07-23-2012 Council Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION July 23, 2012 APPROVED 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES 2 MINUTES 3 4 DATE : July 23,2012 5 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 6:27 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, O'Donnell, 8 Rafferty,Roeser and Mayor Reinert 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : None 10 11 12 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Community Development 13 Director Michael Grochala; City Planner Paul Bengtson; Economic Development 14 Coordinator Mary Alice Divine; City Engineer Jason Wedel; City Clerk Julie Bartell 15 16 1. Charter Exempt Zones—Community Development Director Grochala recalled that 17 the Charter Commission requested a formal response from the Council on the rationale 18 for not acting to remove the exempt zone language from the City Charter by ordinance. 19 He explained the history of how the language got into the charter and how it impacts 20 improvement projects in certain areas. He explained the rationale for not approving an 21 amendment to Chapter 8 that deals only with the exempt zones. 22 23 The council directed Mr. Grochala to work with the city administrator to formulate a 24 formal response to the Charter Commission. 25 26 2. Review Regular Council Agenda of July 23,2012: 27 28 Item 1A, Expenditures-Council Member Roeser noted that there is a$1,500 annual 29 expenditure that does not show up on the list and therefore isn't approved by the council 30 before being expended. He is uncomfortable with that situation because it represents the 31 taxpayer's money and he proposes that the council take a look at the situation. In 32 addition he questions the expenditure of those funds to vendors that aren't preapproved 33 and also the use of different attorneys for the same services. The mayorrecommended 34 that the council discuss the suggestions at the next regular work session. 35 36 Item 3C and 3D,Amendment to Joint Cooperative Agreement and refunding bond 37 approval; Appointment of alternate director to North Metro Telecommunications 38 Commission—Administrator Karlson noted that North Metro Cable TV has made a 39 request to refinance the bonds issued for their facilities, at a savings of about $64,000. As 40 part of the bond review, it has been clarified that both representatives to the North Metro 41 Telecommunications Commission must be elected officials (currently Mr. Karlson serves 42 as alternate). The council will appoint Council Member Rafferty as the alternate. 43 44 Item 6C—Encompass Satellite Farm Grading Only,6221 Holly Drive—City Planner 45 Bengtson explained that in an effort to expedite this application, staff recommending the 1