HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-07 WS CC - Approved0 0~
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City Counci12009-01-07 6:30 p.m. ~ ~ ~
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Minutes of Work Session
Present were Mayor Capra, Council Members Jeff Paar, Tom Lee, Linda Broussard-
Vickers, and Ben Fehrenbacher. Also present were Mark Statz of Bonestroo & Assoc.,
City Attorney Kurt Glaser and Deb Barnes reporter for the Citizen.
1) Meeting Protocol. Mayor Capra reviewed meeting protocol and reminded
members about the temptation to have separate conversations going during the
meetings. This makes it difficult to hear, especially for home television viewers,
and may prolong the meetings.
2) Chapter 150 Code amendments. City Attorney Glaser reported that final
adjustments to the proposed ordinance amending Chapters 150-155 should be
complete this week and that the material should be on the next Council agenda for
consideration.
3) 2009 Goals. The Council reviewed a draft of possible goals for 2009.
Item LB. City Hall addition will be a low priority and deferred until other
items such as sale of the old public works site and backage road property has been
completed.
Item LF. Staff inspector. It was suggested that if a staff project inspector is
implemented, that it be through retraining the existing public works employees
and not by adding staff at this time.
Item ILA. Community signs. The consensus was that the design of
community entry signs should be finalized this year and that easements be secured
for the various locations. Then the council could consider installing the first sign.
Item ILC. Downtown redevelopment. Everyone agreed that the downtown
redevelopment should be a high priority goal for this year. It was reported that
Beard Group is planning to make a status report to Council in February.
Item ILD., 1. Backage Road Project. It was noted that the project is comlete
except to make a special assessment to the Sheehy property and to sell the
backage road property. The consensus was that the city should not rush to sell the
property, as a proposed development to the east in Lino Lakes, if successful
would substantially enhance the value of the city property. The city needs to
decide on a street name and then plat the property.
Item IILD, Plan for reductions in State revenue. The city expects to loose
between $20,000 and the entire $60,000+- in Market Value Homestead Credit.
Staff believes that the reduction can be absorbed with minor impact. The finance
director included a potential $35,000 revenue loss in the budget.
The council felt that expense reduction measures may need to be
implemented. Deb Barnes of the Citizen asked that her newspaper be considered
as the official paper for 2009. The administrator noted that the Citizen's
publication rates are about 12% higher than the current paper and that the Citizen,
being a bi-weekly paper would provide less flexibility in scheduling hearings
where legal notice publication is required. Consensus seemed to be that the City
try the Citizen for one year and evaluate again after that.
The council discussed ways to improve communication with its citizens.
Improvements to the website may be helpful. The city hall message board was
discussed. Upgrades to the sign were not supported, as too expensive at this time.
Information highlights/city updates may become a feature of the website.
4) Capital Expenditures Plan. The current capital expenditure plan which goes out
to 2011 was distributed. Council members were asked to identify projects that
they would like to see added to the list.
5) CSAH 14 Engineering fees. The Council discussed the engineer's proposed
increase in the inspection budget for the CSAH 14 project. Council member Lee
expressed great concern that the engineer didn't disclose the proposed cost
increase until a large number of extra hours had already been incurred. Even
though city staff was busy with inspection of storm damage repair, he felt that the
city may have made other less costly arrangements had the council been given the
choice. Other council members felt that the inspection work was necessary and
the council would have approved it. The extra costs incurred to date are about
$21,000. Council member Broussard Vickers stated that she felt that the delay in
reporting the problem was about a month to 45 days later than it should have been
and suggested a 5% reduction in the rate for 2009, not retroactive to 2008. The
Council will further consider the matter at its next regular meeting.
6) LGA/Market Value Homestead Credit. (discussed with goals)
7) 2009 Street Project. The council had a lengthy discussion on the 2009 Street
Project and whether it should be reconsidered in light of the economic and
unemployment problems facing the state. Members expressed concern that the
project would get more expensive if delayed, and that much of the costs incurred
thus far for engineering and the like would be wasted. Consensus was that the
project should proceed to the public hearing and a final decision made after that.
City Attorney Glaser reviewed the assessment hearing process and the
procedure to resolve assessment appeals.
8) 2009-2010 Budgets. Due to the late hour discussion was tabled on this item.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Dallas Larson, Administrator