HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-25-2013 Council Work Session MinutesCITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION March 25, 2013
APPROVED
1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3
4 DATE : March 25, 2013
5 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m.
6 TIME ENDED : 6:30 p.m.
7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz, O'Donnell,
8 Rafferty, Roeser and Mayor Reinert
9 MEMBERS ABSENT : None
10
11
12 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Community Development
13 Director Michael Grochala; Public Safety Director John Swenson; Economic
14 Development Coordinator Mary Alice Divine; City Planner Katie Larsen; City Engineer
15 Jason Wedel; City Clerk Julie Bartell
16
17 2. Review Regular Council Agenda of March 25, 2013 — The agenda was
18 reviewed and summarized comments follow.
19
20 Item 3A, Two -Year Labor Agreement with IUOE Local 49 — Administrator Karlson
21 reviewed the teens of the proposed agreement covering 2012 and 2013. Council Member
22 O'Donnell urged staff to begin negotiating the 2014 agreements early so they can be in
23 place at the beginning of the year they cover. When the mayor suggested holding off on
24 this agreement so as to include 2014, Administrator Karlson recommended against
25 holding up this agreement. Council Member Roeser indicated that he still has questions
26 about providing cash for a waiver on health insurance; that is a practice not seen in the
27 private market. Administrator Karlson explained that the waiver amount was awarded as
28 part of the arbitration in this case but it doesn't necessarily affect the future.
29
30 When the mayor suggested that the council have a conversation about the process for
31 labor agreements with an understanding that they'd like to have them in place for budget
32 consideration, Administrator Karlson stated that he's like to include a discussion of the
33 Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA) in an upcoming priority setting session.
34 Council Member Roeser noted that employees should be aware of how their union
35 represents them in negotiations and that delayed agreements can result in less value
36 (inflation) in wage increase.
37
38 Item 6A, Resolution No. 13 -36, Execution of Anoka County Agreement for 2013
39 Residential Recycling Program — Community Development Director Grochala reviewed
40 the terms of proposed contract and added that staff is hopeful of getting some extra
41 funding based on increased tonnage (the now monthly recycling day in the city has helped
42 a lot).
43
44 1. Outdoor Storage in Industrial Zones - Mayor Reinert announced that he and
45 Council Member Roeser agreed to add this discussion. There is an industrial property in
1
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION March 25, 2013
APPROVED
46 the city that is of interest to Lorenz Bus Company but there could be an issue for them
47 with bus parking. Community Development Director Grochala explained that staff has
48 met with the property owner who indicates that the bus company is interested in taking
49 over the site, including storage of 20 -40 buses, with the future possibility of moving the
50 company to the site. He noted that the council recently amended the zoning ordinance to
51 allow limited outdoor storage. There is an issue with some vacated land there also. Mr.
52 Grochala suggested that if the council were to amend the zoning regulations, it would
53 probably require a conditional use permit and he isn't sure that would be acceptable to the
54 interested party. He added his concern about allowing a conditional use that would no
55 doubt become a peimanent heavy industrial use. Mayor Reinert remarked that it is
56 somewhat obvious that the current use won't continue so, if not the proposed use, what is
57 the vision for use of the facility? Mr. Grochala explained that the location is guided for
58 industrial use but the kind that is there now (manufacturing) that is more compatible with
59 the area (schools and residential).
60
61 The owner of the property addressed the council. He is losing the property to foreclosure
62 and if the council eliminates the possibility of use, the value becomes zero. Mayor
63 Reinert suggested that the council should have a broad discussion on outdoor storage and
64 include this property in the discussion. Council Member Roeser suggested that if it's
65 done right outdoor storage can work; the building could actually become a vacant blight if
66 it isn't usable.
67
68 The council concurred to extend the city's cease and desist order pending a council
69 discussion within the next 60 days.
70
71 The meeting was adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
72
73 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on
74 April 8, 2013.
75
76
77
78
79 Juli. e Bartell, City 'lerk Je" Reinert, Mayor
80
2