HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-05-2022 Council Work Session Minutes CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
APPROVED
1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3
4 DATE : December 5,2022
5 TIME STARTED : 6:00 p.m.
6 TIME ENDED : 7:45 p.m.
7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Councilmember Stoesz, Lyden, Ruhland,
8 Cavegn
9 MEMBERS ABSENT : Mayor Rafferty
10 Staff members present: City Administrator Sarah Cotton; Finance Director Hannah
11 Lynch; Community Development Director Michael Grochala; City Engineer Diane
12 Hankee; Director of Public Safety John Swenson; Public Services Director Rick
13 DeGardner; City Clerk Julie Bartell
14 Mayor Rafferty was absent; Acting Mayor Stoesz was in the chair.
15 1. Otter Lake Road Master Plan—Lori Johnson, Senior Planner with WSB &
16 Associates, reviewed a PowerPoint presentation that included information on the
17 following:
18 - Study Area—400 Acres;
19 - Background—Zoning and Land Use;
20 - Site Constraints;
21 - Natural Resources/Drainage;
22 - Pros and Cons of Regional System;
23 - Wetlands;
24 - Transportation;
25 - Considerations for Alignment Alternatives;
26 - Alignment Alternatives;
27 - No Build Alternative;
28 - Road Design;
29 - Land Use Considerations;
30 - Final Road Alignment&Recommended Future Land Use;
31 - Utilities;
32 - Wetlands and Wetland Bank;
33 - Road Construction;
34 - Economic Development.
35 Acting Mayor Stoesz noted that it's difficult to know how the area will develop in the
36 years or decades ahead and he wonders if utility easements in advance would prevent
37 future digging. Community Development Director Grochala explained how the process
38 usually occurs, including installing conduits for future users.
39
40 Councilmember Lyden asked if there is any outside funding possible to assist. Director
41 Grochala said the road will be a Minnesota State Aid roadway(designated already) and
42 staff is seeking other funding involvement.
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
APPROVED
43 Councilmember Cavegn asked about the possibility of moving a frontage road next to the
44 freeway for visibility and desirability. Director Grochala remarked that buildings will
45 front the freeway so will have visibility.
46
47 Director Grochala said that if the council is comfortable, staff will focus back to the
48 property owners and eventually bring something back to the council.
49 2. Cleaning Proposal for City Owned Buildings—Director DeGardner reviewed
50 his written report. Based on services received and satisfaction level, staff is
51 recommending that the contract for cleaning services be terminated and staff be
52 authorized to hire part time workers. The change would result in a savings to the City
53 and staff feels a better service will be received.
54 Administrator Cotton explained the challenging situation she sees with an outside
55 cleaning company. The results have not been good and she is especially concerned at
56 what the public sees when they come to the civic buildings. She's hopeful that a new
57 situation will work much better.
58
59 Public Safety Director Swenson added his support for trying a new approach; they are
60 experiencing difficulties in the cleaning area in his department.
61 The council concurred with the staff recommendation.
62 3. Stormwater Management Ordinance Update—Community Development
63 Director Grochala reviewed a PowerPoint presentation that included information on the
64 following:
65 - Proposed ordinance update involves changes/updates to the City Code, Chapter 1011;
66 - Would include adoption of certain rule changes of Rice Creek Watershed District
67 (RCWD)to ordinance;
68 - Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAMO)has their own
69 requirements and jurisdictions are supposed to adopt those rules; since VLAWMO
70 rules can differ from RCWD,the ordinance language clarifies regulations follow the
71 water regulation organization.
72 Director Grochala said he will bring forward changes for council consideration.
73 4. Bulk Deicing Material Storage—Community Development Director Grochala
74 reviewed his written report relating to a requirement for cities to adopt an ordinance that
75 requires that any salt storage areas be covered or be indoors as well as located on an
76 impervious surface and handled in a certain way. Salt storage regulations apply only to
77 large scale. The Environmental Board did review this and they requested that staff speak
78 with businesses and others who may have larger salt supplies; at this point it appears it is
79 only the City that has such a supply, with the possible exception of area contractors who
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80 provide winter services. Staff will be doing more public outreach and ultimately plan to
81 bring an ordinance to the council in January.
82 5. Appointment to Lino Lakes Advisory Boards—City Administrator Cotton
83 explained that at this point staff is waiting to hear back from several applicants so she'd
84 recommend that the matter be tabled. That does mean that the appointment interviews
85 would be delayed past the end of the year. The Planning and Zoning Board has enough
86 applicants so those interviews could be scheduled now if the council desires.
87
88 Acting Mayor Stoesz deferred the question of scheduling to the Mayor(who was not
89 present). City Administrator Cotton remarked that she would reach out to the mayor on
90 scheduling and also explore the possibility of not interviewing incumbents.
91 6. 2023 Budget& Tax Levy—Finance Director Lynch noted that she has provided
92 the council with the final proposed budget; it is the budget staff will include for the
93 upcoming budget hearing. That hearing is scheduled at the December 12th council
94 meeting. She reviewed the small changes (as noted in the staff report).
95
96 Acting Mayor Stoesz remarked that he expects that citizen focus is now on valuations and
97 not the tax rate that will be considered at the hearing.
98
99 Councilmember Cavegn noted that one added vehicle for the police department is still
10o included. Ms. Lynch remarked that she didn't hear a consensus to take that out at the last
101 discussion. Councilmember Cavegn noted that finances are not good for people this year
102 so things that are not necessary shouldn't be included in his opinion; he has heard Public
103 Safety Director Swenson say that this vehicle is not crucial. Director Swenson explained
104 that the vehicle is included to try and flatten the peaks and valleys on the replacement
105 schedule; that as well as consideration that there are cosmetic items that need to be fixed
106 on a vehicle to the tune of$5,000 to $6,000. This is a vehicle that is used by a member of
107 the leadership team but not for front line response. When asked if a reduction for this
108 vehicle would be a direct reduction in levy, Ms. Lynch explained that it could be but she
109 would warn that reductions to the capital budget will have a downstream impact.
110
111 A majority of the council did not agree with taking the vehicle out of the budget.
112
113 Councilmember Lyden said he'd like the council to fund an Alexandra House donation.
114 He supports their work in the community.
115
116 It was noted that the council received a presentation on the services of Alexandra House
117 in the past. That information is still valid and referrals to the services of Alexandra
118 House are still offered by the Public Safety Department regularly.
119
120 Acting Mayor Stoesz remarked that it is his belief and one that he believes is shared by
121 the Mayor that the activities are important but aren't appropriately funded by taxpayer
122 dollars.
123
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124 Chief Swenson noted that he submitted the Public Safety Department budget and did not
125 include funding for Alexandra House because he didn't see there was a change in the
126 council's sentiment.
127
128 Councilmembers Lyden and Cavegn expressed support for providing funding to
129 Alexandra House. There was not a clear direction but a councilmember indicated that he
130 would communicate with staff with a direction prior to next Monday.
131
132 Finance Director Lynch noted that the levy could be increased without going over the
133 preliminary cap or the funding could be identified from the contingency.
134 7. 2023 Hodgson Road Trail Extension (49&J Improvement Project)-
135 Community Development Director noted that, based on council direction, staff has
136 approached Anoka County on the matter of extending the pedestrian trail along the west
137 side of Hodgson from the Lyngblomsten project to Rohavic Lane. The extension can be
138 accomplished but the City will be responsble for obtaining the necessary right of way.
139 With council permission, staff will begin speaking with property owners to discuss an
140 acquisition and improvement process.
141 8. Council Updates on Boards/Commissions, City Council—There were no
142 updates.
143 Special Item—City Administrator Cotton asked the Council for support to close City Hall
144 for a portion of the day for the employee Christmas Party on December 15th. The council
145 supported the request.
146 The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
147
148 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on
149 December 27, 2022.
150
151
152 _ ,ti.w.�►.-� ....
153
154 Julianne Bartell, City Clerk Rob Rafferty, Mayor
155
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