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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/06/2012 Council PacketWORK SESSION AGENDA CITY OF LINO LAKES Monday, August 6, 2012 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Community Room (not televised) 5:30 P.M. 1. Charter Amendments 2. Request to Formalize Geocache Program in Lino Lakes Parks System, Dale Stoesz 3. Acceptance of Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant 4. Schedule date to review 2013 budget. 5. Review Regular Agenda — August 13, 2012 Adjourn WS — Item 1 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 1 Date: August 6, 2012 To: City Council From: Jeff Karlson Re: Charter Amendments Background Steve Bubul has reviewed the Charter Commission's "tax cap" amendment and will be at the work session Monday night to go over the amendment in full. Staff asked Joe Langel to prepare an opinion on the second proposed amendment regarding "charter governance." Mr. Langel will not be at the meeting, but will have a written opinion for you to review. Included on the August 13 Council meeting agenda will be consideration of a 2' reading of Ordinance No. 05 -12, amending Chapter 8 of the Lino Lakes City Charter regarding public improvements and special assessments. Mike Grochala will not at the meeting to make a presentation, but Mr. Bubul can comment on the resolution and answer any questions the Council may have. WS — Item Z WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. Z Date: August 6, 2012 To: City Council From: Rick DeGardner, Public Services Director Re: Request to Formalize Geocache Program in Lino Lakes Parks System Background Councilmember Stoesz has requested that the City formally implement "geocaching" throughout the Lino Lakes Parks System. Geocaching is a relatively new outdoor recreation activity that blends modern-day navigation technology with the concept of treasure hunting. Geocaching is initiated by an individual hiding a cache, normally a waterproof container with small items inside, then recording the location with a Global Positioning Unit (GPS). The cache may be in a hollow log or under an object. The individual then posts the GPS coordinates, along with a description of the cache on the geocaching web site ( www.geocaching.com ). Other individuals then try to find the cache. When it is located, they sign a logbook, then take or leave a small item. The Anoka County Parks Department began a geocaching program in 2009 and currently provides geocaching at six Regional Parks including the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve ( http:// www. anokacountyparks. com /recreation/geocaching.html). Anoka County has certain rules /restrictions in place including: • All caches must be approved and registered by the Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department. Unregistered caches will be removed. • Caches must not be buried and must be accessible from a standing position. • Caches must be placed at least 1/4 mile apart. • Caches must be located within the designated geocaching park areas at Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve, Riverfront Regional Park, Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Bunker Hills Regional Park, Rum River Central Regional Park, and Lake George Regional Park. • Caches are not allowed in picnic areas, play areas, golf course, water park, beaches, or campgrounds. If the City Council wishes to formalize a geocaching program throughout our parks system, I recommend that city staff determine suitable locations for placement of the caches, rather than Anoka County's model of permitting geocachers the ability to place their own caches. Most of our neighborhood parks are relatively small and are developed for activities geared specifically for neighborhood use. Inviting explorers to search for caches in "natural" areas near resident's backyards may create some anxiety /conflict. Two Options: 1. Keep status quo. With Anoka County offering an established geocaching program within the 5,500 acre Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Parks Reserve, area residents already have a wonderful opportunity to experience this activity. In addition, the www.geocaching.com website currently identifies 60 caches within two miles of the 55014 area code. Staff can incorporate geocaching information on the City's website referring interested residents to Anoka County's website and www.geocaching.com. 2. City formalizes geocaching program. Staff identifies suitable locations throughout our parks and trails system. We would inform local geocachers that all existing caches located on city property must be removed. We may seek assistance with local geocachers to determine suitable locations, place the caches, acquire accurate coordinates, address ongoing maintenance, etc. Staff would need to create /maintain a registry on the City's website. Requested Council Direction Does the City Council wish to direct staff to develop our own geocache program? If so, we will begin implementing a geocache program immediately. WS — Item 3 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 3 Date: August 6, 2012 To: City Council From: Marty Asleson Re: Consideration of Accepting 2012 Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant Background The Lino Lakes Environmental Board is responsible for overseeing the Solid Waste and Recycling Program for the City of Lino Lakes. Each year the Board establishes goals for the upcoming year. The Board established a new recycling goal for 2012 to investigate ways to expand recycling efforts in the City with particular attention to commercial, industrial, and public /semi - public entities. The City of Lino Lakes receives grant money (SCORE) each year from Anoka County to manage a residential recycling program, which is monitored for volume. In general, the waste stream of businesses in Lino Lakes and the rest of Anoka County is not tracked and is not eligible for SCORE funding. With the County facing new federal mandates for increased recycling, the Lino Lakes Environmental Board decided to pursue the expansion of the cities' program to include businesses. Staff met with the City's licensed haulers to learn about recycling issues in the business community and to discuss ways to increase business participation. Council Member Roeser then approached the Environmental Board with the idea of capturing the aluminum can portion of the commercial waste stream, with proceeds to go toward improvements to the City athletic complex. Staff also discussed the potential for starting a can recycling program with the haulers. In May, Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson, Public Facilities Director Rick DeGardner and Councilmember Roeser met with Randy Tripplet from Ace Solid Waste to further discuss recycling as a fundraiser for the City's athletic complex. Mr. Tripplet offered Ace Solid Waste's help in setting up a drop -off container for cans and possible ways to set up collection of other recyclable materials that could be used for fundraising. Anoka County has also added its assistance in contacting our businesses to inform them of this recycling initiative. An intern was hired by the County to contact our businesses to establish a baseline of recycling, and hopefully organize a champion in each business to head up recycling efforts. The intent is to create a model of recycling in Lino Lakes that includes recycling at home, at work and on the go that can be replicated in other Anoka County cities. This work has not yet started. The City of Lino Lakes applied for an Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant in July. The grant establishes an expansion of the City's recycling program to include public education in the forms of mailings, interior recycling containers, expanded recycling opportunities, and a monthly recycling day. The grant was approved in the amount of $26,000. The grant would pay for a monthly, "turn-key" recycling event. A recycling vendor would be selected to collect recycled materials at a public space such as Lino Park parking lot. The vendor would collect fees onsite. The City of Blaine has already started such a program and it appears to be working well. This monthly recycling program would not replace the annual spring recycle day that is paid for with SCORE funding. The grant will also cover bimonthly advertising for the recycling events, and a tri-fold informational mailer for each household about the "We Recycle at Home, at Work and on the Go" program. The new program would include expanded opportunity for mattresses, carpet and household recycling. The grant would also fund an intern or other City staff member to assist in the setting up of the recycle day and fund 30 hours of monitoring on site. Staff is recommending that Lisa Hogstad assist in the monthly recycling day, in that she has assisted the Environmental Board with recycle days in the past. The grant would cover the cost of purchasing indoor recycling containers for our public buildings, including the fire stations. In addition, and not a part of this grant, we will be receiving 28 new and 9 restored free outdoor recycling containers for our outdoor open space areas and shelters from Anoka County. Requested Council Direction Request the Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant be placed on the August 13th Regular Council Meeting Agenda for consideration Attachments 1. Anoka County Recycling Enhancement Grant Submittal 2. Anoka County Letter of Grant Award 2012 RECYCLING ENHANCEMENT GRANT Application Form Application Due — 4:30 PM, Friday, June 29, 2012 (Grant applications must be submitted using this form — All sections must be completed) E -mail Signed Copy to: carolyn.smith @co.anoka.mn.us Or Mail Signed Copy to: Carolyn Smith Integrated Waste Management Department 2100 3rd Ave., STE 340 Anoka, MN 55303 -5032 763 -323 -5735 Applicant Information: Name of Entity: City of Lino Lakes Contact Person: Marty Asleson Address: 600 Town Center Parkway City, State, Zip: Lino Lakes, Mn. 55014 Phone: 651 -982 -2435 Title: Environmental Coordinator E -mail: marty.asleson @ci.lino- lakes.mn.us Project Title: "We Recvcle...At Work, at Home, and On the Go" Grant Request: $25,654 Matching Funds: 0 Total Project Cost: $25,654 Authorizing Signature: The signature of the person who has the authority to enter into a contract with Anoka County on behalf of your municipality (e.g.; City Manager, Administrator, etc.). Name (Printed) Signature: Title: e .,4x/14" J Y!Y Ida 1. Project Description: Provide a brief, one page or less, project description. The project description should address: • project scope and design; Project is intended to promote and offer opportunity for residents to recycle at home, at work and on the go. It is intended to bring in the business fraction of Lino Lakes to the recycling program as well as recycling anywhere any time in Lino lakes • expected outcomes; Increased recycling, City of Lino Lakes as setting an example, increased opportunity to recycle by offering a monthly recycle day and expansion to carpet, mattresses and household. • current relevant practices and what practices will be changed during the project; The City will change to a monthly recycling event, promote through brochure recycling at work as well as at home and anywhere...on the go. It is hoped to pull in our business sector of Lino Lakes in education, and increased recycling increasing volumes and understanding of what and how to recycle. Opportunity will be given to residents and businesses to contribute to community needs by donating their aluminum cans and depositing them in can cages manufactured by this grant. • key individuals participating in project activities, including any project collaborators; Key individuals would be Marty Asleson, Environmental Coordinator for the City of Lino Lakes, Lisa Hogstad, employee for the City of Lino Lakes and assistant to the project monthly recycling event, Anoka Integrated Solid Waste, John Freimuth Enterprises, and NRI of Hugo, and Cathy Short, graphics designer for brochure. • overall project timeline; Timeline would start immediately pending Environmental Board and Council approvals except for the monthly event. Monthly recycling would start in September. • why project is compelling and worthy of funding. This project will incorporate the ideas of recycling at work and anywhere as well as home. The City Environmental Board hopes to reach out particularly to the business community to increase recycling. This would be a new approach to increasing volume of materials entering the recycle stream. The City will also be making contact with our listed businesses to attempt to enlist business recycling "champions ". 2. Proposed Project Tasks, Work Plan, and Timeline: List /describe the main tasks that your organization will undertake and the estimated timeline for each task. • Design, print, publish and mail a tri -fold brochure on "We Recycle at Home, at Work, and on the Go." Mailing would_ go out to 6174 households as soon as design , print and publish is done. This would be contract work. Start as soon as approvals are obtained • Set example for business, and residents to recycle anywhere by purchasing indoor recycling containers for public facilities. Start as soon as approvals are obtained. • Fabricate 2 can cages to be used to involve residents, businesses and people on the ao to recycle and contribute to Lino Lakes Parks. Start as soon as approvals are obtained • Switch to a monthly turn-key approach to recycle day. September or October • Publish and mail three bimonthly postcards to residents and business informing them of new recycling opportunities. Start as soon as approvals are obtained • Hire a graphics artist to design brochures and post cards. Start as soon as approvals are obtained. • Pay for a city employee extra hours, or an intern to help plan and organize the monthly recycle day. • Pay for two additional vendors to cover new items such as carpet, mattresses, and household.. 3. Project Budget: Provide a detailed budget. Provide a detailed budget including expenses for staff, printing, copying, mailing, equipment, materials, etc. If the grant request is more than 550,000, you must identify the nature and source of matching funds. (See Guidelines for more information on eligible and ineligible expenses). Tasks /Items Costs Design, Print and Publish, mail trifold "We Recycle at home, at Work and on the Go" $6174 Households at $2.00 each or $12, 348 Contract to build 2 roll -off can cages $2800 each or $5600 Signs for recycke day and can cages $35 each x 10 and tax = $326 Interior work station recycling baskets 67 at $5.50 each or $368 Interior Slim aims recycling containers 19 at $65 each or $1235 Interior atrium recycling station with "we recycle" signage 1 at $1150 Monthly recycle event planning Monthly recycle day event coordination assistance Bi- monthly postcard to residents and businesses $3087 20 hours at $22 per hour or $440 10 hours /month x $22/hr x 5 months or $1100 Total Grant Amount Requested $25,654 Match Tasks /Items Costs Total Match 0 Total Project Costs S25,654 4. Environmental Benefits: Describe how the project will enhance your current recycling efforts. Provide as many ginntitative measures as possible (examples: project will result in the collection of mattresses for recycling, recycling containers will be provided in our parks or an estimated collection of an additional 15 tons of plastic). This program will increase recycling day opportunity by 12X. Integrating business into our city -wide recycling will increase volume reported and create a new business model for recycling. The recycling day program will expand materials to mattresses, carpet and furniture. The program will encourage residents and business to recycle anytime and to contribute to fundraising collection opportunity. Education of residents and busineses will start at City hall and other public facilities with clearly marked recycling containers. The City also intends to expand recycling opportunity in the City Parks with anticipated increases in bottles and cans. ANOKA COUNTY JIM A. KORDIAK County Commissioner District #4 Marty Asleson Environmental nirector City of Lino Lakes 600 Town Center Pkwy Lino Lakes, MN 55014 PiTTFIcekrieAfi 2 COUNTY OF ANOKA OFFICE OF COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS GOVERNMENT CENTER 2100 3RD AVENUE STE 700 • ANOKA, MN 55303 -5024 (763) 323-5700 July 24, 2012 On July 24, 2012, the Anoka County Board approved the recommendations made by the grant review team for the 2012 Recycling Enhancement Grant Program. The team met on July 13, 2012, and was made up of Sherry Fiskewold, City of Oak Grove; Wanda Brown, City of Spring Lake Park; Carolyn Smith and myself. The team was impressed with the proposals and felt they offered great improvements to existing recycling efforts. After reviewing the eight applications, the committee recommended a total allocation of $245,557.94. The specific allocations are as follows: Andover $50,000.00 Coon Rapids $25,620.74 Anoka $10,008.20 East Bethel $29,210.00 Blaine $25,065.00 Lino Lakes $25,654.00 Columbia Heights $50,000.00 Ramsey $30,000.00 While we were not able to fully fund all of the requests, we believe that these allocations will provide needed resources to further our goal of increasing the amount of material recycled in the county and providing innovation and efficiency for our recycling activities. Grant amendments to our 2012 Residential Recycling Agreements will be provided shortly. Carolyn Smith will be in touch with you to assist you in these efforts. We thank you for your initiative and I look forward to working together with you on these projects. Sincerely, JK:kr FAX: 763 - 323 -5682 Jim Kordiak, Chair Waste Management and Energy Committee Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer TDD/TTY: 763 -323 -5289 WS — Item 4 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item No. 4 Date: August 6, 2012 To: City Council From: Jeff Karlson Re: Schedule Dates to Review 2013 Budget Background Monday night the Council will need to schedule a couple of dates to review the 2013 budget. Requested Council Direction Staff recommends the Council conduct its initial budget review on Monday, August 20 at 6:00 p.m.