997 4:45 P.M. - ARMY RESERVE CENTER - 4655 LEXINGTON A VENUE NORTH CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Acting Mayor, Susan Keirn called to order the City Council Worksession at 4:58 p.m. Present were Councilmembers Beverly Aplikowski and Paul Malone; City Administrator, Brian Fritsinger; City Accountant, Terry Post; Community Development Director, Kevin Ringwald; Public Works Superintendent, Dwayne Stafford; and Administrative Secretary, Sheila Stowell. Mayor Probst arrived at 5:05 p.m. and Cindy Walsh, Parks and Recreation Director, arrived at 5:40 p.m. Councilmember Dale Hicks was not present. APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA MOTION: Malone moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to approve the meeting agenda for the July 21, 1997 Worksession as presented. The motion carried unanimously (3-D). CITY ISSUES - SHORT TERM a. 1998 Preliminary Budget Issues City Administrator Fritsinger provided a brief overview of various outstanding issues in conjunction with preparing the Preliminary 1998 Budget. City Accountant Post outlined various department and planning issues needing Council direction. Discussion items included code enforcement and a possible creation of an intern position; Public Works equipment purchases through the cooperative purchasing agreement with the State of Minnesota; Pavement Management Plan funding levels; five-year plans for various surface water projects including ditch cleaning; sanitary sewer line televising; City Hall construction; and the use of temporary employees and outsourcing. Discussion continued regarding various Parks & Recreation Department issues including the creation of a trail maintenance department; trail improvements; and snow plowing of trails and sidewalks. It was the consensus of the Council that the number of reporting departments be simplified and summary reports provided, with annual or semi-annual detail financial expenditure reports included as part of monthly department-specific reporting. After further discussion, it was the consensus of the Council that winter plowing of trails, including the purchase of a snow blower for the skidsteer loader, be included as part of the 1998 Budget planning. Mr. Post reviewed revisions to the five-year capital improvement plan. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - JULY 21 1997 2 Staff was directed to include Stowe A venue on the next sanitary sewer televising, to ensure that, if necessary, the sanitary sewer infrastructure could be replaced at the time of the street reconstruction. If the sanitary sewer is included in the reconstruction as a project cost, the Building Inspector should be directed to inform affected property owners that future hook-ups to the City's sanitary sewer system would be available along Stowe Avenue. b. 1997 Street Review Process/1998 Imnrovements/Budget Impacts Consulting Engineer, Greg Stonehouse, reviewed the status of the 1997 street improvement project to-date. Mr. Stonehouse and Councilmembers also reviewed proposed 1998 street improvements, a proposed schedule, and continuing improving communication with affected property owners. Staff was directed to draft a sample letter, to be included with the legal notice sent to property owners, providing them additional information on how the assessment process works, and other related information. c. South Water Tower. Pittsburgh Tank & Tower Report Review Mr. Stonehouse provided recommendations regarding the South Water Tower and a recent inspection and proposal prepared by Pittsburgh Tank and Tower. Staff was directed to have plans and specifications prepared for presentation at the August 25, 1997 Council meeting. d. Tobacco Compliance Mr. Fritsinger presented recently adopted state legislation affecting the enforcement of tobacco regulations. Discussion ensued as to how the City Council would like to proceed with compliance relating to these new regulations. The City had received a proposal from the North Suburban Tobacco Compliance Project to provide compliance services to the City. Staff was directed to review with the Ramsey County Sheriffs Department how they would be enforcing compliance, and provide a recommendation to the Council at a later date. e. Council/Committee/Staff Barbeque The upcoming Council-sponsored committee member and staffbarbeque was discussed. The event is planned for September 15, 1997 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. It was the consensus of the Council that a separate recognition be planned for Parks & Recreation coaches and volunteers. . . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - JUL Y 21. 1997 3 following further discussion, staff was directed to plan the event similar to last year's barbeque. f. Preparation for Town Hall Meeting/Council and Department Head Retreat Discussion took place regarding preliminary preparations for the 1998 Town Hall Meeting and City Council/Department Head Retreat. Items discussed regarding the Town Hall meeting included scheduling; programming; Council interaction with residents; and committee involvement. StatI was directed to contact Bethel College regarding available dates as a preliminary step in the future planning of the Town Hall meeting. g. Welsh Draft Development Agreement Mr. Ringwald outlined the preliminary draft ofthe Welsh Development Agreement, with some additional streamlining and clarification yet remaining to be completed within the next two weeks to ensure that a revenue flow was guaranteed in accord with the assessment agreement. The document had been reviewed with Welsh Company, and would now be going to the respective attorneys for their review and comment. Staff advised Council that they anticipated the Purchase Agreement coming before the City Council for formal action at the August I I, 1997 meeting. CITY ISSUES - LONG TERM There were no long term City issues discussed. MISCELLANEOUS Highway 96 Reconstruction Project Proposed Trail Relocation Ms. Walsh reviewed her recent conversations with Greg Mack, Ramsey County Parks & Recreation Director, and his apparent lack of previous involvement in the COlmty's planning process regarding trail location and amenities involved with the Highway 96 reconstruction project. Ms. Walsh advised Councilmembers that representatives of Ramsey County, Larry Holmberg and Jim Tolaas, had been specifically encouraged to attend the City's July 30, 1997 Highway 96 Task Force meeting. Ms. Walsh anticipated requesting City Council adoption of a resolution at their August 11, 1997 meeting, recommending relocation of this trail. Cleveland Avenue Bridge Demolition and Reconstruction Staff was directed to notify Ramsey County that proposed scheduling for the Cleveland Avenue bridge demolition (December, 1997) and reconstruction (Spring, 1998) was unacceptable to the City. e . . ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION - JULY 21. 1997 4 City Newsletter Councilmember ApJikowski, Council Liaison to the City's Newsletter Committee, received Council consensus to advise the Committee to review costs for upgrading the quality of the paper stock used for the City's newsletter. Ramsey County Curfew Ordinance Mayor Probst requested a status update on the City's update on the Curfew Ordinance, in lieu of recent actions by the City of Shoreview, Mr. Fritsinger replied that it was his understanding that Ramsey County had still not taking formal action on the County's Curfew Ordinance revisions, but he would seek clarification with Ramsey County. ADJOURN MOTION: Keirn moved and Aplikowski seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m, The motion carried unanimously (4-0),