03/03/2008 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION March 3, 2008 APPROVED 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES • 2 MINUTES 3 4 DATE : March 3, 2008 5 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m. 6 TIME ENDED : 7:45 p.m. 7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Councilmember Gallup, O'Donnell, 8 Reinert, Stoltz and Mayor Bergeson 9 MEMBERS ABSENT : None 10 11 12 Staff members present: City Administrator, Gordon Heitke; Director of Public Safety, 13 Dave Pecchia; Community Development Director, Mike Grochala; City Engineer, Jim 14 Studenski; City Clerk, Julie Bartell. 15 16 POLICE UPDATE 17 18 Police Chief Pecchia reported that the Lino Lakes Police Department assisted a Kansas 19 city police department (on February 29, 2008) in the arrest of an individual accused of an 20 Internet related crime against children. The individual is a janitor at Centennial Middle 21 School. The Lino Lakes Police Department investigated and they do not believe there has 22 been any related problems at the school. 24 • 24 CHARTER AMENDMENT — Steve Bubul, Kennedy & Graven, was present and 25 outlined his most recent correspondence regarding clarification of the impact of various 26 charter amendment alternatives on the ability of the city to issue tax-exempt bonds for 27 improvements. Having exempt areas does create differing rights among property owners 28 and therefore the easiest way to deal with the question would be to remove the exempt 29 zones. Mr. Bubul was asked about the possibility of removing the zones from the 30 Charter Task Force proposal. 31 32 It was noted that historically the exempt zones were established due to the commercial or 33 anticipated commercial nature of those areas, to deal with the few residential properties 34 located therein. Those zones are exempt from the charter provisions and assessments are 35 basically handled under Chapter 429 rules. The Charter Task Force proposal would add a 36 right to those residential properties to opt out of an improvement project, a right they 37 don't have under Chapter 429 rules. If the zones were removed, the ability of those 38 residential property owners to opt out would change but if it is a situation that absolutely 39 does not benefit the property, generally they can and should not be assessed anyway. 40 41 The council discussed the implication of changes to larger land holders and was informed 42 that there are generally deferment provisions on undeveloped land. 43 44 The Mayor noted that the council will need to move in some direction if there is a desire • 45 to forward a charter amendment to the voters this fall. 46