HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-04-2019 Council Work Session MinutesCITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
APPROVED
1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3
4 DATE November 4, 2019
5 TIME STARTED 6:00 p.m.
6 TIME ENDED 8:20 p.m.
7 MEMBERS PRESENT Council Member Rafferty, Maher,
8 Manthey, Stoesz and Mayor Reinert
9 MEMBERS ABSENT None
10
11 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Public Safety Director John
12 Swenson; Community Development Director Michael Grochala; City Planner Katie Larsen;
13 City Engineer Diane Hankee; Finance Director Sarah Cotton
14
15 Susan Vento, Metropolitan Council
16
17 Metropolitan Council Member Susan Vento, who represents District 11, introduced herself to
18 the City Council. Ms. Vento encouraged the Council and staff to contact her about any issues.
19
20 As the District 11 representative, Vento represents the cities of Columbus, Centerville,
21 Linwood, and Lino Lakes in Anoka County, and ten other jurisdictions in the counties of
22 Ramsey and Washington.
23
24 Steve Markuson, Executive Director of Twin Cities Gateway (TCG)
25
26 Steve Markuson appeared before the Council to give an update on Twin Cities Gateway
27 activities and to review the TCG 2020 budget.
28
29 Twin Cities Gateway is a 501(c) (3) organization governed by an 18-member board from the
30 nine member cities. In 1983, the Minnesota legislature enacted a three percent lodging tax that
31 can be used to fund a local convention and tourism bureau for the purpose of marketing and
32 promoting a city or region as a tourist or convention center. According to the statute, the City
33 can retain five percent of the gross proceeds for administration, which it currently does.
34
35 Markuson reported that the occupancy rates within the TCG tourism area are running at an all-
36 time high of 65 percent.
37
38 The City of Blaine is the fiscal agent. Any of the nine member cities could take on the fiscal
39 responsibilities, but it would be a board decision to move it to another city. TCG pays $1,500
40 a month for financial services.
41
42 Fund reserves are held in two separate bank accounts. The fund reserve got as high as
43 $678,622, but this was an anomaly because of significant revenue increases that year.
44
1
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
I�WM. Y"V
45 TCG increased its budget for "destination marketing," which is for advertisements that are
46 placed in targeted printings such as Explore Minnesota and the State Biking Guide.
47
48 Twin Cities Gateway is upgrading its website, which provides an opportunity for the City to
49 create a link to the TCG site. Staff will work with Markuson to enable this link.
50
51 NE DrainalZe Improvement Project Update
52
53 Pete Willenbring from WSB and Community Director Michael Grochala updated the Council
54 on the NE Drainage Improvement Project. Willenbring recommended the City alter its plan
55 for an open channel drainage system and instead install a pipe that would drain into Peltier
56 Lake. Willenbring pointed out that the City could eliminate $175,000 of extra wetland
57 mitigation costs by running a poly pipe under the wetlands. The plan alteration could reduce
58 the permitting process by 5-6 months. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
59 holds a higher standard than the Rice Creek Watershed District. The City would not need a
60 401 certification from MPCA with a pipe. The City could still do something with a multi-
61 functional greenway above the pipe.
62
63 The Council expressed support for the project plan change.
64
65 2040 Comprehensive Plan Update
66
67 In May 2019 the Council authorized distribution of the draft 2040 Comprehensive Plan to
68 adjacent jurisdictions for review and comment. The deadline for comment is November 19.
69 To date, the City has received nine responses. Staff will be working with the consultant team
70 to address substantive comments. Staff is proposing to ask the Council for preliminary
71 approval and authorization to submit the draft plan to the Metropolitan Council at its
72 November 25, 2019 meeting.
73
74 I-35E AUAR Five -Year Update
75
76 WSB has prepared a proposal to complete an update of the I-35E Corridor Alternative Urban
77 Areawide Review (AUAR) at a cost of $33,272. The original environmental review document
78 was adopted by the Council in October 2005.
79
w The Council agreed to staff s request to place on the November 12, 2019 Council agenda.
81
82 Public Safety Department Quarterly Update
83
84 Public Safety Director Swenson presented the Public Safety Department third quarter update.
85
86 2020 Budget
87
88 Finance Director Sarah Cotton informed the Council that management staff was able to reduce
89 the proposed preliminary levy by $60,000 as directed by the City Council. The proposed
2
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
APPROVED
90 reductions and reallocation brought down general fund expenditures to an overall increase of
91 $141,342, or 2.0% over 2019. The final budget and levy will be considered by the City
92 Council at its December 9, 2019 meeting.
93
94 Monthly Progress Report
95
96 Marty Asleson's last day with the City will be November 30, 2019. Staff was directed to
97 invite Marty to the November 25th meeting to be recognized for his many years of service to
98 the City of Lino Lakes.
99
100 The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
101
102 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held
103 on November 25, 2019.
104
105
106
107-
108 Juli Bartell, Ci Cle
109
3