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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_06Feb22Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the City Council City of Falcon Heights February 22, 2006 Mayor Gehrz convened the regular City Council meeting at 7:00 PM. PRESENT: Mayor Sue Gehrz, Council members Laura Kuettel, Pam Harris, Peter Lindstrom and Richard Talbot, City Administrator Heather Worthington, Deputy Clerk Stacey Kreuser, and Parks and Public Works Director Greg Hoag. PRESENTATIONS: None scheduled. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the February 8, 2006 meeting were approved. Deputy Clerk Kreuser will clarify one section of the minutes dealing with the moratorium. PUBLIC HEARINGS: None scheduled. CONSENT AGENDA: Council member Kuettel asked that the ZipCar program offered by the U of M be included in the publicity Falcon Heights is doing for HourCar. Council member Harris asked what percentage the increase would be for the two public works employees. Mayor Gehrz replied that to bring the workers to 90% of comparable cities, Tretsven would receive a 6% salary increase with a 3% COLA. Callahan would receive an hourly adjustment of $2.81 per hour. Administrator Worthington added the 2006 budget included these raises. Council member Kuettel moved to approve the following nine items on the consent agenda. The motion was unanimously approved. 1. General Disbursements through 2/16/06: $70,684.38 Payroll: $13,667.46 2. Approval of Licenses 3. Approval of Roselawn Trail Grant Application 4. Approval of an application for an exempt permit to conduct raffle sales for the Falcon Heights Elementary PTSA 5. Approval of final payment estimate to Jay Brothers, Inc. in the amount of $10,218.85, for the 2004 Curtiss Field Pond Improvements 6. Award 2006 Street sweeping contract 7. Placing of HourCar information on City website and in newsletter 8. Salary adjustment and title change for Dave Tretsven, Senior Maintenance Worker, Public Works 9. Position reclassification and salary adjustment for Colin Callahan, Maintenance Worker (50%), Public Works POLICY AGENDA: Council Operating Rules Amendment Mayor Gehrz began the item by giving an overview of the council operating rules. She stated the proposed amendment represents no change in practice but just adds language to the council operating rules that states that council workshops are open to the public but not recorded. She added that although the amendment represents no change in practice, it was a good opportunity to talk about the reasons for this practice. Mayor Gehrz noted that council workshops are held the first Wednesday of the month and regular business meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. All meetings are open to the public. At the business meetings (regular council meetings), the council conducts public hearings, discusses and votes on many different issues, approves expenditures, and sometimes hears informational presentations. These meetings are televised and web streamed. She stated that council workshops are much less formal and often longer than other council meetings. In these workshops, the council: Studies issues by inviting staff or consultants to present in-depth information on a topic; Gives staff direction on whether additional research is needed on an issue; Advises the City Administrator and Mayor about contract and public relations negotiating strategies that will best represent the interests of the people of Falcon Heights to other institutions like the U of M, the State Fair, or other cities with whom we have contracts like Roseville, St. Anthony, or Lauderdale. Providing web streamed or cable tv access to those discussions puts our city at a real disadvantage in any negotiation. Those with whom we are negotiating can have access to our bottom line positions; d. Develops the goals, strategies, and action plans for the next year upon which the budget will be based; and e. Develops the preliminary budget for the next year, which includes review and consideration of every line item. Opportunity for council and staff to consider a wide range of options including eliminating programs and staff positions that are highly valued by some residents. You want the council to not be constrained from putting all possible options on the table and televising sessions places an undue constraint. Mayor Gehrz wrapped up by reminding residents that everyone is welcome to come to the workshops, and people do come. Council member Harris moved to approve the council operating rules amendment. The motion was unanimously approved. Consideration of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the University of Minnesota Football Stadium Project Mayor Gehrz began the item by giving a brief overview of the U’s actions to date on the on-campus stadium proposal. She added the U has formed an Advisory Committee, and since Falcon Heights will be affected by a stadium on the campus through traffic and parking at the State Fairgrounds, she would entertain any comments or concerns from the council to report to the committee. Council member Lindstrom asked about the traffic enforcement, and suggested the City get in writing that the U will pay for additional traffic officers. Council member Harris stated that residents need to know when the overflow parking at the Fairgrounds will be utilized. Mayor Gehrz replied she would have then committee address that. Mayor Gehrz ended by stating no action was necessary, since it was an informational update. She added that comments on the impact study will be accepted until February 27, and anyone who wants to view the report in it is entirely can find it on the U website. 3. March Food Drive Mayor Gehrz stated that Falcon Heights has done a food drive for the past two years. A date of April 1 was set for the Lions to pick up food dropped off at City Hall. Council member Kuettel added that Falcon Heights Elementary would be a drop off site as well. Mayor Gehrz stated the Neighborhood Commission would discuss the food drive at its February 27th meeting, and would address the need for residential drop-off locations. Administrator Worthington added that the Roseville Rotary club would be on-hand at the food shelf to help stock shelves. Amendment to Credit Card Policy Administrator Worthington gave an overview of the item by stating the Parks and Public Works Director often purchases goods for City Hall at wholesale distributors that do not allow house charge accounts. To more conveniently allow for purchasing at these stores, Worthington recommended Parks and Public Works Director Hoag be added to the group, along with the City Administrator and Deputy Clerk, that is allowed to have a credit card in their name. She added that the standard limit under her authority of $5,000 would still apply, and the council would review all credit card statements. Council member Lindstrom moved to approve the amendment to the credit card policy, and the motion was unanimously approved. 5. Year-end Forestry Report Parks and Public Works Director Hoag began by giving a report on the tree activity in 2005. Council member Kuettel expressed her frustration at the City having to replace 10-year old trees that were planted too deep and were dying. She asked that staff put employees working with planting, and those companies that are hired to do planting, through a training course so events do not happen like this in the future. Mayor Gehrz asked about the ReLEAF grants that were awarded to the City, and whether or not they were continuous. Hoag replied that they are awarded on a 2-3 year cycle, depending on what the funding is for, and how ReLEAF decides to allocate grant dollars. Council member Kuettel asked if the tree climbers use spiked boots that can damage the trees. Hoag replied the climbers usually use bungees and ropes, and the company the City uses now staff-certified arborists. Council member Lindstrom asked if there was any part of the City that was better or worse in regards to Dutch Elm Disease (DED). Hoag replied the highest percentage of trees were taken out of the Northome area, but that is also where the most trees are. He added the sooner infected trees are removed, the less chance they have to spread the disease to other trees. Mayor Gehrz asked about the status of the boulevard tree removal. Hoag replied it is about one year behind and the 30 trees that were removed in 2005 are on a wait list. COMMUNITY FORUM: David Wickler, Boy Scouts Troop 266, addressed the council on the food drive item. He stated the troop would be interested in helping with the citywide drive; it would be a service project for the troop. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENTS: Council member Lindstrom reported that at the Environment Commission meeting they were working on the community garden project. Currently the garden is slated to be planted in spring 2007, since there is not time to plan in time to have it growing by this summer. He added a “feasibility study” and consulting with other gardeners would be completed this spring, in time for the budget workshops in June. Council member Harris reported the Park/Rec Commission discussed the open gym and its declining use. She stated the Commission decided to reduce the price of open gym from $3 to $2 for adults and $1.50 for kids, in hopes the attendance will rebound. Mayor Gehrz announced the City was still taking applications for the Neil Kwong Youth Citizenship Award through the end of February. She stated Commissioner Janice Rettman taped a show at the new Senior Building, and the City will be notified when the show will air. Lastly, she reminded residents of the February 25 emergency preparedness training session, it is free, to be held at the Radisson in St. Paul. She added that she and Heather would be presenting at the session. Administrator Worthington stated she had attended a meeting of the North Suburban Business Council, and good discussion on shared city services commenced. In addition, the Ramsey County report on City-shared services would be publicized and made available soon. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Stacey Kreuser Deputy Clerk