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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-2024 - Council Work Session MinutesLino Lakes City Council Work Session Minutes DATE: September 9, 2024 TIME STARTED: 6:00 P.M. TIME ENDED: 6:21 P.M. LOCATION: City Hall Community Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Rafferty, Councilmembers Stoesz and Ruhland MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilmembers Lyden and Cavegn Staff Members Present: City Administrator Sarah Cotton, City Clerk Roberta Colotti, Public Safety Director John Swenson, Deputy Public Safety Director/Police Kyle Leibel, Deputy Public Safety Director/Fire Dan L'Allier, Community Development Director Michael Grochala, City Planner Katie Larsen, and Human Resources/Communications Manager Meg Sawyer. 1. Call to Order and Roll Call Mayor Rafferty called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Setting the Agenda: Addition or Deletion of Agenda Items The agenda was adopted as presented. 3. Professional Services Agreement Main Street Corridor Study The Community Development Director provided an update on the professional services agreement for the Main Street Corridor Study. He reported that they are working to define the scope, public engagement plan, and funding sources. He outlined short-term and long-term funding including a fee to recoup costs covered by interfund loans and other sources identified to provide upfront funding. He reported that at this time they envision three open houses and a stakeholder engagement process as part of the professional services agreement specifications. He said staff plans to bring the professional services proposal before the Council at the September 23rd meeting. 4. Review Regular Agenda The City Council reviewed the regular agenda items scheduled for this evening with staff. The Human Resources/Communications Manager stated that the Deputy Public Safety Director/Fire was at a prior Council Work Session to present the Fire Department Duty Crew model for holidays. She said that this evening the Council is being asked to adopt the associated personnel policy amendment. She noted that the rate of pay for holiday work is the same standard as other city union contracts. The Community Development Director stated that city code enforcement of the weed ordinance includes abatement. He noted that the abatement charges include the cost of Page 1 of 3 abatement and processing fees. He reported that there are three properties that have not paid their invoices, This evening the requested action is to call for a public hearing on the proposed assessment of unpaid costs, The property owners will have a final opportunity to make payment prior to the assessment. It was noted that the individual assessment amounts are $205 vs. $165 as listed in the staff report and that the total amount will be amended with the adoption of the resolution this evening, Mayor Rafferty confirmed that the cost was set to avoid having the city abatement process used as a lawn service. The Community Development Director reported that the fee structure is an increasing stepped fee for second and further violations, Mayor Rafferty requested that code enforcement conduct a review of the current conditions of the three properties. The Human Resources/Communications Manager reviewed the work history of the candidate being presented for promotion to Police Sergeant, The Public Safety Director reported that the police department has 25 sworn officers and three vacancies. Mayor Rafferty asked about the pay scale for the sergeant position. The City Administrator reviewed that the starting pay rate for a sergeant is less than the top rate for a police officer, That the promotion of an internal candidate took this into consideration in establishing the proposed step on the pay scale that is being recommended. The City Planner reviewed that the Watermark 8th Addition is the final development step for this project area, that they are looking at a final plat and open space. She reviewed the extended development timeline for the overall project and the future estimated date of full development with the build out of this final platted area, Councilmember Stoesz confirmed with the City Planner that there were sufficient escrow funds remaining to complete any work that should be left unfinished, Mayor Rafferty announced that the Work Session scheduled for immediately after the Regular Meeting would be cancelled due to a limited number of councilmembers present this evening. Mayor Rafferty requested that if there was interest in holding a Special Budget Work Session prior to the adoption of the Preliminary Budget and Levy on September 23rd that that members submit a request to the City Administrator by next Wednesday and if no Page 2 of 3 requests were received then to direct staff to set the Preliminary Budget and Levy as discussed at the last meeting. The City Administrator noted that the Preliminary Budget and Levy set in September can be reduced by not increased when setting the Final Budget and Levy in December. Councilmember Ruhland asked if there were any further amendments since the last Budget Work Session discussion. The City Administrator stated that the $100,000 levy for the Rookery was incorporated into the Preliminary Budget and Levy as directed. Otherwise, there were no significant changes. Mayor Rafferty requested that the Citygate Professional Services agreement item be placed on the Regular Agenda this evening as the Special Work Session is to be cancelled. 5. Adjournment Mayor Rafferty adjourned the meeting at 6:26 p.m. These minutes were approved at the regular Council Meeting on September 23, 2024, m a Roberta Colotti, CMC Rob Raf rty, City Clerk Mayer.) Page 3 of 3