HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_08Jan23Regular Meeting of the Falcon Heights City Council
January 23, 2008
Members present: Mayor Lindstrom, Council members Harris, Kuettel, Long, and Mercer-Taylor, Administrator Miller, Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk Kreuser.
Mayor Lindstrom called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
The minutes of the January 9, 2008 meeting were approved as corrected by Council member Kuettel.
Consent Agenda:
Council member Kuettel moved the following seven items for approval. The motion passed on a 4-0 vote, with Council member Mercer-Taylor abstaining from the vote due to her business
license being up for approval.
1. General Disbursements through 1/17/08: $228,869.79
Payroll through 1/15/08: $16,640.75
2. City License Renewals
3. 2008 Winterfest and Ice Cream Social Monetary Donations
4. 2008 - 2009 Tree Trimming and Removal Contract Extension
5. 2007 Pay Equity Report
6. Designation of 2008 Acting Mayor
7. Review of Elected Official Out-of-State Travel Policy
Policy Agenda:
1. Building Official Services Agreement – Second Amendment
Administrator Miller began the item by explaining the amendment reduces the 35% paid to a 25% floor and 35% ceiling for building inspector fees. He said it would save the city about
$13,700 in 2008. He added the change is not a reflection on the quality of service provided by Steve Westerhaus, but instead better correlates with the amount of time the inspector
actually spends in Falcon Heights due to workload.
Council member Mercer-Taylor asked Miller to expand on the amendment and how it relates to billing. Miller answered that Falcon Heights employs its own Fire Marshal, and the section
referring to those services would be deleted from the agreement. Second, currently Little Canada bills Falcon Heights quarterly. The change included calculating the building permit
revenue to Little Canada and paying them 80% of the building permit fees, plan check fees, and plumbing permit fees accepted on a monthly basis. The two cities would settle at the end
of the year if the amount needed to be corrected.
Council member Kuettel moved to approve the building official services agreement – second amendment. The motion passed unanimously.
2. Larpenteur Avenue Banner Discussion
Administrator Miller began by stating money was put into the budget for 2008 to beautify and update the Larpenteur Avenue streetscape. The photos of banners were examples of ways to
inject color. Miller said the staff thought doing a generic type of banner would be good to start with, and then in subsequent years, banners for seasons, special events, or holidays
could be added. Second, he stated the idea was to have hanging flower baskets on the green light poles
along with the banners and do away with the cement planter boxes along Larpenteur Avenue. He said the public works crew has seen a lot of hassle with the cement boxes, and they are
also a hazard to motorists and people.
The council all agreed the banners and plantings were a good idea.
Council member Long had the idea of keeping it simple and putting the logo on the banners. The council agreed to keep the banners simple, since motorists are driving at speeds in which
highly detailed banners could not be read. They chatted a few minutes about which designs they liked best from the templates in their packets.
Council member Harris asked about the two types of fabric the banners come in. Miller replied he would depend on the public works crew’s opinion on which would hold up the best.
Information/Announcements:
Council member Mercer-Taylor announced she would be holding cross-country ski lessons at Winterfest, from 2-3 p.m.
Council member Harris encouraged everyone to come out to Community Park for Winterfest on Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
Council member Kuettel stated the Planning Commission had met the previous evening, and welcomed two new, energetic members. The commission chair elected was Eric Watkins for 2008.
She added that applicants for the Parks/Rec, Neighborhood, and Human Rights Commissions are still being accepted.
Council member Long also invited residents to stop over to Winterfest. He added the Parks Commission had also met and welcomed two members, and elected Annie Green as chair for 2008.
Mayor Lindstrom announced he had met with Administrator Miller and other administrators with the police department for a crime update meeting that went very well. He said SAPD is going
to be making some technological updates to their squad cars by installing GIS real-time mapping systems. In addition, Falcon Heights will continue the community crime prevention meetings
in 2008, so watch for those announcements. Lastly, the Mayor said he would be attending commission meetings over the next month to meet the city’s volunteer commissioners and go over
goals for the year.
Administrator Miller stated the February workshop would be held Wednesday the 6th, with a review of the council’s 2008 goals, a presentation by Cor Wilson on cable franchising, and Finance
Director Olson would be presenting new audit standards. Second, he told residents to be on the watch for Community Garden announcements coming soon.
Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk Kreuser announced the CERT class would begin February 7, and to call City Hall to sign up.
Mayor Lindstrom adjourned the meeting at 7:33 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stacey Kreuser
Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk