Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-17-09-WS �zS�EN HILLS. Approved: September 28, 2009 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING AUGUST 17, 2009 5:00 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Stan Harpstead called to order the City Council Work Session meeting at 5:00 p.m. Present: Mayor Stan Harpstead; Council Members David Grant (arrived at 6:10 p.m.), Brenda Holden, Fran Holmes, and Dave McClung. Absent: None. Also present: City Administrator Ron Moorse; Finance Director Susan Iverson; Community Development Director James Lehnhoff; Jamie Thelen, Sand Companies; Neil Fortier, Sand Companies; and Richard Denny, Sand Companies. 1. AGENDA ITEMS A. Arden Village Workforce Housing Concept Proposal Community Development Director Lehnhoff presented the City Council with information on the Arden Village Workforce Housing concept for a 55 affordable unit building at 1296 County Road F. He explained this property was immediately west of the Land O'Lakes headquarters. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated the proposal was requesting a letter of support from the Council for a housing tax credit application with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, as well as financial support from the City. He stated that Sand Companies would be presenting the Council with ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 2 information on the proposed building and will take questions and comments after that time. Jamie Thelen, CEO of Sand Companies introduced himself and his company to the Council. He then reviewed several projects his -company was currently completing in the metro area noting several were tax credit projects. Mr. Thelen indicated the proposed 55-unit workforce project would be designated for family housing and is financed with federal tax credits through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. He stated the application is due October I, 2009. If selected the project plans would begin in January of 2010 with construction to begin in July of 2010. Mr. Thelen explained that workforce housing would serve a family of four making a little over $50,000. He noted the rent would start at $755 and move upwards to $1,043. Mr. Thelen further reviewed the rental process and noted that all potential renters would receive a thorough background check. Richard Denny, Sand Companies, reviewed the proposed design of the 55 unit four-story building with the Council in detail. He indicated each unit would be provided two parking spaces. Mr. Denny stated the site would also have an office for the manager, along with a conference room, entrance lobby, and community room. Mr. Denny explained the Minnesota Housing Finance department required all - appliances to be energy star with every light being fluorescent. He indicated the exterior of the building would be cement board siding with a masonry base. Councilmember Holden questioned if Sand Companies was purchasing a portion of the parcel or the entire parcel for this building. Mr. Thelen indicated Sand Companies would be purchasing the entire parcel and had it under contract at this time. Councilmember Holmes asked for a valuation of TIF funds that were used for the Cottage Villas development. Finance Director Iverson explained that the Cottage Villas receives about $44,000 a year and began in 1993 or 1994. She stated this district is projected to have a balance well over $400,000 if extended to 12/31/19. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 3 Community Development Director Lehnhoff noted that the City could create a new TIF district on this property that captures the increment produced or the other option would be to extend the Cottage Villa's district an additional 10 years. Based on the calculations, this extension would create $545,000 over the next 10 years, and would be restricted to affordable housing. Discussion ensued regarding the benefits of the current TIF district. Mayor Harpstead indicated it would seem to be more efficient to extend the current TIF district to save the administrative expenses of establishing a new district. Mayor Harpstead questioned if the affordable housing projects are ever done in conjunction with market rate rents. Mr. Thelen stated this type of mix has not been successful and that the affordable housing units were more attractive at this time. He felt this was not a real good option anymore. Councilmember McClung stated there were several challenges with this site, one being the interstate and sound issues. Mr. Thelen stated he was aware of the properties location stating his company looks for these corridors because it had high visibility. Mr. Denny explained that the MHFA was aware of the sound concerns and that they would be using better windows on the building and hoped that the mature trees would be salvaged. Councilmember McClung noted the traffic from the County Road F could also be a concern due to the large volume of traffic. Mr. Denny stated this has been noted and that the workforce housing traffic may differ from the typical residential traffic as they may work split or night shifts, which spreads out the traffic patterns. Councilmember Holden expressed concern about the traffic as well. She questioned if the cement board was within the residential design standards. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 4 Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated Hardie-board was allowed but that the design standards would have to be further reviewed with the developer during the approval process. He explained that the B2 District could be used as guidelines. Mr. Thelen stated they would be willing to sit down with staff and review the elements used along with the design standards. Councilmember Holden stated she felt the financial aspect of this development was a concern as it would add an additional TIF district. She indicated there were many other projects the City could take on and fund to meet the needs of its residents instead of this project. Mayor Harpstead asked how many projects Sand Companies was applying for on a yearly basis. Mr. Thelen stated they typically applied for two or three projects each year. Mayor Harpstead stated he was in favor of the workforce housing and saw that it was necessary. He encouraged the construction and building design to be viable for over 40 years, while also having access to local amenities and transportation, both lacking for this site. Connections to trails and access to transportation would be great for this site, along with links to social services. Mr. Thelen stated the last four affordable housing projects Sand Companies has completed received a grant from the Met Council which assisted in the use of TIF for the City's involved in the workforce housing initiatives. Mayor Harpstead suggested the Finance Director create a proforma of what it would look like if the TIF district was not in place versus if in place. He felt the City might have a net increase in tax revenues to the City in spite of TIF. Councilmember Holmes stated the challenges on this property would be similar to the site completed in Maple Grove. She suggested this site be reviewed while this item proceeds. Community Development Director Lehnhoff reiterated that a letter of financial support from the City of Arden Hills does not imply immediate approval from the Council. The project would still need to go through the review process and have to meet the tests for TIF. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 200 5 It was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to keep in contact with the developer and that this information be brought back to the Council action to determine if this item should be on the September 14, 2009 agenda. B. Guiding Plan for the B2 District - Update Community Development Director Lehnhoff presented the City Council with information on the guiding plan for the B2 district and the next steps that need to be taken. He reviewed the memo in detail noting implementation steps. Community Development Director Lehnhoff asked for feedback and comments from the Council on a name change related to County Road E and on the infrastructure improvements. He explained the EDC was in favor of removing County Road E and putting Lake Johanna Boulevard in its place. Businesses in the area would be supportive as it would change the map search engines, which was challenging at this time. Community Development Director Lehnhoff noted that Ramsey County would be in support of a name change but that this would need to be discussed further to see how this would affect the residential areas. Mayor Harpstead stated a name change should be tangible and show progress and could change the momentum of this area. Councilmember Holden indicated the concerns of the business owners were valid as their addresses were difficult to search online and suggested the homeowners be approached personally about the change of the street name. Mayor Harpstead agreed with this suggestion. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the City of Shoreview should be contacted about the proposed name change. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated this was a possibility. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17, 2009 6 Councilmember Holmes noted she had no objections to the name change if it would help the community businesses but stated it should be made a part of the redevelopment event. Councilmember McClung agreed that the name change should be tied to something tangible or else the benefits would be lost. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated this discussion does tie into the infrastructure improvements in the area. He stated staff would like direction on the timing of these changes and the options for funding. Councilmember McClung explained the guiding plan was developed to assist in the redevelopment of the large parcels in the B2 district. He questioned how many more years the Holiday Inn site had before it would be redeveloped. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated this site could be redeveloped in two years, but there is no definitive timeline. Councilmember McClung suggested the infrastructure improvements be pushed out to the same time the Holiday Inn site would be redeveloped to have them all tied together. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated this was part of his thinking to work with the redevelopment of the site in conjunction with the engineering and - construction of the roadway. Councilmember Holden stated she did not want to see the County Road E pedestrian/bike crossing over Highway 51 wait until that time as it was highly dangerous at this time. Councilmember McClung felt the County Road E Bridge was a separate issue and would be completed before the rest of the zoning district. Mayor Harpstead suggested that if the County Road E Bridge were to be completed next year it would be great to have sidewalks completed to Pine Tree to get the infrastructure started. Discussion ensued regarding the Country Financial site. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 7 Councilmember Holmes questioned if any further information was known about the Walgreens development. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated he shared emails with Mr. Wellington last week and they are working on the final details for their contract. He was not sure of the timeline but that they were hoping to get started yet this year. Mayor Harpstead suggested the planning begin for this district but stated it would hinge greatly on what happens on both ends of the street, being the bridge and the Holiday Inn site. Councilmember Holden stated the sidewalks from the bridge may not have to go all the way to Pine Tree as the McDonald's site would be redeveloped and that they could be leveraged to put in new sidewalks. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the design work could be done in phases. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated this was a possibility and could be discussed with Kris in more detail. Councilmember Holmes suggested the workforce housing proposal be placed on the Country Financial site as it would be a better fit. Community Development Director Lehnhoff agreed this was an appropriate mixture and would bring residential into the B2 district. Councilmember McClung stated he wanted to have as much redevelopment occur within the same timeframe to encourage people to stand up and take notice of this area. Community Development Director Lehnhoff questioned if the Council was in favor of setting aside funds to begin the planning process in 20 10. Mayor Harpstead suggested having some funds set aside in 2010 to deal with phasing the project. He questioned how much was set aside for planning and what these funds covered. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated that $300,000 was budgeted for the planning. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 8 Councilmember McClung indicated he felt there was not enough information at this time to set aside funds and that he would like to leave the B2 district as it is. Councilmember Holmes explained that she would like the Council to be proactive and approach the businesses about the potential redevelopment to work with them through this process. Further discussion ensued regarding the B2 district planning process, funding sources along with the suggested amenities for the area. Councilmember Holmes asked if TIF could be used through this redevelopment. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated that this would be questionable because the area was fully developed at this time and may not generate the amount desired. Councilmember Holmes stated that the City may have to consider bonding due to the price tag attached to the roadway improvements. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated the first step would be to discuss the options for sequences and investigate the plans for 20 10. Mayor Harpstead stated this would come down to the expense. - Community Development Director Lehnhoff agreed stating once the expenses were known; the Council could narrow down the timeline a bit. He suggested the item be left within the CIP for now, with 2011 being engineering and 2012 being the construction. Councilmember Grant asked if the current housing TIF district at Cottage Villas could be extended. Finance Director Iverson stated with the current timing the Council would have to do a planned amendment this year to extend that district and tie it to a specific project. Councilmember Grant further commented that he was not in favor of the workforce housing project as it would require too much TIF from the City. He suggested the developer seek additional funding to fill the gap. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 9 Councilmember Holden suggested the business and home owners to discuss the County Road E name change further before this item continues. Mayor Harpstead agreed asking staff to speak with the homeowners and report back to Council. It was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to discuss the planning process further with Civil Engineer Giga and report back on the projected expenses. C. 20 10 Budget/2010-2014 CIP City Administrator Moorse gave a brief overview on the preliminary 2010 operating budget. He reviewed the main items that were affecting the budget for 20 10. City Administrator Moorse noted the general fund has the most significant impact on the tax levy, which was proposed to increase by $75,534 or 1.97% over the 2009 amended budget. He explained the 2009 budget needed to be in relation to Police service costs and the Assistant Fire Chief position. Councilmember McClung questioned if Arden Hills would be credited back the City's portion of the new assistant fire chief s salary, as they have not yet filled that position. City Administrator Moorse stated he wasn't certain of this but that the fire department could have a surplus for 2009. Mayor Harpstead indicated the billing from the fire department for 2010 should then be decreased based on the ratio paid from the previous year. He suggested that the finance director discuss this with the fire department and that this become policy. Councilmember Holmes questioned if there were any other issues within the 2009 budget that required an amendment, such as with Ryan Companies. Finance Director Iverson stated this was in the TCAAP funds and that a budget amendment would be needed once the City determines what is happening with the site and where the money is coming from. City Administrator Moorse explained the City will incur consulting and legal expenses in 2010 with regard to TCAAP. These expenses are not known to date ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 10 but will be provided for the budget. He noted there was $64,000 in planning dollars within could reallocate to TCAAP, based on the Council's priorites. City Administrator Moorse further reviewed the increased items within the general fund as being annual pay adjustments, group insurance contribution increase, the recording secretary, increased contributions to NW Youth and Family Services, the newsletter, election expenses, police expenses (up 1%), and fire services (up 5.6%.) He explained the City's property and liability insurance increased due to claims from the City, and the last item was an increase in hours for interns in finance and support services. City Administrator Moorse stated the change in revenue for the City was the allotment of the market value homestead credit, which was $61,774, equivalent to 2.1% of the total tax levy. He noted the increase in expenditures along with the reduction in the market value homestead credit leaves a funding gap that needs to be filled through a proposed 4.8% levy increase for 20 10. City Administrator Moorse explained the property tax on an average-valued residential property within the City of Arden Hills would go from $551.50 to$628.38, which was an increase of$76.88. Mayor Harpstead questioned if the property tax percentage increase was calculated. Finance Director Iverson stated this was roughly 13.9%. City Administrator Moorse summarized the proposed tax levy information with the Council again noting the increase was 4.8%, with 2.1% of that due to the market value homestead credit. Discussion ensued regarding the major changes within the preliminary 2010 budget. Councilmember Holden questioned the proposed pay adjustments for 2010. She suggested a 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) be written into the budget so that this item did not come back to hit the City harder in the future. Councilmember Holden stated staff could take leave without pay to keep the pay levels standard. Councilmember Holden indicated the 3% pay increase would be roughly the same as the expense of eight days without pay. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 11 Councilmember McClung stated the City should only be concerned about being behind the matrix if every other City were increasing pay, which many are not. Councilmember Grant stated he would be in favor of keeping the pay increase at zero and worry about the matrix in the future. Mayor Harpstead and Councilmember McClung agreed. Further discussion ensued regarding the City staff positions and pay scales. Councilmember Holden expressed concern for funds being available for the old City Hall to be demolished along with the railroad bridge and pedestrian bridge over County Road E. She added that no funds were set aside for Valentine Park either. Mayor Harpstead indicated there may be funds in the capital improvement fund to cover some of these items. City Administrator Moorse explained that any money spent on the old City Hall property would be earned back when the site was sold. - Mayor Harpstead stated he would be in favor of spending the money to demolish the building and potentially recover it through the sale of the property. He felt that funds could be used through the CIP. Councilmember Holden stated the assistant city administrator position was still vacant and should be unfunded or removed from the budget. Councilmember Holmes and Councilmember McClung agreed. Councilmember McClung suggested the position be removed from the budget and the funds be captured to pay down the increase for the residents or be used to cover TCAAP expenses. Mayor Harpstead questioned what the impact was to the City of not leaving the position in the budget. City Administrator Moorse indicated it was important to maintain the funding for the position for two reasons. One, consultants may be needed for specific projects. He indicated that funds could be transferred to cover these expenses. Second, an important duty of the position is the HR piece in the long term. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 12 Councilmember McClung stated that the position has been vacant for at least a year with the City doing fine. He felt the position could remain but that it should not be funded. Mayor Harpstead indicated in the area of human resources the City could use assistance but does not warrant a full time position. He suggested three-fourths of the funds be removed and allow staff the opportunity to use the remainder to resolve the HR issues. Councilmember Holmes suggested that the funds be set aside for consultants to cover the TCAAP expenses and for an HR assistant. Mayor Harpstead agreed with this suggestion but added that he would like to see some cost savings over the full time position if consultants are used. Councilmember Grant agreed as well noting the position should be removed and that consultants would benefit the City through cost savings. Mayor Harpstead questioned if the funds should be eliminated for Red Fox/Gray Fox. Councilmember Holden stated she wanted this issue to be addressed to have the property ready when the market turns. She indicated that she would be in favor of the assistant city administrator salary going into a pool of funds for consulting. It was the consensus of Council to put half of the assistant city administrator's salary into consulting and the other half be removed from the budget. Councilmember Holden then discussed the group insurance. She questioned if the increase would be $90 per month for the City or $90 per month for each employee. Finance Director Iverson stated the insurance was expected to increase by 10%, which equated to $90 per month per employee. She explained that the increase was divided in half with the City paying half and the employees paying the other half. The increase may be less than 10% but that this was the projection at this time. Finance Director Iverson indicated that she was also seeking bids from an insurance co-op, to see if the City can receive a better price. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 13 Mayor Harpstead questioned how many of the employees took advantage of the group health plan. Finance Director Iverson stated all employees used the plan at this time. Councilmember McClung questioned when the final numbers would be known. He stated he would not support the worst case numbers and was hoping it would come back much lower than projected. Finance Director Iverson stated the final numbers would be known mid to late September. She reviewed the health care plan in detail with the Council including the current co-pays and deductibles. Mayor Harpstead stated that with a zero percent increase in COLA he felt the increase in health care expenses was reasonable. It was the consensus of Council to review this item further when the numbers come back in September. Councilmember Grant questioned why there was a substantial increase in the recording secretary expense for 20 10. Finance Director Iverson stated the City will go over budget in 2009 due to an increase in meetings and the length of the meetings. Because of this, the City staff has increased the budgeted amount $5,000. Councilmember Grant asked how this item could be managed or if it would continue to increase exponentially each year. Mayor Harpstead stated it could be managed by having shorter meetings and fewer of them. Finance Director Iverson explained that in the past, the recording secretary did- the Council meeting with the Assistant City Administrator completed the work sessions. However, at this time, all meetings are being sent to the recording secretary due to the decrease in City staff. She indicated there was a great deal of TCAAP meetings, which increased the need for recording secretary services. Mayor Harpstead felt it was cheaper to have someone proficient complete the meetings, versus hiring additional staff. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 14 Councilmember Grant suggested this increase be $3,000 as the number of TCAAP meetings will be on the decline. Mayor Harpstead added that the partners on the opposite side of the table be asked to share in the recording secretary expenses. Councilmember Holden agreed. The next item for discussion was Youth and Family Services. Finance Director Iverson stated that Youth and Family Services would require more funding in 2010 than in years past as they are not receiving the donations or gambling contributions they have in years prior. She indicated the expected contribution is $14,449 for 2010. Mayor Harpstead indicated not all the funds allocated may be used but should be put into the budget if they are needed. Councilmember Holden stated she would like to see $250 set aside for the annual luncheon to allow staff to attend and contribute. She indicated she would be in favor of fully funding this line item up to $14,400 with the difference paid through gambling proceeds. Councilmember Grant questioned if the gambling proceeds were estimated to date and suggested these funds be used to pay the difference. Finance Director Iverson indicated they were not expecting to receive near what they need to make the full donation to NYFS. It was the consensus of Council to use the gambling proceeds as part of the donation to Youth and Family Services for 20 10 in an amount not to exceed $145400. Mayor Harpstead then discussed the newsletter increases. Councilmember McClung stated that the issues in the City and pages within the newsletter have increased which has been well received by the residents. He noted that the newsletter was not asking for an increase but merely to cover the expense of eleven issues at six pages an issue. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17, 200 15 Park and Recreation Manager Olson questioned if a park and trail map could be included in the newsletter once a year. She estimated this expense to be $1,000 for a double sided 1 1 x 17 inch color map. Councilmember McClung did not object to the trail map but suggested this be funded from the Park and Recreation department. Councilmember Holden stated the residents could be referred to the City website to download and print out their own trial map. Councilmember Grant and Mayor Harpstead agreed with this suggestion stating 2010 was not the year for the trail map. Councilmember Holmes questioned if money could be saved by sending out the newsletter electronically versus US mail Finance Director Iverson stated this was discussed with City staff, but that it was already sent at the lowest rate possible with the US mail. She indicated it would create additional concerns to get the information to those not able to receive it via email. - Mayor Harpstead stated the newsletter was a way to get information to all residents and needed to be done. Councilmember McClung indicated the newsletter has received so many positive responses from the residents and thanked the committee for their fantastic work. Councilmember Grant felt the budget was on the low end for the newsletter. It was the consensus of Council to keep the $5,000 in the budget for the City newsletter. It was the consensus of the Council to keep the election budget item as is. The next item discussed was the public safety budget. Councilmember Holden questioned if the fire board had discussed phasing in their budget. Mayor Harpstead indicated the fire board has not met since the last discussion. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17, 200 16 Councilmember McClung stated it would be difficult to discuss this item until the numbers were final. Councilmember Holden stated she had a hard time approving these numbers when the department was not yet fully staffed, but was billing out, and budgeted as fully staffed. She questioned what the increases were covering. Mayor Harpstead suggested a financial report be provided for the 9/11 expenses and that there were no budget surpluses. The next item discussed was the use of interns. Mayor Harpstead stated he feels the City uses interns well and that several grants have helped cover the expense. Councilmember Grant indicated the interns served the City well and were paid $10 per hour, which equated out to one-third of an employee. He suggested the interns continue as budgeted. Councilmember Grant questioned if any items were cut or eliminated from the budget. City Administrator Moorse stated the budget was drafted to be as minimal as possible, with all expenditures being minimized. Finance Director Iverson stated the majority of the budget items remained at zero unless it involved contracts for services. She noted there were no contingencies. The next item discussed was Red Fox/Gray Fox. Mayor Harpstead reiterated that the Council discussed putting the $66,000 in planning funds together with half of the assistant city manager's salary to cover the Red Fox/Gray Fox expenditures along with TCAAP and HR expenses. The Council was in favor of the suggestion. Mayor Harpstead questioned if Celebrate Arden Hills was included in the 20 10 budget. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17.2009 17 Park and Recreation Manager stated this was estimated to be $10,000 in City funds with $15,000 in donations. She indicated this was not currently in the 2010 budget. Councilmember Grant questioned if the overall levy limit had been set by the State. Finance Director Iverson indicated she was not sure until September 1 St and stated that she estimated as best she could. She noted the preliminary budget was already $62,000 under the levy limit at this time and that additional decreases were made tonight. City Administrator Moorse stated that staff would take all of these comments in and recalculate the levy and report back on this information. He reported that the preliminary 2010 tax levy would need to be approved at the September 14th meeting. City Administrator Moorse explained that Council needed to review the revised CIP pages based on past discussions. He suggested the 2010 CIP and PMP items be discussed in detail as they would affect the budgeting process. Councilmember Holden began the discussion with improvements to the CP Rail bridge. She questioned if any updated numbers were known of the expense for this item. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated this number has not been updated to date. Mayor Harpstead questioned if the cost would increase depending on the side chosen for the trail. He stated that if there was a cost savings on one side versus the other, the Council may want to revisit this issue. Civil Engineer Giga stated there would be wetland impacts on either side of the trail and that the estimate provided was for the west side. She indicated the abutment on the east side could be reviewed to provide a clearer estimate. Councilmember Holmes stated the Parks and Trails Committee was not leaning towards one side or the other. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 18 Councilmember Grant suggested the I&I mitigation continue through improving the sewer system, as it lowers the amount paid yearly to MetCouncil. Mayor Harpstead stated staff was reviewing which projects should be done and questioned if this item was a placeholder or if there were projects planned. Public Works Director Hoag stated this was merely a placeholder at this time, with pending projects to be filled in. Councilmember Grant suggested sewer lining be $75,000 and $100,000 for I&I mitigation. The Council was in agreement with this suggestion. Councilmember Grant questioned if the Lexington Avenue trail was removed. Councilmember Holden stated this was swapped from 2012 to 20 10. Discussion ensued regarding the Lexington Avenue Trail. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated this item was kept in and staff was seeking donations to cover half of the expense from the local businesses to cover half of the $62,000. Councilmember Grant suggested the budget item be reduced from $62,000 to $311000. Finance Director Iverson explained that the CIP shows the total $62,000 for the Lexington Avenue Trail, and the $31,000 donation from businesses is listed as a revenue source for the project in the CIP. The remaining $3 1,000 cost would be covered by the City. Councilmember Holden questioned the generator for lift station #8. She asked if a permanent generator was necessary or if a trailer could be used at any lift station, if needed. This would also eliminate the need for a permanent building structure. Public Works Director Hoag stated this was the direction the Council provided when last discussed. He indicated the generator would be ready to work at this lift station but could be deployed elsewhere if needed elsewhere. Discussion ensued regarding the need for mobile generators to meet the needs of failing lift stations. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 19 Councilmember Holden stated the average use of this generator would be once a year when a lift station fails. Mayor Harpstead questioned the expense of a sewer backup clean up. Public Works Director Hoag stated the expense would be the cost of the new generator, which was the entire purpose of this purchase, to avoid having to deal with a clean up situation. Councilmember Holden stated she was not in favor of a permanent structure. Mayor Harpstead agreed. Public Works Director Hoag indicated it would be staff s preference to have a generator on site for faster deployment to be ready to react to an emergency. Councilmember Holden questioned if the generator was a need or a want. Public Works Director Hoag stated from a management perspective and the liability to the City, he felt the generator was a need. City Administrator Moorse recalled the discussion from last meeting stating the Council had discussed having a building that housed a mobile generator. He indicated if this was to be mobile with a trailer it could be too big which led to the thought of a permanent generator that could be landscaped. City Administrator Moorse stated the $50,000 would cover either option but that staff was in favor of having something onsite as the response time was critical. Mayor Harpstead questioned what the $15,000 was for Highway 96. Civil Engineer Giga stated these funds were allotted in conjunction with the TH 10 and CR 96 project. She noted this would cover any watermain improvements that could be done while this project was underway. Councilmember Grant questioned the Snelling Avenue PMP. He stated $80,000 was allotted for 2012. Councilmember Holden stated this item was pushed to 2012 but that a feasibility study would be completed in 2010 to see if an overlay would suffice and would avoid issues with the watershed district. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 20 Councilmember Grant suggested the 20 10 line item be retitled the Snelling Avenue Feasibility Study. Mayor Harpstead questioned what the storm pond maintenance number covered. Civil Engineer Giga explained this was a plug number related to shoreline stabilization. She anticipated that next year would include a project at Indian Oaks Pond. The City has met with Ramsey Conservation District about doing some shoreline stabilization around the pond due to the fact there is one to two feet of sediment that needs to be excavated, while replanting natural vegetation. She explained that this would assist with the drainage concerns as well. The next item discussed was the surface water management plan. - Councilmember Grant questioned if$100,000 needed to be allotted for this item. Civil Engineer Giga stated this was a pricey study but that the driving factor behind this was Rice Creek Watershed and the need to be in compliance with their updates, but could move out to 2011. Mayor Harpstead questioned if this item could be spread out over two years. Finance Director Iverson stated this would make no difference as funds were allotted to the surface water fund. - Mayor Harpstead questioned if there were any economies of scale by joining together with neighboring communities to complete the surface water management plan together. Civil Engineer Giga stated this could possibly provide a savings and stated she would investigate this further. The next item discussed was technology and office equipment. Finance Director Iverson indicated the City had three laser printers that could need replacement if they fail. She added that the City needed a new color printer as well, as it has failed. Councilmember Holden suggested the laser printer be replaced and that no additional funds be spent on repair of this item. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 21 Finance Director Iverson stated she has been exploring another option over the laser printer to create greater efficiency and printer speed. She indicated she was looking at the cost per page through the analysis. Finance Director Iverson explained that the Springbrook upgrade was mandatory to continue operation and that it was going to a new platform. She felt the expense would be lower than projected as the City would not require as much training as estimated. The City was trying to complete this update before 2009 but that it looks as if it will be pushed to 20 10. Councilmember Holmes questioned if Valentine Park was budgeted in the near future and suggested this be placed in 2011. Civil Engineer Giga indicated she has spoken to Rice Creek Watershed and Bethel was working to eliminate the beavers. After they have been removed the County will clean out the pipes under Old Highway 10. She explained that this item would be discussed further with the County and Rice Creek to see how the water is draining and who will be responsible for it. Mayor Harpstead questioned how far Lake Valentine was projected to drop after the beaver dam was removed and the culverts were cleaned. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated the beaver dam would have a slight - impact but the culverts could affect it several inches and would remove the water from the parking lot. Councilmember Holmes stated the Parks Committee completed a Park tour from which Valentine Park and Freeway Park were determined to be the most in need. Councilmember Holden agreed stating Freeway Park needed some additional landscaping. Mayor Harpstead questioned if a landscaping budget had been discussed to address these concerns. He added that the southwest corner of CR96 and Lexington could also use additional trees. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated this would work well with the Eagle Scouts in the City and their proposed projects. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 22 Public Works Director Hoag stated this would be discussed in detail at a September work session. Councilmember McClung was in favor of a City effort to increase the planting of trees. He suggested residents be encouraged to donate to the Friends of the Park tree sale. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated she was also working on a bench implementation that would include a donation or memorial aspect. She indicated that the brochure would include information on the Friends of the Park tree sale for tree donations. Mayor Harpstead suggested this be discussed further at a future work session meeting and that tree donations be considered outside of the parkland. Councilmember Holmes asked again if the Council would support moving Valentine Hills Park to 2011 in the amount of$220,000. The Council was in favor of this suggestion. Councilmember McClung questioned if fill from TH 10 and CR96 could be used in this park to potentially reduce the cost of the park improvements. Staff noted they would review this suggestion. Councilmember Holden questioned if the old City Hall building would be torn - down this year or in 20 10. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated it was being considered for this fiscal year. He indicated he was going to an information session tomorrow morning about cleanup of a brown field City owned property. Funds may be available to assist with the clean up but that this was not a certainty. Councilmember McClung indicated Ramsey County did have funds available to assist in clean up. Community Development Director Lehnhoff indicated he would report back with information after his meeting. Mayor Harpstead felt that the funds spent to tear down the building and clean the site would be earned back through the sale of the site. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 23 Councilmember Grant stated that he would like to see the old City Hall site cleaned and leveled before marketing began on the site. Councilmember Holden questioned if the B2 District should be added to the 2010 budget. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated he would add some funds for preplanning of the B2 District. The Council then discussed the equipment purchases projected for 20 10. Councilmember Holden questioned why the John Deere was left in the budget as this was a future need and not requested for current use. Public Works Director Hoag indicated this request was for a combination of current, future and overall need for an adequate piece of equipment to do sidewalks. He noted the Toro's are not built for the abuse of sidewalks and require a great deal of repair work. Councilmember Holden stated she would like to see a justification on this piece of equipment. Mayor Harpstead indicated that language was included in the July memo but that it was omitted from this explanation. He noted that the other tractor would be sold - if the new one was purchased. Councilmember Holmes questioned if the City trails would be plowed in the winter if this piece of equipment were purchased. Park and Recreation Manager Olson indicated that the City plowed 90% of the trails but that there was a liability due to the build up of ice on the trails. She explained that although they are plowed there may be dangerous areas. 2. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Councilmember Holden stated she would like to know the status on the community-wide survey. She questioned how much was spent and how much more would need to be spent to finish the project. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 24 Mayor Harpstead indicated he was not opposed to this information to see if there was any asset value left on the project. Councilmember Holden noted Pot of Gold has had a lot of police activity as of late and questioned if they could be asked to have police onsite. Mayor Harpsted suggested staff review the incidents and see if they are in violation with their agreements. If so, see if the City could put in place a new agreement. Councilmember Holden asked where the National Guard was at this time, how they were doing on their project and suggested this information be brought back to Council in an admin update. City Administrator Moorse stated they are currently doing cleanup and will start building an armory separate from the training and community center. The motor pool vehicle maintenance was funded along with the armory space. He indicated the training and community center was not funded but the National Guard may seek input regarding sharing this facility with the City and other entities next spring. Councilmember Holden questioned how many trees have been cut down to date. Public Works Director Hoag stated 15-20 trees have been cut down, mostly due to oak wilt, with no Ash Borer. He has fielded calls and questions about Ash trees but that there was no Ash Borer yet. Councilmember Holden suggested a link be created on the City's website to direct the residents to further information on the Ash Borer. The Council was in agreement with this suggestion. Councilmember Holden noted Youth and Family Services was having their Taste of Northwest on September 24th from 5:30 to 9:00 at the Shoreview Community Center. Councilmember Holden questioned if the new permit software was tracking the sump pump inspection program. Community Development Director Lehnhoff stated this was the case and stated a report could be run through this program. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—AUGUST 17 2009 25 Mayor Harpstead indicated it would be interesting to see the types of reports generated from this new system. The Council agreed. Councilmember Holden stated she would also like a report from the 911 call center. She added that she would like to see a schedule of when the closed session TCAAP meetings were. Mayor Harpstead indicated the meeting schedule was listed on the website. Councilmember Grant stated he would be in favor of reducing or combining the number of Council meetings held along with making them more efficient. Mayor Harpstead agreed stating he would like to see the TCAAP meetings held only if there is a time sensitive agenda. City Administrator Moorse explained the TCAAP meeting for August could be pushed out to September. Councilmember Grant questioned if the Chatham Trail would be completed all the way back to the lift station. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated the trail would be completed to the underpass trail. Councilmember Grant noted the signs at Arden Plaza were back. He indicated the sign standard adjustment was approved, but that they needed to comply with the City's requirements. Community Development Director Lehnhoff agreed and stated he would speak with the Arden Plaza. Councilmember Grant discussed several trails that needed additional maintenance. Staff agreed to review these sites. Councilmember Grant noted he received an email from a resident requesting that the City mow the property next to Brauson's as it looks unsightly. He indicated this would make the City look nice and would only have to be done several times a year. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 26 Civil Engineer Giga stated this was County property and that they would not object to the City mowing the site. Mayor Harpstead agreed with this suggestion and stated the lot next to Perkins could be mowed as well. Councilmember Grant indicated he received a copy of the New Brighton Parks and Recreation Bulletin. He noted they used a newspaper type print and was put together really well. In addition, New Brighton was partnering with St. Anthony for various activities. He questioned why Arden Hills did not partner with Shoreview or New Brighton for senior programs. Park and Recreation Manager Olson stated the City was going to begin partnering with Shoreview for senior activities and art classes. She indicated she would look into this more. Councilmember Grant asked if the City had received any revenues from forfeited auto sales. Finance Director Iverson indicated these revenues were included in the budget on a quarterly basis. Councilmember McClung stated the EMS provider for Arden Hills was Allina and asked if the City could be provided with a report on the number of calls each month. He understood that New Brighton received monthly reports on this information and was very active in managing that relationship. He felt the City should gather this information and report back to Council. Councilmember Holmes asked if the City was set for the August 3 1 St public hearing with Ramsey County. She questioned if the residents in Briar Knoll were going to be contacted. City Administrator Moorse stated staff sent out an improvement hearing notice to discuss a noise wall on the north side of CR96. The notice does not say the hearing is to discuss general noise mitigation and that this information will be passed along at the open house. City Administrator Moorse indicated the Council could also explain they want to schedule an onsite meeting with the Briar Knoll residents to discuss a potential berm in the area to assist with noise mitigation. ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION-AUGUST 17 2009 27 Councilmember Holmes questioned if the public comments should be taken after the hearing. Mayor Harpstead stated he could state that the hearing was restricted to the noise wall on the north side of CR96 and that all other comments should be made during the public comments portion of the meeting. The Council was in agreement with this suggestion. Mayor Harpstead adjou ouncil Work Session meeti g a :27 p.m. lelY6n Ha stead Ronald J. M rse Mayor \ ity Administrator