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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/23/2003 Council MinutesCITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED CITY OF LINO LAKES MINUTES DATE : July 23, 2003 TIME STARTED : 5:30 p.m. TIME ENDED : 9:05 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT : Councilmember Carlson, Dahl, O'Donnell, Reinert, and Mayor Bergeson MEMBERS ABSENT : None Staff members present: City Administrator, Linda Waite Smith; Community Development Director, Michael Grochala; City Engineer, Jim Studenski; and Chief of Police, Dave Pecchia (part) NORTH OAKS UTILITY EXTENSION, MICHAEL GROCHALA, JIM STUDENSKI Community Development Director Grochala advised staff met with the North Oaks Company last week to discuss possible utility extension that would utilize land in Lino Lakes. The North Oaks Company does have preliminary plat approval to develop single family homes south of County Road J. Community Development Director Grochala advised staff's proposal for servicing that area mirrors the plans from the North Oaks Company. Staff believes Lino Lakes should establish a utility corridor through the North Oaks property to provide for future utility connections. Staff also believes this would be a practical and cost-effective process for both the North Oaks Company and the City of Lino Lakes. If the Council agrees, the City would enter into a joint powers agreement with North Oaks. The company is aware that development in the Lino Lakes area is not slated to occur until 2010. Councilmember Carlson stated she is concerned about having a situation similar to the situation on 62' Street. She asked if the area is in MUSA. Community Development Director Grochala advised the Lino Lakes area is not within the MUSA. If the City does not proceed the City would have to pay for the utilities at some point in the future. It was the consensus of the Council to direct staff to proceed with a joint powers agreement with the North Oaks Company. 1 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED UPDATE FROM HISTORY PROJECT COORDINATOR, BETSY FRIESEN, JERRY BERG Ms. Betty Friesen, Lino Lakes History Project Coordinator, stated the history project is getting back on track. She stated she has been working on the Native American component, map studies, and records from the pole building. The oldest houses and building have been identified within the City. She indicated she is still trying to talk to several families within the City. Ms. Friesen continued stating she will also be looking at other areas including the Native Americans, environment, government, buildings, transportation, military service, urbanization and bootlegging. The information will be documented and completed by May 2005. City Administrator Waite Smith advised Ms. Friesen to turn in all receipts for incurred expenses from the project. Mayor Bergeson asked how the City could save the older buildings within the community. Mr. Berg, History Project Volunteer, stated the federal government does have money for historic preservation. There are also many grants that are available to save buildings. Ms. Friesen added the City might have to establish a historic commission to apply for the grant money. The Council directed City Administrator Waite Smith to schedule a presentation from the Historic Society on the establishment on a historic commission. CENTENNIAL UTILITIES FRANCHISE, MR. JACK STOULIL Mr. Jack Stoulil, 7170 Ivy Ridge Court, stated he received a notice from the Centennial Utilities Company that he will be charged for a franchise fee. He asked what the fee is and why he has to pay it. Mayor Bergeson advised that originally the franchise fee was charged to the utility company when they started doing business within the City. In recent years, the utility company made the decision to pass the franchise fee on to its customers. Customers have been paying the franchise fee all along. Councilmember Carlson stated the fee did go up due to increased gas prices. The City agreed to put a cap on the fee because of the higher costs. The City offered the utility company the same cap last year but they refused. Since then the City and the utility company have not come to an agreement. Mayor Bergeson stated this subject may be brought up again during the budget process. Mr. Stoulil stated the utility company told him discontinuing the franchise fee is totally • up to the City. He stated the fee seems like another tax. CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED • City Administrator Waite Smith stated the utility company pays a franchise fee to cities for damage done to rights of way. Franchise fees are not uncommon. AMELIA LAKE ROAD STREET CONSTRUCTION, MICHAEL GROCHALA, JIM STUDENSKI Community Development Director Grochala distributed a map pointing out the proposed Amelia Lake Road. The developer wants to put in single-family homes in the area. The developer would be constructing and paying for the roadway. Community Development Director Grochala continued indicating the City's transportation plan does show a road in the area. The intent is to hook up the roadway with Holly Drive East. However, it is not practical to tie those two roads together. The proposal is for a cul-de-sac and right-of-way being provided for a future extension. The City's park land is adjacent to the property and the road could be an access to the park. Staff is working on the design of the roadway. The City approval would be for execution of a development agreement and acceptance of the right-of-way. Councilmember Carlson asked why the road has to be curved when it appears it should go straight across. Community Development Director Grochala advised that if the road does go through it would have to be curved due to the lake. Staff will continue to work on the road design and exact location of the right-of-way. It was the consensus of the Council to direct staff to move forward with the Amelia Lake Road street construction. UPDATE ON QUAD CITIES POLICE TASK FORCE, LINDA WAITE SMITH City Administrator Waite Smith advised she previously updated the Council regarding the Quad Cities Police proposal. She distributed a map of the area that would be included in the Quad Cities Police Department. The Task Force strongly suggested that the two police departments merge. However, the budget and Chief of Police decision would require approval from all four involved cities. Mayor Bergeson stated he believes this is the last proposal. He stated he is cautiously willing to look at the proposal. Councilmember Reinert stated he had suggested the 50/50 plus one option. The Task Force did not like the idea of the extra vote in cases of a tie. If the Council chooses, the City can look into the 50/50 proposal without the plus one vote, but require that the City of Lino Lakes choose the Chief of the Department. Councilmember O'Donnell asked if levels of service in the department could get better with a merger. Chief Pecchia stated that in the long term, levels of service could be increased. The City's levels of service are going to change no matter what, and hopefully for the better. CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED Councilmember O'Donnell suggested the Chief of the Department be the Chair and cast • the tie breaking vote. The Chief would be agreed on by the involved cities so that should be acceptable. Councilmember Dahl stated she is concerned that the City of Lino Lakes invested the dollars into the building and is still paying for it. It doesn't seem right that other cities can come into the building with no investment. She indicated she is aware that the building can accommodate a larger department. However, the residents of Lino Lakes are paying for the building. The other cities came to the City of Lino Lakes with the request. She stated she does not believe the concept will work. The City has to make a business decision in regard to the proposal. Contracting out to the other cities has been offered in the past. She stated she wants to keep the City's Chief of Police and the current Police Officer's. She stated she does not believe a 50/50 agreement is a good idea. She stated she does not want to lose what the City has and the City should have 51% of the vote if a merger occurs. Chief Pecchia stated that if the City pursues the Quad Cities Police Department, the timeline needs to be changed. He stated he believes the choice of the Chief of the Department is critical. Levels of service will change and the Chief of the Department will be a major reason why they will change. The timeline of the decision is still very critical to the current police force. Councilmember Reinert asked if the City should make a counter proposal to the Task Force that would involve a 50/50 plus one, with the recommendation that Chief Pecchia is the Chair who casts the tie breaking vote, and would also be the Chief of the Department. Councilmember Carlson stated she is not in favor of the counter proposal unless the City of Lino Lakes would have more than 50% of the vote. Councilmember Dahl stated she also feels the City of Lino Lakes should have at least 51% of the vote. By a slim majority of the Council, it was determined that City Administrator Waite Smith would email the City Administrators of the involved cities with the counter proposal that includes a 50/50 vote plus one, with the tie breaking vote coming from the Chair of the Committee, and Chief of the Department, Dave Pecchia. BIRCH STREET SPEED STUDY, JIM STUDENSKI Community Development Director Grochala advised the City received a request to conduct a speed study on Birch Street at the last Council meeting. Staff would like direction regarding whether or not they should contact the County. The County may do the speed study or may ask the City to conduct the speed study. It is possible that the speed limit on Birch Street could increase after the speed study is conducted. MnDOT ultimately determines if the speed limit will increase, decrease or stay the same. • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED The Council directed staff to contact Anoka County to inquire about the details of a speed • study process. Staff will provide an update to the Council at a future meeting. • • ELM STREET TRAIL, MAYOR BERGESON Mayor Bergeson stated that on the west end of Elm Street trail the road width of Sunset Drive is very wide. Then part of the road narrows down with no shoulder. He stated it would be safer if the trail went down to where the road widens. City Engineer Studenski stated the County owns the land and the plan for the roadway has already been approved. Mayor Bergeson stated that it makes sense to extend the trail when the contractors are in the area. City Engineer Studenski stated the issue is the State Aid funding and the plans have already been approved. Mayor Bergeson suggested staff deal with Anoka County in regards to the trail extension as a separate issue than the road reconstruction. City Engineer Studenski stated a resident on Elm Street is trying to stop the tree cutting on the City owned property. Staff would like to clarify that the City is not cutting down any trees on any property other than the City owned property. MINI STORAGE, MICHAEL GROCHALA Community Development Director Grochala advised mini storage facilities are allowed with a conditional use permit in General/Industrial zones. The only property within the City zoned General/Industrial is the Molin property. A rezone would be required to develop a mini storage facility anywhere else within the City. The Task Force did discuss this issue when the zoning ordinances were reviewed. Mayor Bergeson noted he has had two inquires about mini storage facilities within the City. SET DATE FOR BUDGET WORK SESSION, LINDA WAITE SMITH City Administrator Waite Smith advised staff has proposed the budget meeting be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2003, 5:30 p.m. She noted that in order to balance the budget, many cuts were made and no salary increases were included. If any salaries are increased, jobs will have to be cut. Health care coverage went up 25%. Staff will be talking to insurance representatives to investigate other types of insurance. City Administrator Waite Smith added that a draft budget would hopefully be distributed to the Council prior to the budget meeting. • • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION JULY 23, 2003 APPROVED RESIGNATION OF CITY ADMINISTRATOR, LINDA WAITE SMITH City Administrator Waite Smith distributed a letter of resignation. The letter referred to the reasons for the resignation and indicated she is available to be involved with the selection of a replacement. City Administrator Waite Smith requested the Council allow her to leave her current position two weeks prior to the 60 day notice required in her contract. She noted she will come back to assist the City with the labor negotiations. Mayor Bergeson indicated leaving the current position two weeks prior to the contract requirement should not be a problem. Councilmember Carlson stated it would be very beneficial for City Administrator Waite Smith to return to the City to help facilitate the labor negotiations. REGULAR AGENDA, JULY 28, 2003 Item 4B, Resignation of City Administrator, was added to the regular agenda. Item 4C, Resignation of Utility Clerk, was added to the regular agenda. There were no other changes to the regular agenda. The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m. These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on August 11, 2003. Ann Bl i , City Clerk JoBergson, Mayor Transcribed by: Kim Points TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. 6