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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/07/1987 Council Minutes101 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 A joint Council meeting was called to order by Mayor Benson at 6:43 P.M., December 7, 1987. Lino Lakes Council Members present: Bisel, Marier, Bohjanen, Reinert. Centerville Council Members present: Walt Newmann and Mayor L'Allier. Other persons present: Art Moher, Asst. Chief, Station No. 3, Desmond Englund, Chief Station No. 3, Norman Fritchie, Centennnial Fire District Commissioner, Archie Gay, District Chief, Bill Bruen, Spectator, Tammy Miltz- Miller, Centerville City Clerk, Neal Benjamin, Centennial Fire District Commissioner, Andy Neal, Centennial Fire District Commissioner, Randy Schumacher, Lino Lakes City Administrator and Marilyn Anderson, Lino Lakes Clerk. Mayor Benson noted the subject of the meeting is discussion of fire station no. 3. Mayor L'Allier explained that the Centerville City Council wanted to meet with the Lino Lakes City Council to discuss the replacement of station no. 3. The Centennial Fire District had discussed putting the new fire station no. 3 in Lino Lakes near the intersection of Birch Street and Centerville Road. However, Centerville is interested in looking into replacing station no. 3 and combining it with a new municipal building and place it where the ice rink is now located. Mayor Benson said his concern regarded station no. 2 in Lino Lakes. He asked why the Fire District is looking at replacing fire station no. 3 when station no. 2 is not operating at 100% capacity. He explained that fire station no. 3 should be just a fire station regardless of location and not combined with another building use. he asked about time frames and allocation of costs. Mr. Marier asked what the Fire District's plans were for station no. 2 and how does that affect station no. 3. Mr. Andy Neal explained that the Fire District is looking at getting station no. 2 opened and operating by July, 1988. Fire Chief Gay said the District is trying to get the manpower for the station by July, 1988 but the remodeling and other aspects of the station will come through the 1989 Budget. Mr. Marier noted that the District has station no. 2 that cannot be made functional and now they want to start a new station. Chief Gay said this would not be a new station, just a replacement of an old station. PAGE 1 X02 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 Mayor Benson asked Chief Gay if he thought station no. 3 was operable and functional. Chief Gay said that this station has many problems. He explained the main function is time and this station is not adequate in that respect. Mayor Benson asked why was this proposal presented at this time. Mr. Benjamin explained it was presented now because station no. 3 is a disaster and should be considered a separate issue from station no. 2. Station no. 3 is in a fast developing area and the question is when do adequate facilites come? Mayor Benson noted that no one was challenging the fact that the facilities at station no. 3 are not adequate. He noted that the City of Centerville has voted on bond issues twice and they both failed. However, he expressed suprise because the Fire District has prepared time frames and discussed costs before getting together with the Cities who are to provide the funding. Is the Fire District asking for acceptance of this plan or is this a mandate? Mr. Benjamin explained that the Cities need to come together and address the problem and agree on a target date. Mr. Neal asked the Centerville representatives when they planned to have the new station no. 3 completed. Mayor L'Allier explained that the City of Centerville has had two bond issues before the public and both were'defeated. The Centerville Council would like to see a new fire station but do not agree that the present station is a disaster area. Mr. Neal said suppose station no. 2 is completed and at full manpower, could station no. 3 be closed and the equipment moved to station no. 2? Chief Gay said he would not like to jeopardize one community to benefit another. Mayor L'Allier said that he wanted the new station no. 3 located in the City of Centerville. Mr. Marier asked if there was a location on the John Peterson property to build the new station no. 3. Mayor L'Allier explained. Mr. Fritchie said he has heard rumors that Lino Lakes was considering financing a dual station. It was determined that these rumors were unfounded. Mr. Fritchie said he did not believe that the fire station no. 3 replacement plan was cast in stone. The District Representatives and firefighters have expressed their concerns but location of station no. 3 is a key item for discussion. Mr. Neumann agreed and noted cost is also a factor. Mayor Benson said PAGE 2 1 1 1 103 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 that as long as everyone is together we should address station no. 2 as well as station no. 3 and such issues as location and time frames. Chief Gay asked when did the Lino Lakes budget set priority for station no. 2. Mayor Benson said 1989. Mr. Bisel asked if all sign posts were removed (no boundaries between cities) what critera would be used for establishing a fire station. Mr. Fritchie said first what is the source of persons who would be staffing the station; second, where will the incidents be happening and third, what is the time element. Mayor Benson asked where the staff for station no. 3 comes from. It was explained that seventeen come from Centerville and others come from the East Shadow Lake Drive area and the Birch Street, Centerville Road area. The manpower is basically within a half mile radius of the fire station. Mayor Benson asked where do most of the calls come from and what types of calls are they? It was explained that the majority come from towards station no.2 or along Birch Street or the East Shadow Lake Drive area. Mr. Neumann said he wanted to meet tonight to see how Lino Lakes feels about the letter from the Fire Commission. He said he is on the long range planning commission and he feels station no. 3 is not an urgent question. However, if we are going to proceed he wanted to see how much each City was going to be involved. Mayor Benson said one question that needed to be answered is where will the population be. He noted that Lino Lakes expects about 200 new homes in the Birch Street area and possibily the population in that area could be 2,000 or 3,000. He also expected industrial growth along 35E and he also envisioned an influx of homes in the southeast portion of Lino Lakes. Chief Gay suggested maybe there should be a fourth station. Mayor Benson suggested that the Fire District look at a total goal for the District. He suggested that maybe the Fire Districts proposal was premature and suggested that the Fire District look at the long term growth in all three Cities. Mr. Fritchie noted that Lino Lakes Comprehensive Land Use Plan was used in designing this framework. Mr. Schumacher explained where the urban development areas were located in Lino Lakes and Mr. Reinert suggested that numbers in terms of population growth could be projected using this information. Mr. Schumacher explained that the City Engineer is preparing an PAGE 3 1 0 4 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 amendment to the Lino Lakes Comprehensive Land Use Plan and he will also project population figures. Mr. Benjamin noted that the Fire Commission did not have this information for preparing this report. Mr. Schumacher explained the update is just now being completed and said maybe the Fire Commission should not be looking at a new station no. 3 but rather a new station no. 4. The Fire Commission can re- evaluate now that they have both Councils feelings. Mr. Marier also noted that if a fire station is located within a certain radius, insurance rates drop and this should be taken into consideration when informing the public regarding the benefits of a new station. There was discussion regarding how the joint powers agreement addresses new stations. Mr. Schumacher explained th joint powers agreement. Mayor Benson asked Mayor L'Allier what he would like to see happen. Mayor L'Allier said he would like station no. 2 operable and station no. 3 upgraded and then look at the possibility of station no. 4. Mayor Benson suggested that station no. 4 could be built before station no. 3 is upgraded and then some equipment from station no. 3 could be moved to station no. 4 while no. 3 is being upgraded. He also suggested that station no. 4 could be the largest station since this is where a large portion of Lino Lakes population will be. Mayor L'Allier agreed that station no. 4 may be the largest statiion but felt there was a need for a fire hall and municipal building in Centerville because the need in Centerville is growing before the need for a 4th station in Lino Lakes. Mr. Fritchie asked about the far east side of Lino Lakes. Mayor Benson noted this area was isolated and suggested the Fire District might have to look at an alternate plan for that area. It has the longest response time. Mr. Reinert asked what items F & G on page 4 of the Fire Report dealt with. Mr. Fritchie explained. Mr. Reinert asked why it was so important to locate station no. 3 in Centerville. Mayor L'Allier explained that if the Fire District were to dissolve, he would not want the Centerville fire station located in Lino Lakes. Mayor Benson said he was concerned with the entire east side of the Fire District and tried to wipe away all city lines. He said he did not envision Centerville not having fire protection. Mr. Englund suggested that the Fire District get rolling on this PAGE 4 1 1 105 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 matter. He also suggested forming a committee between the two Councils to study the matter. Mayor Benson said that in his opinion by the end of 1989 station no. 2 will be fully operational, the addition will be completed and all men will be trained. He asked if by forming a committee would the Councils be intervening where Commissioiners should be? He suggested that the Councils give the Commissioners direction and oversee their work and be more specific in plans for future growth of each city. Mr. Bohjanen said he did not feel that the Fire District needed two more people from each Council to give direction. Mr. Benjamin noted that the system is there to do the task. Mr. Reinert said the land use information is available and would be helpful. Mr. Bisel said he was concerned about some areas and suggested that if decisions were going to be made, city boundaries would have to be ignored and do what is best for the entire community. Mr. Marier said he had a problem with financing fire projects. Mr. Schumacher explained each City is responsible for capital costs of the fire buildings within its boundaries. Mayor L'Allier asked how do you work out a joint financial venture? Mr. Marier felt there was not much room in Centerville for a new station. He asked what was the agreement of their future Councils. Thre was no commitment from Lino Lakes on Mr. L'Alliers question and he then noted that it appeared that Lino Lakes was not interested in going in with Centerville financially on station no. 3. He did note that the Centerville Council felt a bond issued would fly if the fire station was combined with a municipal building. Mr. Benjamin said that the Fire Commission will have to get specific directions from each Council and then take a broader look at the entire district. Mayor Benson suggested that the Fire Commission could form a subcommittee for this purpose. Mayor Benson said that the Lino Lakes Council would give specific direction at the December 28th Council meeting. He also noted that this process may not take place as quickly as everyone would like. He also noted that locations of fire stations would determine time frames. Mr. Schumacher noted that it was critical that capital costs be kept on a level basis and also there were a lot of different financing packages to look at. Mr. Fritchie asked that the Council positions be put in writing. Mr. Englund said he would get potential growth PAGE 5 106 JOINT COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 7, 1987 figures from the City Planners and Engineers. Mr. Benjamin said he would want to know the planned development for the 35E area since the Fire District is limited in the servicing of certain height on buildings. Mayor Benson thanked everyone for coming this evening. The meeting adjourned at 8;02 P.M. PAGE 6 1