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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_04Feb25 CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS COUNCIL MINUTES February 25, 2004 Mayor Gehrz convened the regular City Council meeting at 7:00 PM. PRESENT: Mayor Sue Gehrz, Council members Laura Kuettel, Robert Lamb, Peter Lindstrom and Richard Talbot Also present: City Administrator Heather Worthington and Deputy Clerk Mary Shea Kodluboy COMMUNITY FORUM: There was no commentary from the audience. PRESENTATION: Roseville Visitor’s Bureau – Dino Lobaido, Executive Director Mr. Dino Lobaido, Executive Director of the Roseville Visitor’s Bureau, said the Bureau was founded in 2000. Its purpose is to promote Roseville as a destination for meetings and tourism; contribute to the positive identity and economic well being of the City of Roseville and surrounding communities; and provide a leadership role with community and business partners to create an outstanding visitor experience. Financial support comes from a lodging tax and marketing efforts. The organization promotes itself through telemarketing, sales missions, and trade shows, targeted mailings, networking conferences, familiarization tours and website promotion. Their plans for 2004 are a new visitor’s guide, a new sales person, restaurant reception, wedding guide, educational guide and a holiday get-away program. Mayor Gehrz, on behalf of the Council, thanked Mr. Lobaido for his presentation. She commented that Falcon Heights has fantastic restaurants and cultural and educational attractions. The Bell Museum will be moving here within the next five years and will be located across the street from the Gibbs Farm Museum. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Council minutes dated February 11, 2004 were unanimously approved was presented. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None Scheduled FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -2- February 25, 2004 CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Gehrz said she was asking that Consent Agenda Item G3: Authorization to apply for third CERT grant, be deleted from the Consent Agenda because the City won’t be applying for a CERT grant at this time. Talbot moved approval of the Consent Agenda, as amended and outlined below. The motion was unanimously approved. 1. General Disbursements through February 19, 2004: $ 225,390.91 Payroll (02/01/04-02/15/04): $ 14,300.36 2. Authorization to sign three year contract with Kern DeWenter Viere for auditing services 4. Approval of final plat for Falcon Heights Town Square, Second Addition Approval of resident survey for the Neighborhood Commission Mayor Gehrz said that after the events of 9/11, the community was mobilized to develop a plan for local home security. One of the issues that came up was the need for more first aid training. The National Safety Council offered a free week of training for first aid which could be taken on-line. She contacted them and offered the City as a pilot City. This was developed as a joint project with them, but almost a year and a half has gone by and the National Safety Council has not proceeded any further with the project. She does not want to lose the talents of the researcher who needs to do this for her master’s degree in public health. This is an opportunity for the Neighborhood Commission to work with a public health graduate student at the University of Minnesota on an Emergency Preparedness Needs Assessment survey to be conducted this spring. The Council is being asked to review the survey and authorize the Neighborhood Commission to go forward with it. She introduced Ms. Jenna Washnieski, the graduate student who will conduct the survey, and Ms. Kris Grangaard, Chairperson of the Neighborhood Commission. Ms. Washnieski said that 500 residents will be surveyed. The University of Minnesota is a State agency so driver’s license lists can be used to obtain names of residents. A survey and cover letter will be sent to each participating resident, along with a $1.00 incentive. She gave a brief review of the survey components, i.e. exploration of the neighborhood liaison program, resident comfort and cohesion, perception of threat, demographic information, etc. She said she will be starting within the next few weeks and hopes to have results by June or July. She will quantify the information and provide a report. Recommendations will be made, based upon what is known about the City and emergency preparedness. Funding support will be coming from a grant from the Department of Epidemiology. A brief discussion followed. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -3- February 25, 2004 Approval of resident survey for the Neighborhood Commission (continued) Kuettel moved approval for the Neighborhood Commission to proceed with a resident survey on the Emergency Preparedness Needs Assessment. The motion was unanimously approved. Acceptance of the terms of the MNDOT Limited Use Permit authorizing Falcon Heights to construct a section of sidewalk in State right of way Administrator Worthington said the plans for Curtiss Field include a sidewalk around the pond area, and a portion of this sidewalk needs to be constructed on State of Minnesota right of way. Using this right of way helps achieve a more gradual, safer slope on the sides of the pond. By agreeing to the conditions of this permit, Falcon Heights will assume responsibility for maintenance of this sidewalk and liability for any claims resulting from its construction. Falcon Heights has a similar agreement with Ramsey County for sidewalks that run along county roads. Lindstrom moved acceptance of the terms of the State of Minnesota Limited Use Permit to construct a section of sidewalk for Curtiss Field in State right of way. The motion was unanimously approved. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: Council member Lamb reminded the viewing audience that there will be a public hearing at 7:00 PM, on Wednesday, March 24, 2004, about initiating the statutory process to consider having a single hauler for Falcon Heights. He said the City and others are going to sponsor a City-wide drive in March to replenish the food shelf for this area’s food shelf at Keystone Community Service and provided the following statistical information: Of the 23.3 million needy people seeking emergency food assistance in the United States, more than 9 million are children. 29.7% of food recipients had to choose between paying for food or medicine in the last twelve months. Last year in Minnesota, 95 people are known to have died of homelessness. In our metro area, about 80,000 low-income families compete for the 39,000 affordable housing units. 70% of the poor families with children include a person who works. Two City-wide flyer drops will be done to let residents know the locations where the food and supplies can be dropped off between March 22-26. The Lions Club will be picking up the food and supplies from the drop sites and delivering them to Keystone on March 27. In response to a question from Council member Lamb about the Housing Resource Center, Administrator Worthington said that information will be available at the March 10 Council agenda. Council member Talbot said that each year North Suburban Communications Commission offers scholarship money to college students in increments of $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000. The students must have completed at least one year of college to apply. FALCON HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES -4- February 25, 2004 INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS (continued) Council member Talbot said that people can contact the Commission’s office at 651-792-7500, their website at www.CTV15.ORG/NSCC, or area city halls, libraries, high school counseling and college financial aid offices. Submission deadline is April 16, 2004. Council member Lindstrom said that Barbara Lukermann, a member of the Planning Commission, has received the National Distinguished Leadership Award for a Professional Planner. The City is honored to have her on its Planning Commission. Mayor Gehrz reminded the viewing audience that the Neal Kwong award nominations are due by March 1. To date, the City has trained 37 members in a series of two CERT training programs. Gretel Keene has gone for additional training and will be doing a training update for the other CERT members on Thursday, February 26. A new CERT class will start on March 18. There will be seven training sessions. Deadline for application is March 11. Call City Hall to sign up. She gave a quick review of a letter from the Saint Anthony Police Department indicating that the three current liquor license holders in Falcon Heights (Ciatti’s, J’s Liquor and Pizza Hut) all satisfactorily passed their alcohol compliance checks. There was brief Council discussion about a letter received from the State Fair. The State Fair is working with the Legislature to get their sales tax exemption reinstated. They indicate that loss of the sales tax exemption cost them $1.2 million for much needed capital work in 2003. They are hoping to lift the requirement that limits their licensed beer vendors to selling 3.2 products so that more opportunities will be created for Minnesota brewers who don’t brew 3.2 products. They are also hoping to change the liquor licensing authority for wine sales at the fairgrounds from St. Paul to Ramsey County. The general consensus of the Council was support for the State Fair’s requests and Administrator Worthington will prepare a letter to that effect. Administrator Worthington said that at SE Corner the third story is being constructed and the roof will be going on in the next few weeks. Dino’s will be opening toward the end of March and Pizza Hut will be closing March 31. As soon as those two buildings are demolished construction will begin on the second building. The site is muddy and will be muddier. The City has asked Kraus Anderson to keep the streets as clean as possible and protect the storm sewer. The regular City Council meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM. Respectfully submitted, Mary Shea Kodluboy Deputy Clerk