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FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES <br />• Apri128, 2004 <br />-5 <br />Consideration of Resolutions 04-10 and 04-11 re ardin~ turn back of Hamline Roselawn <br />and Hoyt Avenues from Ramsey County (continued) <br />Administrator Worthington said that Resolutions 2004-11 and 2004-11A are for the turn back <br />of County State Aid Highways (CSAH), Hoyt Avenue, from Snelling to Hamline, and Roselawn <br />Avenue, from Fulham to Cleveland. Two resolutions are needed because two sections of the <br />turn backs are County State Aid Highways (CSAH) and require a different resolution from the <br />County Road (CR) turn backs. She said that Attorney Knutson prepared the joint City/County <br />resolutions (2004- l OA and 2004-11 A) to provide added protection for the City. <br />Engineer Maurer said the City has about $173,000 available in MSA funds. The City will be <br />taking a little out for Curtiss Field. The City will get about $127,000 in 2004, and at the end of <br />2005 will have about $175,000 to spend. Cities can also take out interest free loans, up to three <br />times their annual allotment, or up to $380,000. In the past the City has allocated 35% of its <br />MSA funds to maintenance. He reviewed the numbers with Administrator Worthington and is <br />confident there is sufficient funding available. If the roads are turned back, the ones that <br />currently don't have State aid will get a little bit of an increase because the system is complete <br />and well built. <br />Administrator Worthington said the City's maintenance schedule calls for seal coating and crack <br />sealing every five years. The City could decrease its maintenance program for several years, <br />to increase the reconstruction allocation, without affecting any of the maintenance programs, and <br />still have a healthy balance in the maintenance category. <br />Mayor Gehrz asked Engineer Maurer if he would review how MSA is determined. Engineer <br />Maurer said that MSA funds are gas tax funds. 62% goes to the State highway system, 29% <br />to the counties, and 9% goes to the 110-112 cities that are eligible. A community's population <br />and the State's determination of need (what it takes to build the system to State aid standards <br />in any given year) are factors in how the 9% is shared. <br />Council member Lamb asked Engineer Maurer to speculate a little bit. Over the last few years <br />we have seen HACA cut and eliminated to make the State budget. We have seen State aid to <br />cities cut and eliminated to make the State budget. We have seen State aid to schools eliminated <br />all to make the State budget. Do you see anything on the horizon that puts MSA in jeopardy or <br />is this a sacred cow? Engineer Maurer said that there hasn't been a gas tax increase in 20 years. <br />There is always a concern from the City side about the equation because the Legislature may <br />decide cities aren't spending all of their money and don't have as much of a need as the County <br />and State systems. He thinks that concern is real. The city side of the State aid system has done <br />some things like offering the no interest loan program so the pile of money isn't as large as it <br />used to be. This has been a concern for as long as he has worked with the system, but thus far, it <br />hasn't been tinkered with. Council member Lamb said that the last few years, we have seen the <br />Legislature divert funds to other areas. <br />S <br />