07/23/2003 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED UPDATE FROM HISTORY PROJECT COORDINATOR, BETSY FRIESEN, JERRY BERG Ms. Betty Friesen, Lino Lakes History Project Coordinator, stated the history project is getting back on track. She stated she has been working on the Native American component, map studies, and records from the pole building. The oldest houses and building have been identified within the City. She indicated she is still trying to talk to several families within the City. Ms. Friesen continued stating she will also be looking at other areas including the Native Americans, environment, government, buildings, transportation, military service, urbanization and bootlegging. The information will be documented and completed by May 2005. City Administrator Waite Smith advised Ms. Friesen to turn in all receipts for incurred expenses from the project. Mayor Bergeson asked how the City could save the older buildings within the community. Mr. Berg, History Project Volunteer, stated the federal government does have money for historic preservation. There are also many grants that are available to save buildings. Ms. Friesen added the City might have to establish a historic commission to apply for the grant money. The Council directed City Administrator Waite Smith to schedule a presentation from the Historic Society on the establishment on a historic commission. CENTENNIAL UTILITIES FRANCHISE, MR. JACK STOULIL Mr. Jack Stoulil, 7170 Ivy Ridge Court, stated he received a notice from the Centennial Utilities Company that he will be charged for a franchise fee. He asked what the fee is and why he has to pay it. Mayor Bergeson advised that originally the franchise fee was charged to the utility company when they started doing business within the City. In recent years, the utility company made the decision to pass the franchise fee on to its customers. Customers have been paying the franchise fee all along. Councilmember Carlson stated the fee did go up due to increased gas prices. The City agreed to put a cap on the fee because of the higher costs. The City offered the utility company the same cap last year but they refused. Since then the City and the utility company have not come to an agreement. Mayor Bergeson stated this subject may be brought up again during the budget process. Mr. Stoulil stated the utility company told him discontinuing the franchise fee is totally • up to the City. He stated the fee seems like another tax.