HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-08-2014 Council Meeting MinutesCOUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
1 CITY OF LINO LAKES
2 MINUTES
3
4 DATE : December 8, 2014
5 TIME STARTED : 6:35 p.m.
6 TIME ENDED : 8:10 p.m.
7 MEMBERS PRESENT : Council Member Stoesz (arr. @7:15 p.m.),
8 Kusterman, Rafferty, Roeser, and Mayor Reinert
9 MEMBERS ABSENT
10
11 Staff members present: City Administrator Jeff Karlson; Finance Director Al Rolek; Chief of Police
12 John Swenson; Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson; and City Clerk Julie Bartell
13
14 PUBLIC COMMENT
15
16 No one was present to address the council regarding a matter not on the agenda.
17
18 SETTING THE AGENDA
19
20 The agenda was amended to remove Items 4A and 4B to be considered at the December 15th City
21 Council Meeting.
22
23 CONSENT AGENDA
24
25 Council Member Roeser moved to approve the Consent Agenda, Items lA through 1F, as presented.
26 Council Member Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried; Council Member Stoesz absent.
27
28 ITEM ACTION
29
30 Consideration of Expenditures:
31
32 December 8, 2014 (Check No. 99314 —99388,
33 $703,609.57) Approved
34
35 November 24, 2014 Council Work Session Minutes Approved
36
37 November 24, 2014 Council Meeting Minutes Approved
38
39 Resolution No. 14-144, Authorizing Transfer of
40 Funds from the Area and Unit Fund to the 2005B G.O.
41 Improvement Bond Debt Service Fund Approved
42
43 Resolution No. 14-145, Authorizing an Interfund Loan
44 From the Sanitary Sewer Fund tot the 2005A G.O.
45 Improvement Debt Service Fund Approved
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COUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
46
47 Resolution No. 14-146, Approving Transfers for
48 Partial Installment Payment on Interfund Loan for
49 Recreation Complex Land Approved
50
51 FINANCE DEPARTMENT REPORT
52
53 A) Public Hearing — 2014/15 Property Tax Levy and 2015 Budget — Finance Director Rolek
54 gave a PowerPoint presentation outlining the 2015 proposed budget as follows:
55 • tax levy, what is included and what was reduced from the prelimninary budget;
56 • a historic view of the city's tax levies;
57 • property values; the tax base has increased;
58 • the proposed tax rate, and a view of past rates;
59 • distribution of levied funds (schools, county, etc);
60 • tax computation process (value minus market value exclusion times tax rate)
61 • how the city's taxes rank in Anoka County;
62 • proposed 2015 budget process (calendar, steps to setting the budget);
63 • what's included in the city budget;
64 • the sales tax exemption approved by the Legislature has saved the city money this year;
65 • proposed revenue for 2015 (including a transfer from the Closed Bond Fund);
66 • proposed expenditures for 2015;
67 • the water and sewer enterprise budgets
68
69 Council Member Roeser noted that the city council has reduced the city's budget for the past six years
70 but now the city is growing again and it is important to plan for that growth and the future. He also
71 noted that the city doesn't control all of its costs such as payments to the Metropolitan Council, union
72 wages, pensions, road work that is needed, etc. He also noted that the tax bill that property owners
73 received earlier in the year with the preliminary tax amount has been lowered by the council. The
74 council did choose to utilize some reserve funds; those are true reserves that were set aside but not used
75 and can now be drawn down to a proper level to avoid being eaten up by inflation. The city will
76 maintain a fifty percent reserve. He noted a charter amendment previously forwarded to the council
77 that ultimately was not on the ballot but that would have caused the city to collect more in taxation than
78 is proposed.
79
80 Council Member Kusterman noted that this will be his first budget consideration as a city council
81 member. One of the reasons he ran for office was to help build trust in government. He believes the
82 council's job is to ensure that government functions well, providing needed services efficiently and
83 effectively and this budget does so.
84
85 Council Member Rafferty offered thanks to staff for their work on the budget. It's been a joint effort.
86
87 Mayor Reinert added that he came to the council with a "healthy distrust" of government. He can
88 assure the citizens that this council gets involved in the work of budget planning and drills down as
89 much as necessary to a good product. He is comfortable that the presented budget has been worked
90 down correctly.
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COUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
91
92 Mayor Reinert opened the public hearing.
93
94 Mike Stanecki, 6977 Glenview Lane, addressed the council. He questions his tax bill because there is
95 a 27% hike in his tax assessment. He heard staff report that the average valuation increase in the city is
96 12%. The city increase is far greater than the other levies on his tax statement. Finance Director Rolek
97 will contact Mr. Stanecki to discuss his concerns; Mayor Reinert asked that the council be informed of
98 the result of that conversation.
99
100 Kelly Gunderson, 135 Ulmer Drive, asked some questions. She noted a seventeen percent increase in
101 the Public Safety budget and asked for more detail. Mr. Rolek responded that the increase does include
102 some start-up costs for the new fire department that are one-time and also some staff costs that could be
103 partially on-going. He noted that there should be some clear future offset of those costs, however,
104 since the city's contribution to the Centennial Fire District ends in 2015. Ms. Gunderson asked about
105 capital costs related to the new fire department and also where does the cost of the new station show up
106 in the budget? Mr. Rolek replied that the cost of the new building isn't included in this budget; the
107 capital start up costs would be things like computers, equipment, etc. The cost of the station will be
108 bonded and paid for over time. Ms. Gunderson noted that the city's levy is going up at a percentage
109 much higher than the county increase of 2%. Mayor Reinert noted that the increase is lower than
110 indicated by the preliminary levy notification because the council reduced that. Ms. Gunderson noted
111 the use of reserve funds in the budget and the Mayor explained that the council looked carefully at the
112 city's reserve situation at a public meeting and made a responsible decision about their use.
113
114 The public hearing was closed at 7:36 p.m.
115
116 Council Member Kusterman noted that previously, his view of government was from the outside and,
117 now, as a city council member he sees how important it is to know the facts and understand just what is
118 being approved.
119
120 The council then acted on the following:
121
122 i) Consider Resolution No. 14-147, Adopting the Final 2014 Tax Levy Collectible in 2015
123
124 Council Member Roeser moved to approve Resolution No. 14-147, as presented. Council Member
125 Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
126
127 ii) Consider Resolution No. 14-148, Adopting the Final 2015 General Operating
128 Budget
129
130 Council Member Roeser moved to approve Resolution No. 14-148, as presented. Council Member
131 Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
132
133 iii) Consider Resolution No. 14-149, Adopting the 2015 Water and Sewer Operating
134 Budget
135
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COUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
136 Council Member Roeser moved to approve Resolution No. 14-149, as presented. Council Member
137 Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
138
139 iv) Consider Resolution No. 14-150, Adopting the 2015 Recreation Fund Budget
140
141 Council Member Roeser moved to approve Resolution No. 14-150, as presented. Council Member
142 Kusterman seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
143
144 B) Consider Resolution No. 14-151 Amending the 2014 General Operating Budget — Finance
145 Director Rolek explained that at this time of the year, staff brings forward a resolution to update the
146 2014 budget resolution to reflect changes that occurred during the year. He noted that there is
147 sufficient revenue to cover the changes.
148
149 Council Member Rafferty moved to approve Resolution No. 14-151, as presented. Council Member
150 Stoesz seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
151
152 C) Consider Resolution No. 14-152 Committing Specific Revenue Sources in Special Revenue
153 Funds — Finance Director Rolek explained the accounting standards requirement that cities with
154 special revenue funds must designate the source of revenue for those funds. That is the purpose of this
155 resolution.
156
157 Council Member Rafferty moved to approve Resolution No. 14-152, as presented. Council Member
158 Stoesz seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
159
160 ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT REPORT
161
162 3A) Consider Six -Month Employment Extension for Recycling Program Intern -
163 Environmental Coordinator Asieson explained that staff is requesting authorization to extend the
164 internship of the city's environmental intern. The intern has done a lot to enhance recycling efforts in
165 the city. The position is fully funded by a grant from Anoka County and funds will continue to be
166 available in 2015.
167
168 Mayor Reinert noted that the addition of a monthly recycling day in the city has proven a success in
169 bringing in more recycling. Council Member Roeser asked about funding available if cities establish
170 a dedicated recycling center and also asked about adding cardboard to the materials accepted for
171 recycling.
172
173 Council Member Kusterman moved to approve the employment extension as recommended by staff.
174 Council Member Roeser seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
175
176 PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT REPORT
177
178 Items 4A and 4B had been removed from the agenda.
179
180 4C) Public Safety Department Update — Chief Swenson updated the council on the following:
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COUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
181 - Training through Century College is going well;
182 Several paid on-call candidates have been offered conditional employment, pending physical
183 and psychological testing;
184 By July or August, he anticipates having 35-38 trained fire fighters and recruiting will
185 continue;
186 New fire station is on pace for the bidding process in January;
187 A grant application for gear for the entire department has been submitted to FEMA and will be
188 considered in a competitive process;
189 - The department is working on development policies and integrating manuals with assistance
190 from an outside consultant;
191 - The department continues researching and identifying additional fire apparatus.
192
193 The Chief received thanks for his work from the mayor. Council Member Stoesz added his thanks for
194 the department's work on Facebook and Twitter.
195
196 PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT REPORT
197
198 There was no report from the Public Services Department.
199
200 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REPORT
201
202 6A) Consider approval of Resolution No. 153, Authorizing of Memorandum of
203 Understanding allowing participation in the well -sealing program within the Anoka County
204 Well Head Protection — Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson reported that the resolution
205 would authorize city participation in the county's well head sealing program. The city would enter
206 into a JPA for work that relates to sealing unused wells and grant funds are also involved.
207
208 Council Member Stoesz moved to approve Resolution No. 14-153, as presented. Council Member
209 Rafferty seconded the motion. Motion carried on a unanimous voice vote.
210
211 UNFINISHED BUSINESS
212
213 There was no Unfinished Business.
214
215 NEW BUSINESS
216
217 There was no New Business.
218
219 COMMUNITY EVENTS
220
221 SECRET HOLIDAY SHOPPING held at Lino Lakes City Hall on December 10 & 11 from 4:30 p.m.
222 to 7:00 p.m. For more information call 651-982-2445
223
224 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA held at Lino Lakes Senior Center on December 13 from 8:30 a.m. to
225 10:00 a.m. for a fun filled morning with Santa and friends. For more information call 651-982-2445.
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COUNCIL MINUTES December 8, 2014
APPROVED
226
227 TOYS FOR JOY/CHRISTMAS COMMITTEE DROP OFF location is located at Lino Lakes City
228 Hall. Toys and food for the upcoming holiday will serve folks right here in our community. For
229 more information, please contact Lisa Hogstad at 651-982-2424.
230
231 NOW OPEN - KINGDOM BAKERY LOCATED IN SPIRIT HILLS MALL — Kingdom Baking
232 offers a variety of sweet and savory baked goods.
233
234 ADJOURN
235
236 There being no further business, Council Member Rafferty moved to adjourn at 8:10 p.m. Council
237 Member Stoesz seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.
238
239 These minutes were considered and approved at the regular Council Meeting, Dece . er 15, 2014.
240
241 /
242
2 ''-
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244 Ju1i., e Bartell, City 'lerk Jeff R: eAW, Mayor
245
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