08-06-2012 Council Work Session Minutes

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 6, 2012 APPROVED CITY OF LINO LAKES MINUTES 3 4 DATE : August 6, 2012 5 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 7:00 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, O'Donnell, 8 Rafferty, and Mayor Reinert 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : Council Member Roeser 10 11 12 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Environmental Coordinator 13 Marty Asleson; Public Services Director Rick DeGardner; Public Safety Director John 14 Swenson 15 16 3. Acceptance of Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant—Environmental 17 Coordinator Asleson explained new efforts of the Environmental Board regarding their 18 goal of expanding recycling efforts in the city. The Board has decided to pursue the 19 expansion of the city's recycling program to include businesses and discussions have 20 been underway among city and Anoka County staff in that light. Council Member Roeser 21 brought forward the idea of capturing aluminum cans recycled from commercial areas 22 and using proceeds to support a city athletic complex. A fundraising program is being 23 established with the assistance of Ace Solid Waste Anoka County is assisting the city's 24 efforts by contacting businesses to inform them of recycling initiatives and pull them in 25 on the efforts. Mr. Asleson explained also that the city has been approved for a grant 26 through Anoka County in the amount of$26,000 to be used to expand the city's recycling 27 efforts through public education, additional recycling containers and opportunities and a 28 monthly recycling day modeled after the yearly event already held in the city. 29 30 The mayor-asked about tracking success and Mr. Asleson noted that tonnage will be 31 monitored through the vendor and of course funds are anticipated from the can recycling. 32 33 The council-concurred that they would consider authorizing execution of the grant at the 34 next council meeting. 35 36 1. Charter Amendments—Attorney Steve Bubul, Kennedy and Graven, reported to 37 the council. He noted that the council has received a letter that he prepared relating to the 38 charter amendments proposed by the Charter Commission. Regarding the charter 39 imposed levy limit amendment (the"tax cap"amendment),the idea is that the city's 40 maximum levy limit would be calculated under the state law levy limit that was in effect 41 on and off up to 2010. The general legal principal is that the Commission can propose 42 charter amendments, shall give them to the council and the council shall present them to 43 the voters. He added that there is a body of case law that says that councils do not have 44 to submit amendments that are unconstitutional or directly contrary to law. His opinion is 45 that the tax cap amendment is one that the council does not have to submit to the voters 1