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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Packet_8-08-18CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Regular Meeting of the City Council City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA August 8, 2018 at 7:00 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: B. ROLL CALL: LINDSTROM ___ LEEHY____ BROWN THUNDER _N/A__ MIAZGA ___ GUSTAFSON___ STAFF PRESENT: THONGVANH____ C. PRESENTATIONS: D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. July 25, 2018 City Council Meeting Minutes E. PUBLIC HEARINGS: F. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. General Disbursements through: 8/01/18 $46,776.78 Payroll through: 7/31/18 $25,229.34 G: POLICY ITEMS: H. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENTS 1. Budget Workshop #1 following August 22, 2018 Regular City Council Meeting 2. Weekly Police Reports – Click Here I. COMMUNITY FORUM: J. ADJOURNMENT: 1 | Page CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Regular Meeting of the City Council City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue AGENDA July 25, 2018 at 7:00 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: B. ROLL CALL: LINDSTROM _X__ LEEHY_X___ BROWN THUNDER _X__ MIAZGA _X__ GUSTAFSON_X__ STAFF PRESENT: THONGVANH__X__ Mayor Lindstrom Would like to add a third item to the Policy Items and it is the Curtis Field Basketball Court. Approved C. PRESENTATIONS: D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. June 27, 2018 City Council Meeting Minutes Approved E. PUBLIC HEARINGS: F. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. General Disbursements through: 7/06/18 $469,580.95 Payroll through: 6/30/18 $23,112.35 Council Member Gustafson Moved, Approved 5-0 G: POLICY ITEMS: 1. Bush Foundation – Community Innovation Grant Application 2 City Administrator Thongvanh In the last meeting, although it was not a quorum, Council Member Gustafson, and Council Member Brown Thunder, and I gave updates to the community about the Bust Foundation Grant. Council Member Gustafson, Council Member Leehy and I worked on the Bush Foundation Grant, and it has officially been submitted. If the organization needs additional information, they will contact us and we should hear back from them in a month or two to find out if we are a finalist. The complete process should take four months. This will take us into November. The formal action will happen if the City does receive the grant; the Council will have to accept the grant from the Bush Foundation. 2 | Page Council Member Gustafson The grant is to help implement a community engagement, inclusion and help create a welcome community packet and system of trying to develop within Falcon Heights. Being able to tell our stories with how we did the work to become a more welcome community, find a way to measure our success, and a layout blueprint for other cities to do the same thing. The goal is to build a more welcoming city, inclusive where citizens and visitors here all recognized each other as individuals, and treat each other with respect and dignity. How do we quantify, advance, and accomplished down that road by telling our stories then develop a packet that will help other cities. When the shooting of Philando Castile happened in 2016, the community was outraged. They did not trust the City and did not feel welcome here. Telling our stories about how we go about healing, and where there was not a guide to follow and had to do it as we go. This process will help us embark on aiding other cities, concentrated money because of limited staffs and time. The grant will help to work more efficiently. Council Member Leehy We desired for our work with implementations of the Task Force recommendations to be sustainable, systematic, and be a project that continues to build. The Bush Foundation Grant has been worked on for the past months with recommendations to establish a sustainable, systematic, and allows for as many people to participate as want to without the taxing the staffs that we already with full-time jobs. We need the capacity to roll this out in a healthy way and don’t look back in 10 years from now and look at it as something we will forget, but want to see it as an accomplishment from the work and healing the city did after the shooting in 2016. Also, welcome people into our community and accept them and have the sense of belonging in Falcon Heights. Once we received the grant, we will start asking residents to get involved and help build a healthy, and welcome community. Information about the Bush Foundation can be found on the website under the Agenda. Mayor Lindstrom Thank everyone for working on the grant and hope the city will received it. 2. Goodbye to City Council Member Joe Brown Thunder Mayor Lindstrom Council Member Brown Thunder was appointed in October 2014 to fill a vacancy and was elected in November 2015 election. At that time we were looking for someone who would bring in different background and experiences to the Council. Council Member Brown Thunder have brought a whole set of skills to the Council and proud to have him in the past four years. Thank you for being a part of this community and your service will not be forgotten. I will miss him dearly and good luck to a new chapter. 3 | Page Council Member Miazga Best wishes for peace to Council Member Brown Thunder and his family, safe travel to California, good health and keep in touch. Council Member Leehy First met Council Member Brown Thunder as a neighbor and his family. Hope that Falcon Heights has provided him and his family of what they needed and thank you for pouring out and devoting time in our city. Sending you blessing. Council Member Gustafson Thank Council Member Brown Thunder for serving and giving to the community. I truly appreciate you and the people of Falcon Heights does too. City Administrator Thongvanh Council Member Brown Thunder has been an inspiration and excellent example of a faithful public servant that always has the best interest of the residents of Falcon Heights. He was instrumental in the progress of the community’s fiscal stability by receiving the City’s AAA bond rating for the second year in a row to making the community more inclusive. Council Member Brown Thunder had an enormous impact on every aspect of the City. He would be the first person to NOT take credit for the impact he had here in the City, but that is what makes him unique. I wish him and his family the best. I can genuinely say that all will miss him. Thank you for your leadership and friendship. “I like the feeling of finding it difficult to say goodbye to someone because it only means that I have found a true friend….” This is not goodbye, but see you soon. Council Member Brown Thunder Thank you, everyone, for saying goodbye and being part of the Council has a lot of good memories. Being part of Council and government is not easy, and my advice to the new Council Member is to read everything, ask questions, and get help from your Council Member peers. Look to the Council that has been here. I cannot say enough about Council Member Chuck Long and how he has helped me. I will say it again, No one gets to where they are without the support and people that have help them get there. He was such a good role model from me to learn from. “No one gets to where they are, without the support and people who has helped them get there.” When I was elected, I took an oath, live by that oath and it has been a constant reminder when I face stressful situations and how I can protect the city and citizens. Hold on to the oath and turn to it as a reminder when you face difficult situations. You do not realize what that oath is until something big, like what happen to us. How proud and honor I was to be seated next to you guys and for us to make those decisions and to have those talks. No one will know what those situations were except for the people in the room. If you would have told me running for City Council Members that you would 4 | Page have death threats and your family was going to feel unsafe, I would not have believed it. But at the same time, I also wanted to make sure I was here to keep that oath. Hold that oath to look to that oath. There were a lot of words in the oath that we took that I looked to many times. I learn a lot and experience a lot. I did not get to work with the new Council Members a lot, but you have your work cut out for you. I know one of the things I said was I did not want to stop until we finished the things that needed to get done, but life has way of making you do other things. Sack, I appriacte the words. It’s what my grandparents told me. “Get in there and make a difference”. I try to live those words every day. Randy, you and I have spent a lot of time talking. I appreciate bouncing ideas and your analytical process you had. I would also like to thank Former Council Members Tony Fischer and Pam Harris. Especially Former Council Pam Harris, I cannot say enough. Pam and I had many conversations and she was such a mentor. I have said it over and over again. “No one get to where they are by themselves, we always have people help us. For those looking at running, look at that oath. It will take a lot of time and it will take a lot of heart. That was one thing I was not ready for. I did not know the amount of heart it took to be up here and to make the decisions we made. Falcon Heights will always be a second home to us. I am so proud to be a resident of Falcon Heights. Mayor Lindstrom What is that you are wearing? Council Member Brown Thunder Council Member Brown Thunder explain the significant of the Ho-Chunk medallion that Joe was given to him by his family when he was chosen to be the spoke person for when he accepted the Medal of Honor in their behalf. As Council Members, we are here to protect the values of our City. The significance is that the medallion was what Council Member Brown Thunder wore when he took the Oath of Office and it represents the people that were there, but are not here tonight. City Administrator Thongvanh On before of the City Staff, we wanted to thank you for your continued support the last three and a half year. You, current and past Council Members were big supporters of City Staff. It is a huge benefit that the Council and City Staff can work together. It shows because past employees come back a visit. If you did not like the working for the City, you are not coming back to visit. 3. Curtiss Field – Basketball Court City Administrator Thongvanh Would like to install a half basketball court at Curtiss Field for a regulation hoop and a lower hoop. The item was at the City Council workshop on July 18th, 2018 and the City Council determined that a half basketball is needed at Curtiss Field. The Council concluded that the City would make the best effort to help preserve the rink, but not at the cost of not having a half basketball court. If the City is unable to create a pleasure rink and a hockey rink at Curtiss Field, then they will try their best to modify the use of the single rink to accommodate both by adjusting the schedule. The Capital Fund 5 | Page will be reduced by no more than $20,000 and asked for a motion to spend up to $20,000 on Curtiss Field Basketball Court replacement. Hope to have the basketball court be completed by this fall and will take half of the pleasure rink up to the sidewalk where it was located in the winter, that will be where the basket court will be. The most feasible place to do it because other sports in the park will be too close to the playground and homes. Mayor Lindstrom Let’s do a good job communicating this with the neighborhood that this is the plan by publishing it in the newsletter. Council Member Brown Thunder Agreed that bringing in a basketball court to Curtiss Field will be a good idea; notably, the apartment residents and local youths. Council Member Brown Thunder Moved, Approve 5-0 H. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENTS Council Member Miazga · Planning Commission met Tuesday, July 24th, 2018, and focused more on getting the public’s input on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. We want to make it more appealing, enriching and conversations you can have on the streets. Each member has taken a section of the Comprehensive Plan and decided to be an expert on it. There will also be another public hearing, but this one will be peer-to-peer. Instead of having the consultants come to the meetings to explain about the plan, it will be more of a conversation style between the commission and publics. The Planning Commission will be meeting on Tuesday, September 25th, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. · Night to Unite is on August 7 and Block club leaders or organizers who submitted the necessary paperwork to the City and will have an opportunity to have a Planning Commission members out and for public inputs. City Administrator Thongvanh is also taking public contributions and suggestions via email. People don’t need to read the whole plan, but if you have questions on history, resiliency, climate change and land use, City Administrator Thongvanh is more than happy to answers questions, comments, and suggestions. · A reminder that the Primary Election is on August 14, which is the same day as our annual Ice Cream Social and Hotdog with a Deputy. I encourage residents to attend after voting and enjoy some ice cream and hot dogs. Council Member Leehy · On behalf of the Park and Rec Commission, we had to cancel Falcon Heights’ annual Ice Cream Social and Hotdog with a Deputy because of the storm. We will reschedule it like last year and hope that everyone can come and participate. 6 | Page · In regards to the Restoration Day and Unity Day, the first year was a success. Philando’s family observe the second commemoration of his second life and passing. The first day we gathered at the memorial site, and people had the opportunities to share their expression, healing, and experiences during the time of the event. One resident, in particular, shared how he was feeling safer in the community now. It was great to see much support in our community. My husband and I also reached out to our neighbors whom we haven’t talked or new and make sure we stay in touch with each other. I hope that other cities have done the same and share their stories with our City by completing a “Contact Us” form on our website. On Unity Day, we had about 200 people and last year we had about 400. The weather was corporative and would like to thank everyone who helped at the tables, cleaning up and greeting people. Council Member Brown Thunder · We will need to find someone to fill in my position at NYFS. It is a great organization and great people. The work that they’re doing affects 1200 families and will continue to grow. A lot of good things going on over there and it positively impacts the City. Council Member Gustafson · Community Engagement Commission was going to do the Ice Cream Social and Hotdog with a Deputy on Thursday, July 19, but had to cancel it because of the storm. The Sheriff’s Office is looking to move it to Tuesday, August 14, at Community Park. Once the date finalized at the Sheriff’s Office, we will let City staffs know, and they will communicate it to the public. · The Community Engagement Commission will be meeting on Monday, September 17th, 2018 at 7 pm. At the meeting, the CEC will continue to work on extending some plans, Human Rights Day, and other programs for the fall. · The Night to Unite is Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 and we have about nine parties who registered with the Sheriff’s Office in Falcon Heights. We are working to get Deputies to visit, and registration is closed today at noon to request a Deputy visit. Even though the Sheriff’s registration is closed, you can still register at the City Hall to request the Fire Department, barricades, and Council Members for your block party. · Last Monday, the Sheriff’s Office gathered community office volunteers to do an informational knock on doors and pass out door hangers about crime prevention on Northeast Larpentuer Ave., Snelling Ave., East of Hamline Ave., and Roselawn Ave. It was a total of 500 homes. The purpose of this event was to inform residents to lock their cars and take out valuable items from your vehicle. This will help prevent future crime event happening in Falcon Heights. Also, we just heard that the car thieves are moving to Falcon Woods neighbors and have targeted Autumn St, and Moore St. and Deputies went and pass out door hangers to residents. A simple message is to lock all car, garage, and door and keep valuable items in the house. 7 | Page City Administrator Thongvanh · Application to fill in Council Member Brown Thunder’s position ends on August 24th, 2018 by noon. The form can be accessed through our website and must complete the questions. Task Force review panel will be on September 4th and 6th (tentatively). After the review committee provides their recommendations, then it will be given to the City Council. They will do interviews on September 12th, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. before the regular council meeting. We will have a short council meeting in between and a workshop to discuss those candidates. September 26th, 2018, City Councils will appoint the candidates. Mayor Lindstrom · The review panel will be John Larkin, Shirley Reider, Council Member Miazga, and myself. We only have four people who agreed to be a part of it and would like to have more people. I. COMMUNITY FORUM: J. ADJOURNMENT: 7:51 P.M. _____________________________ Peter Lindstrom, Mayor Dated this 25th day of July, 2018 __________________________________ Sack Thongvanh, City Administrator REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Families, Fields and Fair __________________________ The City That Soars! Item General Disbursements and Payroll Description General Disbursements through: 8/01/18 $46,776.78 Payroll through: 7/31/18 $25,229.34 Budget Impact The general disbursements and payroll are consistent with the budget. Attachment(s) · General Disbursements and Payroll Action(s) Requested Staff recommends that the Falcon Heights City Council approve general disbursements and payroll. Meeting Date August 8, 2018 Agenda Item Consent F1 Attachment General Disbursements and Payroll Submitted By Roland Olson, Finance Director