HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.5.23 City Council Workshop AgendaCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS
City Council Workshop
City Hall
2077 West Larpenteur Avenue
AGENDA
April 5, 2023
6:30 P.M.
A.CALL TO ORDER:
B. ROLL CALL:GUSTAFSON____ LEEHY___
MEYER ___ WASSENBERG___ WEHYEE___
STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN____
C. POLICY ITEMS:
1.Law Enforcement Contract Discussion
2.Inclusion Efforts
3.ARPA Update
4. No Mow May
5. Public Works Staffing Update
D.ADJOURNMENT:
DISCLAIMER: City Council Workshops are held monthly as an opportunity for Council Members to discuss policy topics in greater detail prior to a formal meeting where a public hearing may be held and/or
action may be taken. Members of the public that would like to make a comment or ask questions about an
item on the agenda for an upcoming workshop should send them to mail@falconheights.org prior to the
meeting. Alternatively, time is regularly allotted for public comment during Regular City Council Meetings (typically 2nd and 4th Wednesdays) during the Community Forum.
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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item Law Enforcement Contract Discussion
Description Following the recent action of sending a notice of intent not to renew to the Ramsey
County Sheriff’s Office, the City Council will discuss whether or not to engage with a
consultant to assist the City in the process of exploring alternatives.
Budget Impact N/A
Attachment(s) N/A
Action(s)
Requested
Staff recommends the City Council discuss whether or not to engage with a
consultant for the next steps in the process of finding a law enforcement partner.
Meeting Date April 5, 2023
Agenda Item Policy C1
Attachment N/A
Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator
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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item Review Inclusion Effort Updates and Next Steps
Description
As part of the CVBI Contract study, the City’s consultant provided
recommendations on how to incorporate measurable goals in to the Task Force
on Policing and Inclusion.
The City Council will be asked to discuss how to best approach continuing
inclusion efforts in Falcon Heights.
Budget Impact The City has allocated of creating a fund balance of $30,000 to fund inclusion
efforts per year.
Attachment(s)
Action(s)
Requested
Discuss past inclusion efforts and provide direction for the remainder of 2023.
Meeting Date April 5, 2023
Agenda Item Policy C1
Attachment Reports
Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator
BLANK PAGE
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION (RCA)
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item ARPA Funds Discussion
Description Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), federal funds were allocated to
municipalities and counties to help aid the recovery of the nation at the local
level. The City of Falcon Heights received $302,056.11 in the fall of 2021 as the
first allocation of funds, and received the same sum in 2022 for a total of
$604,112.20.
Funds are intended to cover eligible costs incurred in the time period that
begins on March 3, 2021 and ends on December 31, 2024, as long as the
obligations for funds are incurred by the end date are expended by December
31, 2026.
In Resolution 22-08, the City Council authorized staff to report that the City
would be taking the Standard Allowance Election of Revenue Loss as defined
in the Compliance and Reporting Guidance – State and Local Fiscal Recovery
Funds (SLRF) version 3.0. This allows municipalities to estimate revenue losses
up to $10 million rather than calculate their losses. This was intended to help
communities under 50,000 population, such as Falcon Heights.
Under the final rule, municipalities can spend their ARPA allocations on a
broad range of uses under the “general government provisions” category. For
example, a City could allocate their funds towards a specific project or towards
personnel salaries. The only expenses that cannot be qualified are items such as
pension obligations, debt payments, legal settlements or any action that
undermines the Federal government’s response to COVID-19.
In considering the uses of ARPA, it will be important to consider the small staff
the City of Falcon Heights has to administer programs. If the City were to
provide the funds to a third-party non-profit or individuals in need, there are
significant reporting requirements under the Act for subawards, grants and
transfers that would be extremely difficult for the City to manage internally.
Staff will highlight the potential uses of the ARPA funds the City received,
how other similar-sized communities are using ARPA / SLRF and solicit
Meeting Date April 5, 2023
Agenda Item Policy C3
Attachment Resolution 22-08
Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator
direction from the City Council on when to proceed in allocation of ARPA /
SLRF funds.
Budget Impact The City has $604,112.20 of unrecognized revenue from SLRF.
Attachment(s) • Resolution 22-08
Action(s)
Requested
Staff recommends a discussion to further consider how the City Council would
like staff to propose using the funds.
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS COUNCIL RESOLUTION
March 9, 2022 No. 22-08
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A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE CORONAVIRUS LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUND ESTABLISHED UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT
WHEREAS, since the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was discovered in the
United States in January 2020, the disease has infected over 32 million and killed over 575,000 Americans (“Pandemic”). The disease has impacted every part of life: as social distancing became a necessity, businesses closed, schools transitioned to remote education, travel was sharply reduced, and millions of Americans lost their jobs;
WHEREAS, as a result of the Pandemic, cities have been called on to respond to the needs of their communities through the prevention, treatment, and vaccination of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, city revenues, businesses and nonprofits in the city have faced economic impacts
due to the Pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Congress adopted the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021 (“ARPA”) which included $65 billion in recovery funds for cities across the country; and
WHEREAS, ARPA funds are intended to provide support to state, local, and tribal governments
in responding to the impact of COVID-19 and in their efforts to contain COVID-19 in their communities, residents, and businesses; and WHEREAS, $604,112.20 has been allocated to the City of Falcon Heights of which the initial
distribution of $302,056.11 has already been received pursuant to the ARPA (“Allocation”); and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Treasury has adopted guidance regarding the use of ARPA funds; and
WHEREAS, the City, in response to the Pandemic, has had expenditures and anticipates future
expenditures consistent with the Department of Treasury’s ARPA guidance; and WHEREAS, the State of Minnesota will distribute ARPA funds to the City because its population is less than 50,000; and
WHEREAS, In May 0f 2021, the US department of Treasury (“Treasury”) published the Interim Final Rule describing eligible and ineligible uses of funds as well as other program provisions, sought feedback from the public on these program rules, and began to distribute funds; and
WHEREAS, On January 6, 2022, Treasury issued the final rule. The final rule delivers broader
flexibility and greater simplicity in the program, responsive to feedback in the comment process;
and
WHEREAS, the final rule offers a standard allowance for revenue loss of up to $10 million, allowing recipients to select between a standard amount of revenue loss or complete a full
revenue loss calculation; and
WHEREAS, recipients that select the standard allowance may use that amount, in many cases their full award, for governmental services, with streamlined reporting requirements.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota:
1.The City elects the standard allowance available under the revenue loss provision of the
American Rescue Plan Act in the amount of $604,112.20 to be used for the general
provision of government services.
2 The City intends to collect its share of ARPA funds from the State of Minnesota to use in a manner consistent with the Department of Treasury’s guidance.
3 City staff, together with the Mayor and the City Attorney are hereby authorized to take any actions necessary to receive the City’s share of ARPA funds from the State of Minnesota for expenses incurred because of the Pandemic.
4 City staff, together with the Mayor and the City Attorney are hereby authorized to make
recommendations to the City Council for future expenditures allowed with ARPA funds.
Adopted by the City Council of City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota this ninth day of March 2022.
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Moved by: Approved by: ________________________
Kay Andrews
Mayor Pro Tem
GUSTAFSON ____ In Favor Attested by: ________________________
LEEHY Tim Pittman
MEYER ____ Against Interim City Administrator WEHYEE ANDREWS
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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item No Mow May
Description No Mow May is an initiative to encourage residents who wish to participate to not mow their lawns during the month of May to allow pollinators, particularly bees, additional time to safely come out of hibernation in tall grasses and weeds.
This was done via resolution in 2022 and it is now the intent of the Environment
Commission to make this a permanent addition to City Code. To accomplish this goal, the City will need to include a start date for enforcement of Sec. 22-19 of the City Code, which requires weeds and grass to be kept under 6” at all times. With this change, this section would not become enforceable until June 1 of each year. Beginning June 1, 2023, the City will begin once again enforcing ordinances related to
mowing.
The proposed ordinance would not preempt the Minnesota State Stat. 18.77, which requires properties to manage noxious weeds/vegetation. Noxious weeds/vegetation will need to continue to be maintained on all properties per statute.
In 2023, a number of Minnesota cities are again participating in No Mow May including Edina, Brooklyn Park, Golden Valley, Elk River, Mankato, and others.
Budget Impact
Attachment(s) •Ordinance 23-__ Amending Chapter 22 of the Falcon Heights City Code
Concerning Noxious Weeds, Vegetation and Substances
Action(s)
Requested
Staff recommends City Council hold a public hearing to consider the approval of the attached ordinance to support No Mow May.
Meeting Date April 5, 2023
Agenda Item Policy C4
Attachment N/A
Submitted By Hannah Lynch, Community
Development Coordinator
ORDINANCE NO. 23-___
CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 22 OF THE FALCON HEIGHTS CITY CODE CONCERNING NOXIOUS WEEKS, VEGETATION AND SUBSTANCES.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF FALCON HEIGHTS ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Section 22-19 of the City Code of Falcon Heights, Minnesota, is hereby amended to read as follows (Deletions are shown with a strikethrough. Additions are underlined):
Sec. 22-19 (4) - Causes of blight or blighting factors
(4)Noxious weeds, vegetation and substances. No owner agent or occupant of any premisesshall permit upon his or her premises any noxious weeds as defined in Minn. Stats. § 18.77,weeds or grass growing to a height greater than six inches or which have gone or are about to go
to seed, fallen trees, dead trees, tree limbs or items which are a fire hazard or otherwise
detrimental to the health or appearance of the neighborhood. Between June 1 and December 31of each calendar year, no owner agent or occupant of any premises shall permit upon his or herpremises any weeds or grass growing to a height greater than six inches.
SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance shall be effective upon its passage and a
summary published in the official newspaper.
ADOPTED this ___ day of ___________, 2023, by the City Council of the City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota.
Moved By: Approved by: Randall C. Gustafson
Mayor
GUSTAFSON ____ In Favor Attested by: LEEHY Jack Linehan MEYER ____ Against City Administrator
WEHYEE
WASSENBERG
BLANK PAGE
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
City of Falcon Heights, Minnesota __________________________
Item Public Works Staffing Update
Description With the upcoming retirement of Public Works Director Tim Pittman, City
Administrator Linehan will present the proposed staffing update to the department.
Budget Impact N/A
Attachment(s) N/A
Action(s)
Requested
Discuss Public Works staffing and provide City Administrator Linehan with
feedback.
Meeting Date April 5, 2023
Agenda Item Policy C5
Attachment N/A
Submitted By Jack Linehan, City Administrator