HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMin_08Jul23Regular Meeting of the Falcon Heights City Council
July 23, 2008
Members present: Mayor Lindstrom, Council members Kuettel, Harris, and Mercer-Taylor, Administrator Miller, Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk Kreuser. Absent: Council member
Long.
Mayor Lindstrom called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
The minutes of the June 25, 2008 regular meeting were approved as submitted.
Public Hearing:
1. North Lakes Academy Conduit Debt Financing
John Carins addressed the council and explained the conduit debt financing would build a K-12 charter school in Wyoming, Minn. He added the Kaleidoscope project Falcon Heights financing
through bonds last year was recently finished under budget and ahead of schedule, and is slated to open very soon.
Mayor Lindstrom said the State of Minnesota encourages certain projects and authorizes cities to use revenue bonds to finance those projects. He noted the risk lies with the project,
not the city and in exchange for financing, the city receives ½ of 1% of the bond amount. In this instance, Falcon Heights will see roughly $50,000.
Administrator Miller added growing cities often have to issue bonds for their own projects. Since Falcon Heights hasn’t issued bonds in a long time, the city has the $10m allowed annually
to issue to other entities.
Mayor Lindstrom opened the public hearing. The public hearing was closed.
Council member Kuettel moved to approve the resolution giving preliminary approval for North Lake Academy Conduit Debt Financing. The motion passed unanimously.
Council member Harris pointed out the fees from conduit bonding wasn’t included in the budget for 2008, so this money is additional revenue.
Consent Agenda:
The following five items were moved for approval by Council member Kuettel. The motion passed unanimously.
1. General Disbursements 6/20/08 through 7/16/08: $160,256.21
Payroll 6/15/08 through 7/15/08: $40,141.22
2. New Mileage Reimbursement rate for 2008
3. City Licenses
4. Appointment of Larpenteur Streetscape Advisory Committee
5. Additional Monetary Donations to City Special Events
Information/Announcements:
Council member Mercer-Taylor announced the lemonade stand at the SE corner 1550 building on Monday from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. She invited residents to attend the Ice Cream Social on 31 July
at Community Park. Mercer-Taylor addressed the group in attendance, and apologized she had to leave, but assured them she would read the minutes and valued their comments.
Council member Harris announced the Human Rights Commission’s poster contest for grades K-12. Students should draw a poster that encompasses a human rights issue. A winner will be
announced for the city contest, and all the posters will then be submitted to the state competition.
Council member Kuettel said the Planning Commission has been working hard on an ordinance regarding LED signage and alerted the council an item would be before them in the coming months.
Mayor Lindstrom urged residents to get out their cameras and submit photos to the city contest. Deadline is July 25, and winner will be decided at the Ice Cream Social. He also reminded
everyone that slogan ideas are still being accepted through July 31. Lastly, he said the sidewalk panel replacements on Hoyt, Iowa, Idaho are going well and thanked residents for their
patience and by completing this work in-house, the city saves about $40,000. Kudos to public works.
Administrator Miller announced the general fund budget workshop would be held August 6.
Community Forum:
Judy McCleary, 1918 Autumn Street, said the residents present in the audience lived in the Falcon Woods neighborhood and came to address the council regarding neighborhood blight and
enforcement of city code. She brought a petition of an additional 20 residents who were not present who also urged city response to the deterioration of the neighborhood. She said
many complaints have been made to city hall, and the typical response is “talk to your neighbors.”
Ruth Mardsen, 1920 Roselawn, said she used to own a duplex in another city and needed a license in order to rent. She said she liked that process and looked forward to the yearly inspections.
The benefits of rental ordinances would be for the renter, because of safety; for the owner, as they couldn’t allow the property to devalue; and for the neighbors, because the property
had to be kept up to code. She recommended the city adopt a rental licensing program, and closed by stating there were residents on Tatum that didn’t even mow their lawn.
The council and administrator replied by stating a rental licensing ordinance was being drafted, and the intention is to have it in effect by 2009.
Hazel Garcia, 1906 Prior, said seven families were affected by debris falling over into their lawns from the problem properties. She said she was very upset. She declared she loved
Falcon Heights but doesn’t like what’s happening to it because it’s going downhill.
Mayor Lindstrom said the staff at the city is small and prudent with finances so it relies on citizens to bring issues forward. He asked them to please let the city know and the council
know when issues arise.
Council member Kuettel said she was very understanding, and realized how stressful it would be to be faced with and around that trouble all the time. She asked the residents for time
to find out what’s going on, see what codes are violated and what enforcement has been tried.
Martin Hammond, 1869 Moore, addressed the photo contest and said there could be lots of photos submitted of bad things around the city. He said he sees Dave (Tretsven) driving around
the neighborhood all the time and said he could easily report code issues. He said he did not appreciate the condescension on the part of the council, telling residents to call.
Wes Tennyson, 1935 Summer, said the concerns outlined on the handout from the Falcon Woods Owner’s Association was arrived at spur of the moment and formed by a small group, from whom
he can read some frustration. He said some of the concerns were idiosyncratic, and not all residents there are in agreement about some of the issues. He personally disagreed with #7
in regards to code enforcement and the response from city hall. He congratulated the city on going soft on code enforcement in the past years and said sometimes people don’t know what
sets of rules are in place. He said residents have no participation in making the rules and don’t
agree with all of them but certain violations need to always be enforced. As for the response to talk with any neighbors who might be violating a code, residents shouldn’t have to do
it – when a complaint comes in, a phone call, a visit, or a letter should be sent. He said personally he didn’t think the blight was as big a problem as some seem to feel, but the enforcement
of the codes should be addressed. He said there were less than six residents with a lot of junk, and out of over 100 homes that’s not a huge problem but it is for the people who live
nearby. He took issue with the part of the code dealing with the garbage cans and said a lot of people need clarification on the exact meaning since it seems to be open to interpretation,
and thought it meant on the side or in the garage, but a letter or call to residents would rectify a lot of the problems.
Council member Harris asked if the issues were at rentals or owner-occupied homes. Both was the consensus, and awareness was needed.
Mary Beatty, 1930 Autumn, said the house near hers has garbage cans, propane tanks, recycling, and branches in their yard. She has had to change where she sits in her living room because
she doesn’t want to look out the window and see the mess. When she first moved in, she explained, she got a letter from the city about her garbage cans.
Council member Kuettel said the council will keep after the situation.
Mayor Lindstrom made sure the residents knew the city had to follow a specific course of action and due process. Also, the council couldn’t take action on any issues brought forth in
community forum, and deferred to Administrator Miller.
Miller said complaints that come to the city regarding any code enforcement must be kept confidential, and no one would ever be able to know who called. The city’s process includes
sending out the code enforcement person, who is also the planning/zoning and webmaster. The code violation must be verified and a paper trail started because if the case ever went to
court or abatement there has to be proof the city tried and gave the violator multiple chances to rectify the problem. He said obviously the city needs to work harder on this area,
and it would.
Jim Duffy, 1961 Summer, wanted to know how many chances were given before action was taken. Miller replied at least two. The first notification is a letter with a deadline of about
two weeks. The second has to give options for the person – giving help, offering services, and also tells them the city will do it if the violator pays for it. Duffy replied nothing
has changed or happened on these properties. Miller said work has been done in the area. Duffy wanted to know about boats parked in the street. Miller replied he wasn’t sure of the
code but would check and let him know. Duffy said the police should watch for code violations.
Marie Hard, 1937 Autumn, listed the properties that are the bad ones, as perceived by the residents in attendance: 1927 and 1947 Autumn, and 1860 Roselawn. There is trash, cats roaming,
garbage carts. She said the police department talked to the owner of the cat last year but no changes in action have occurred. She was upset the cats scare the birds.
Martin Hammond, 1869 Moore, readdressed the council and asked who is on the hook for rental properties. Miller replied when violation letters are sent, they are sent to the physical
address of the home and also the property tax holders address. He added the city had talked to a landlord in that area just that week.
Virginia Lindall, 1923 Summer, wanted to put in the ordinance that single-family home rentals should be handled through an agency rather than private individuals because that would screen
the bad people out. Miller replied he wasn’t an attorney, but was pretty certain the city attorney would say that’s illegal.
Council member Harris said residents came to the meeting to talk to the council, and that was the first she’d heard of any issues. Through it’s good communication, the city will get
back to everyone. Mayor Lindstrom agreed.
Council member Kuettel pointed out there’s a difference between trimming the hedges perfectly and piles of junk and said she understood the resident’s issues to be more with the junk
problem.
Jim Duffy asked if there was an ordinance about keeping garage doors open. He said his neighbor has a very full garage and doesn’t close the door to it, and always has a car in the
driveway. Council member Harris replied that it may not be smart to keep his garage open, but it’s not illegal.
Bryan Olson, 1592 Roselawn, said it was rare to have so many public comments and was glad to see the limit on the five-minutes loosened and free form discussion for a change. He said
the GFOA award presentation back in May, the council said it was a prestigious award, given to only 40-50 cities in Minnesota; he stated he called GFOA in Chicago to ask how many cities
submitted reports. He learned it was more than 40 or 50, instead 116 awards were given in ’04; 120 in ’05; and in ’06 128 submitted reports and 123 awards were given. He thought the
city having received the award wasn’t as exclusive as it thought, and getting it doesn’t mean the GFOA gives a stamp of approval on spending. It means the report was organized and readable,
and he found it laughable that an award would be issued by an organization that cities have to pay due to belong to. He said since the city was so concerned about being open, he thought
everyone should know the whole story instead of just the half-truths so often found in politics.
LeRoy Jarl, 1984 Autumn, said he was impressed by Falcon Heights and the neighborhood but some houses don’t look right. He said the city should find the addresses and follow through,
and he had some doubts about letters even being sent. The city needs to maintain the high reputation it once was said to have.
Council member Harris asked about the Falcon Woods Homeowner’s Assocation, and wanted to know if it was a formed group, or how it came about. The members in the audience replied a few
members started it while sitting at someone’s house one day. The residents showing up at the council meeting was the association’s first meeting.
Mayor Lindstrom adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Stacey Kreuser
Assistant City Administrator/Deputy Clerk