HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_98Mar11CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
• MINUTES OF MARCH 11, 1998
Mayor Gehrz convened the meeting at 7:05 p.m.
PRESENT
Gehrz, Gibson Talbot, Hustad, Kuettel, and Jacobs. Also present was Hoyt and Asleson.
COMMUNITY FORUM
There was no one wishing to take advantage of the community forum.
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 25, 1998
Minutes were approved by unanimous consent.
CONSENT AGENDA APPROVED
Councilmember Gibson Talbot moved to approve the following consent agenda. The motion
passed unanimously.
1 Disbursements
2. Licenses
• 3. Authorization to hire Astech Corporation for 1998 spring and fall streetsweeping
4. Authorization to purchase a 1998 one ton Chevrolet four wheel drive truck
5. Authorization to adjust the mileage reimbursement rate to 5.325/mile
6. Approval of cooperative service expenditure request to Retired Senior Volunteer
Program (RSVP)
POLICY AGENDA
CONSIDERATION OF POLICE COSTS FOR 1999 AND 2000
Administrator Hoyt explained that the council is being asked to approve 1999 and 2000
costs for contracting with the City of St. Anthony for police services. The contract between
the two cities requires that contract costs be negotiated every two years. The proposed
cost increases are 5% for 1999 (contract cost 5381,507) and 4% for 2000 (contract cost
5396,767).
Police Chief Engstrom told the council that his department enjoys serving the City of Falcon
Heights. He explained some of the items behind the proposed cost increases, including
increases in the costs of personnel, health insurance, automotive supplies, and mandated
training. He also discussed the community policing approach with a dedicated officer for 24
hour a day coverage in Falcon Heights.
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Following discussion, Councilmember Kuettel made a motion to adopt the proposed police
® cost increases for 1999 and 2000. The motion passed unanimously.
City Council Minutes
March 1 1, 1998
• Page 2
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION ON THE GOVERNANCE OF THE CENTRAL
RAMSEY WATERSHED
Administrator Hoyt reported that the council had learned about the proposed petition for the
Central Ramsey watershed to become a Watershed District at their previous meeting. The
purpose of having it on the agenda again is to determine if the council wishes to make
comments regarding the issue at the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) public
hearing on April 6, 1998. Hoyt then reviewed the possible governance models for the
watershed: remaining a Water Management Organization, being a stand alone watershed
district (possibly combined with Southwest Ramsey) or combining Central Ramsey with the
existing Ramsey-Washington Watershed District.
Dr. William Downing, 1834 Simpson Street, urged the city council to take a position at the
BWSR hearing rather than leaving the decision to other cities or to BWSR. Dr. Downing
stated that he favors astand-alone watershed district that combines the Central Ramsey
and Southwest Ramsey watersheds. He does not favor combination with Ramsey-
Washington since that watershed has a lot of new development rather than being fully
developed, and he fears that Central Ramsey and Southwest Ramsey would end up
subsidizing the more expensive projects in the Ramsey-Washington area:
Following discussion, a motion was made by Councilmember Jacobs to submit the
following comments to BWSR: The City of Falcon Heights supports combining the Central
Ramsey and Southwest Ramsey watersheds into a single, independent watershed district
for three reasons: 1) to provide effective management of water quality in these watersheds,
2) to focus the new district's mission on improving water quality in a fully developed, urban
environment, 3) to maximize citizen representation and access to the Board of Governors of
the new watershed district by guaranteeing that all five managers would be appointed from
and represent the interests of the Central Ramsey and Southwest Ramsey watershed
districts, and 4) to assure property owners that property taxes levied and collected by the
new watershed district would directly and only benefit properties in the Central Ramsey and
Southwest Ramsey watersheds. The motion passed unanimously.
DISCUSSION OF PLANNING FOR THE CITY'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY
Mayor Gehrz reported that the first meeting of the planning committee for the city's 50th
birthday party would be held on March 31, 1998. The council discussed the amount of
direction to give to the committee and decided to allow the committee, at least initially, to
brainstorm ideas on their own.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:32 p.m.
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C,..LlI.JLXs~ ~ Susan L. Gehrz, Mayor
• Carla Asleson
Recording Secretary
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