HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023 03-21 CC MinutesCity of Gem Lake City Council Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 1 | Page
City of Gem Lake
City Council Meeting – March 21, 2023
Meeting Minutes
Mayor Gretchen Artig-Swomley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Councilmembers Jim Lindner and Laurel Amlee
were present. Councilmembers Len Cacioppo and Ben Johnson were not present. Also present: City Attorney stand-in
Martin Norder, City Treasurer Tom Kelly, City Engineer Justin Gese, Acting City Clerk Melissa Lawrence, and residents
Rick Bosak, Tom Bolfing, Nick Cress and Jim Wilson.
March 21, 2023 Agenda
A motion was introduced by Councilmember Linder to accept the agenda, seconded by Councilmember Amlee. Voice
vote taken, all voted yes, motion passes, agenda accepted.
Minutes
A motion was introduced by Councilmember Lindner, seconded by Councilmember Amlee to approve the February 21,
2023, City Council Meeting Minutes. Voice vote taken, all voted yes, motion passes, agenda accepted.
Special Presentation
None
Consent Agenda
Resolution #2023-003 March 2023 Donation to White Bear Lake Area Food Shelf
Resolution #2023-004 March 2023 Donation to Northern Fusion Synchronized Skating Program
Resolution #2023-005 C & C Enterprises LLC Tobacco License 2023
Monthly Financial Reports
Claims
All items on the consent agenda were reviewed by the Council. Councilmember Lindner introduced a motion to
approve all the items listed on the consent agenda as is, seconded by Councilmember Amlee. Voice vote taken,
all voted yes, motion passes, consent agenda is approved.
Committee Reports - Planning Commission
Due to scheduling conflicts no one from the Commission was able to attend the City Council meeting to give a report. The
Mayor shared that the Commission has been working on the Nuisance Ordinance and things seem to be moving in the
right direction.
Old Business
Newsletter
A newsletter is due to go out in the next day or so. The Mayor is working on another newsletter to get out in the
next two (2) weeks so that the residents of Gem Lake can be informed of the MPCA coming to the April City
Council Meeting. The next copy of the newsletter will include topics such as the city clean-up day, applications
for municipal water funding and Ramsey County recycling.
Water System Funding Report
The City has submitted three (3) applications for partial water system funding. Nothing has been approved at this
time, the City is applying right now because it could take up to a year for anything to be approved. Since the
applications have been submitted the Mayor and City Engineer have been contacted multiple times to gather
more information for the applications. One piece of information that the City needs to gather before the end of
the week is a letter from the surrounding cities that can supply Gem Lake with water. The Mayor shared that she
has talked with Tim Grape from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and without coming out and
saying it, they seem positive that they know where the pollution is coming from, but they are still not able to
share anything at this point. Mayor Artig-Swomley has invited Time Grape and Michael Ginsbach to the April
Council meeting to be the guest speakers to discuss the topic further.
Next Steps Corridor Project
The Mayor would like to table this conversation until Councilmember Johnson can be in attendance.
Councilmember Lindner introduced a motion to table the discussion until the April City Council meeting,
City of Gem Lake City Council Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 2 | Page
seconded by Councilmember Amlee. Voice vote taken, all voted yes, motion passes, discussion is tabled until the
April meeting.
Gem Lake Clean-Up Day Discussion
The Mayor and City Clerk discussed the option of the City of Gem Lake and White Bear Township having a
joint clean-up event on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The Township brought the idea to their Town Board and it was
approved based on a couple conditions. The City Clerk would supply the Public Works Department a list of all
households in Gem Lake and that the City of Gem Lake be charged to join the event. Mayor Artig-Swomley and
Town Administrator Patrick Christopherson agreed that the City would be charged $500.00 for up to 50
households and an additional $5 per household after. Town Administrator asked the City to come up with a
resolution for the event to be approved at the meeting.
Resolution #2023-006 Joint Recycling Event Agreement
Acting City Clerk Melissa Lawrence created a resolution to approve the joint recycling event between
the City of Gem Lake and White Bear Township. The motion for adoption of the foregoing Resolution
was duly introduced by Councilmember Lindner and supported by Councilmember Amlee, and upon
vote being taken thereon, the resolution passed with a vote of 3 in favor and 0 against.
New Business
VLAWMO Discussions
Councilmember Lindner had a couple items to discuss regarding VLAWMO. At this time the February Meeting
was rescheduled due to weather and he expects to still be the chair of VLAWMO.
Budgeted Project 2024-2027
The City of Gem Lake has a couple grant & partnership dependent projects/activities on the VLAWMO
list for 2024-2027.
• 2024 – Commercial area retrofit project feasibility study - $25,000.00
• 2025 – Commercial area retrofit project implementation - $25,000.00
• 2026 – Commercial area retrofit project implementation - $125,000.00
• 2027 – Golf Course Water Reuse - $75,00.00
The amount listed for each year are VLAWMO partnership dollars and the possible/proposed partners
for these projects could be City, County or State grants. Councilmember Lindner stated that these are
not scheduled projects, but wanted to know if the Mayor and Council would like to keep the City of
Gem Lake on the list for these possible projects. Mayor Artig-Swomley said that the City should
remain on the list for future possible projects.
Snow Melt Concerns
Councilmember Lindner expressed some concern about the snowmelt in certain areas of the City. At
this time the Councilmember is concerned about one specific area in the City located on Hoffman Road.
The City has gotten some complaints from the new Luther Dealership going in about the snow piling at
White Bear Floral. The snow being piled, when it eventually melts, will begin to melt down towards the
new dealership. This area is also concerning because it is located near where the City recently had a
slope failure.
Councilmember Lindner reached out to Ramsey Washington Watershed to see if there were any
ordinances or rules regarding the piling of snow, and was told there are none. City Engineer Justin Gese
said that the City can notify the property owner that it is not proper use of the land and let them know
that the City will not be responsible for any future slope failures or complaints from adjacent owners.
The Mayor asked Mr. Gese if he could maybe come up with some language to add to our nuisance
ordinance and to give a report at the April meeting regarding the issue.
Tobacco and Liquor Ordinance Discussion – Possible Background Check Language Expansion
At this time the City does not have any language in the Liquor Ordinance regarding background checks. This
discussion came up because a new business will be opening on County Road E and it will be selling tobacco and
tobacco products. A background check is required and the Acting City Clerk was curious if the language in the
City of Gem Lake City Council Meeting Minutes March 21, 2023 3 | Page
tobacco ordinance should be expanded or left as is regarding the results of a background check. The Mayor
suggested that similar language be added to the liquor ordinance regarding background checks.
Councilmember Lindner introduced a motion to approve adding language to the liquor ordinance regarding
background checks, seconded by Councilmember Amlee. Voice vote taken, all voted yes, motion passes,
language will be added to the current liquor ordinance(s).
Future Charitable Gambling Donations
Each month the City receives money from the Country Lounge for their pull-tab and bingo sales. Most cities in
Minnesota are able to get up 10% of gross revenues from the charitable gambling that happens within city limits.
They then have to contribute all of these funds to charitable organizations or use it for very specific public safety
or educational purposes. The City decides who they would like to donate some of these funds to each month, a
favorite of the City is the White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf.
White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf
Mayor Artig-Swomley suggested that the Council make a donation in April in the amount of $1500.00
to the White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf. Councilmember Lindner introduced a motion to request
a donation in the amount of $1500.00 for the White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf, seconded by
Councilmember Amlee. Voice vote taken, all voted yes, motion passes, Acting City Clerk will request a
donation to be approved at the April City Council meeting.
Community Outreach to Other Cities and Government Bodies
Mayor Artig-Swomley shared that the City has been working with White Bear Township on the clean-up event scheduled
for May 20, 2023, and that the Public Works Department has been doing a great job with plowing this winter. The City of
Vadnais Heights was sent a proposal regarding the Villas water a couple months ago and the City has still heard nothing.
The Mayor will reach out to former City Attorney Patrick Kelly or Rachel at the attorney’s office to follow up on this with
another letter.
Presentation from the Public, 2 minutes maximum
None
Open Items for Council Members to Bring Up
Mayor Artig-Swomley asked if there were any volunteers for the League of MN Cities annual training event in Duluth
June 21 – June 23. The Councilmembers would look at their calendars and get back to her. The Mayor also shared that it is
time for the Acting City Clerks annual review and will send all Councilmembers a form to complete if they would like to.
Councilmember Lindner shared that Jack Hoeschler’s wife Linda reached out to him to see if he could put together a little
story on Jack’s time in the Planning Commission.
Future Council Meetings
City Council, Tuesday, April 18, 2023, Workshop, Monday, April 10, 2023 is CANCELED.
Attendance Inquiry
At this time all in attendance will be at the April meeting.
Adjournment
Being there no further business, following a motion from Councilmember Lindner, seconded by Councilmember Amlee,
the meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Melissa Lawrence