HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_95Mar22~~x;
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES OF MARCH 22, 1995
Mayor Baldwin convened the meeting at 7:01 p.m.
PRESENT
Baldwin, Gehrz, Gibson Talbot, Jacobs. Also present were Hoyt, Phillips,
Maurer and Sampson.
ABSENT
Hustad, Asleson
COMMUNITY FORUM
There were no comments from the floor.
MINUTES OF MARCH 8, 1995
Minutes were approved unanimously as presented.
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED
Motion was made by Councilmember Gehrz to approve the following consent agenda.
1. Disbursements
a. General disbursements through 3/16/95, 590,909.67
b. Payroll, 3/1 /95 to 3/15/95, 512,148.84
2. Approval of fire department capital purchase
3. Request for authorization to prepare plans and specifications
and advertise for bids for the 1995 street sealcoating project
4. Request for authorization to prepare specifications and advertise
for bids for the roof of city hall
5. Authorization for the purchase of two personal computers for
administrative/secretarial use and one personal computer with
corresponding software conversions for finance/accounting use
6. Request for authorization to hire a streetsweeper for the city's
spring and fall streetsweeping
Motion c arried unanimously.
Page 2
Council Minutes
3/22/95
POLICY AGENDA
1.~
REVISITING THE ALLEY ASSESSMENT FOR SPECIFIC PROPERTIES LOCATED IN THE
1995 ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Mayor Baldwin gave council a brief update on the reason behind the request to revisit
the 1995 alley assessment. The reconstruction of Albert and Pascal Streets
in 1982 affected certain properties in the Northome area and those properties were
assessed based on the full length of their sideyard rather than on the 50' front length.
Because they were assessed an additional amount and because the situation was
unique, the policy was changed from 1982 to 1984 for the same street project after
the fact, Mayor Baldwin requested the council to adjust the '95 alley assessment by
reducing the assessment by 5500 for single property and 51,000 for the apartment
property. Councilmember Gehrz indicated she was not comfortable going back to this
and feels the time to challenge that decision was in 1984, not 1995. Councilmember
Jacobs said the only way to determine a fair assessment is based on what the added
value is to the property in a realistic sense. He said the assessment policy should
have a ceiling and a cap. Jacobs also felt these property owners had the option to
contest the assessment back in 1982. Councilmember Gibson Talbot felt this request
could present potential difficulty with other past projects and questioned the issue of
what precedent the council might be setting. Attorney Sampson said there was no
definitive legal answer on this, it could be construed as precedent but could also be
construed as unique. She said the time to appeal would have been in 1984.
Mayor Baldwin said the next step would be for a Councilmember to make a motion to
revisit the alley assessment for specific properties located in the 1995 alley
reconstruction project. No motion was made.
UPDATE ON UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
Administrator Hoyt updated the council about several community events tentatively
scheduled for the next few months. They are a volunteer recognition dinner,
neighborhood watch block captains meeting, tree care workshop, an Arbor Day
celebration, citywide garage sale and rescue open house/bicycle safety day. Council
felt that since the garage sale and rescue open house/bicycle safety are scheduled on
the same day, there might be a conflict. Administrator Hoyt said she would talk to the
rescue department to see if a different date might work out for them.
Page 3 ~~ ~ ~
Council Minutes
March 22, 1995
UPDATE ON POLICE SERVICES
Chief Engstrom presented council with police statistics in Falcon Heights since the St.
Anthony Police Department took over on January 1, 1995. The traffic enforcement
is considerably heavier than it was in the past and overall, he said we have a
"healthy" city with very little crime. The officers are patroling constantly through the
parks, business area and neighborhoods. They occasionally will stop to visit with a
businessowner or a resident if they are in the yard. Chief Engstrom and his officers
want the community to feel comfortable with the police and want them to become
involved in "community policing". Chief Engstrom answered council's questions about
the weekly reports, court system and the ride-along program.
CITY INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Councilmember Jacobs reported the local recycling spot market is up and that is why
E-Z Recycling has decided not to raise their rates on the contract the city has with
them. According to the terms of the contract, they could have raised their rate by
2.9% and by not doing so, a substantial savings is passed on to the city.
Mayor Baldwin invited everyone to attend Arbor Day celebration on May 19th at the
Falcon Heights School.
Jan Gibson Talbot said that the Human Rights Commission attendance has been
down.
Administrator Hoyt announced that streetsweeping is scheduled for the first or second
week in April.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
~G~~
ayor
Acting Recording Secr ary