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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/03/2003 Council MinutesCITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED • 2 3 CITY OF LINO LAKES 4 MINUTES 5 6 7 8 DATE : September 3, 2003 9 TIME STARTED : 5:40 p.m. 10 TIME ENDED : 9:55 p.m. 11 MEMBERS PRESENT : Councilmember Carlson, Dahl, O'Donnell 12 Reinert (6:13 p.m.) and Mayor Bergeson 13 MEMBERS ABSENT : None 14 15 Staff members present: City Administrator, Linda Waite Smith (part); Community 16 Development Director, Michael Grochala; City Engineer, Jim Studenski; Economic 17 Development Assistant, Mary Alice Divine (part); Finance Director, Al Rolek (part); City 18 Planner, Jeff Smyser; Chief of Police, Dave Pecchia; and City Clerk Ann Blair 19 20 21 2004 BUDGET DISCUSSION, AL ROLEK 22 23 Finance Director Rolek stated the Councilmembers have previously reviewed the 24 proposed budget. The approval of the proposed budget is scheduled for the Council • 25 meeting on Monday night. The levy must be certified and approved by September 15, 26 2003. The Truth in Taxation hearing is scheduled on December 8 and will be continued 27 on December 15, 2003 if necessary. He asked if Councilmembers have any questions 28 about the proposed budget. 29 30 Councilmember Dahl stated a resident contacted her and requested a copy of the budget. 31 Finance Director Rolek advised a copy is available at City Hall to review. Residents can 32 obtain a copy of the summary pages. 33 34 Councilmember Dahl inquired about the Wellness Program within the proposed budget. 35 Finance Director Rolek advised the Wellness Program is part of the City's personnel 36 policy. The Wellness Program encourages employees to maintain their health in hopes of 37 cutting out sick time. Employees cash out their sick pay to pay for the program. 38 39 Councilmember Carlson asked if there are any costs that were passed on to the City from 40 the state due to the cut in state aid. Finance Director Rolek stated there are always 41 expenses that the state passes on to local governments. He indicated he cannot single out 42 any one cost. 43 44 Councilmember Carlson referred to the history of Lino Lakes' salaried position 45 employees. She stated it shows that two employees getting market adjustments were 46 non-union employees in 2003. The 2002 column is missing the figures for non-union 47 employees that had gotten market adjustments. • 48 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 City Administrator Waite Smith advised that several employees who got market • 2 adjustments in 2002 and 2003. She indicated she would include more information 3 regarding that issue in the Friday packet. 4 5 Finance Director Rolek advised some salary increases have been built into the budget. 6 7 City Administrator Waite Smith stated nothing has been approved yet in relation to 8 salaries. Some of the non-union salaries are off in regard to market adjustment. Staff 9 will not make non-union recommendations until negotiations with the unions have been 10 completed. 11 12 This item will appear on the regular Council agenda Monday, September 8, 2003, 6:30 13 p.m. 14 15 HAILEY MANOR RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION, JEFF SMYSER AND JIM 16 STUDENSKI 17 18 City Planner Smyser advised the Hailey Manor residential subdivision was discussed at 19 the last work session. The question remains of whether or not to amend the 20 Comprehensive Plan for redevelopment of the Mardon Acre lots and the possibility of 21 providing sanitary sewer and water service to additional residents in the area. 22 23 City Engineer Studenski advised the area that is currently serviced is the extent of what 24 was meant to be serviced from the east. The overall sewer plan indicates services for • 25 additional residents needs to come from the south. Work was done in the area to 26 determine if additional properties can be serviced. He referred to a map and pointed out 27 the properties that could be serviced and the properties that would require a grinder pump 28 due to the elevation. Approximately three more properties could be serviced from the 29 east. If the City were planning to service the entire area, utilities would come from the 30 south. Servicing some additional properties from the north may be possible but there 31 could be additional issues with that option. 32 33 City Planner Smyser advised staff is recommending the City go ahead with the Hailey 34 Manor project. The City does not have enough information to go ahead with a project to 35 service the additional property owners. 36 37 Councilmember O'Donnell clarified that the staff recommendation is for the Council to 38 approve the Comprehensive Plan amendment for the whole area and request enough 39 MUSA for the entire area. He asked how the City would address the petition from the 40 additional residents. 41 42 City Engineer Studenski advised the Council could direct staff to do a more detailed 43 feasibility study. 44 45 City Planner Smyser advised the City could proceed with a more detailed study. 46 However, the City needs to determine who will pay for the study. 47 • • • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 Mayor Bergeson stated he believes the Council needs to take action on the Hailey Manor 2 project. 3 4 Councilmember Reinert stated he believes it makes sense to move forward with Hailey 5 Manor. 6 7 A resident present asked what her options are for obtaining City utility services. City 8 Engineer Studenski stated the Council may direct staff to move forward with a detailed 9 feasibility study. 10 11 The resident asked if she could stub off Mr. Feela's utilities. City Engineer Studenski 12 advised the City does not allow stubbing across lots. Utilities need to come from the 13 front of the lot. 14 15 Councilmember O'Donnell asked for a staff report with recommendations and options 16 regarding the petition. 17 18 Mayor Bergeson stated the City needs a legal opinion regarding the petition. He 19 requested that information be included in the Friday packet. He also requested staff 20 schedule a neighborhood meeting with the additional residents who want City utilities. It 21 is possible that a staff recommendation can come from that neighborhood meeting. 22 23 City Planner Smyser advised staff will schedule a neighborhood meeting to provide 24 details and options to the residents in that area. 25 26 2004-2005 ROAD RECONSTRUCTION REFERENDUM, MICHAEL 27 GROCHALA AND JIM STUDENSKI 28 29 Community Development Director Grochala advised staff is proposing to go forward 30 with a question on the ballot regarding road reconstruction. He noted the streets that 31 would be included in the referendum in the amount of $3,442,000.00. The referendum 32 question will include two years of projects. He distributed a draft ballot question. The 33 question needs to be sent to the County by next Friday. The City Attorney is reviewing 34 the verbiage and any changes will be included in the Friday packet. 35 36 Community Development Director Grochala stated there has been some concern about 37 listing specific streets on the ballot. Feasibility studies will be present to the Council in 38 October 2003. A hearing will be called for the improvements. The sixty-day appeal 39 process will not be completed until the election is over. That may cause issues if the 40 referendum passes or fails. 41 42 Mayor Bergeson stated he lives on one of the streest included in the project, and therefore 43 would ask Councilmember Reinert to conduct this portion of the meeting.. 44 45 Community Development Director Grochala continued, stating the issue of sewer and 46 water on West Shadow was raised at the neighborhood meeting. Without a street project 47 utilities are not an option. If the referendum passes the City will have to determine if 48 there is enough interest to order a feasibility study for the utilities. A Comprehensive • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 Plan amendment would be required to put in the utilities. The majority of the area is 2 within the MUSA and Stage 1 growth area. A few of the properties would need MUSA 3 and a change in growth area. Those issues will be a moot point if the referendum does 4 not pass. 5 6 Acting Mayor Reinert stated it does not make sense to reconstruct the road without 7 putting utilities in. 8 9 Councilmember Carlson stated she believes the residents in Lakes Addition knew the 10 costs before they voted on a referendum. Community Development Director Grochala 11 stated the public hearing would be held before residents vote on the referendum. Costs 12 will be determined before a vote is taken. Staff will hold Citywide meeting prior to the 13 vote. 14 15 Councilmember Dahl requested that a copy of the list of streets that would be included in 16 the project be distributed in the Friday packet. 17 18 Community Development Director Grochala noted the City may want to look at 19 amending the Charter if the referendum does not pass. 20 21 This item will appear on the regular Council agenda Monday, September 8, 2003, 6:30 22 p.m. 23 24 Mayor Bergeson resumed as chair of the meeting. 25 26 TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICT 1-10, MICHAEL GROCHALA AND 27 MARY ALICE DIVINE 28 29 Economic Development Assistant Divine advised staff has taken steps to get the 30 proposed Panattoni project underway. In anticipation of the project, the Council 31 established TIF District 1-10. The Council will consider the site plan and platting 32 proposal at a future meeting. Staff is still in the process of reviewing the application. 33 34 Mr. Rob Davidson, Davidson Companies, stated the company plans on consolidating two 35 facilities to one location within Lino Lakes. He gave the background of Distribution 36 Alternatives noting the facility will not involve manufacturing. 37 38 Councilmember O'Donnell inquired about the number of employees the facility will 39 have. Mr. Davidson advised the facility would have approximately 100 employees. One 40 of the hopes of the company is to create more efficiency and future job growth. There 41 will be no other tenants in the facility. The building will have 25 truck bays. 42 43 Councilmember Reinert inquired about any staff problems or concerns regarding the 44 project. Economic Development Assistant Divine stated the facility fits into the zoning 45 and land use. From an economic development stand point the project will be a great asset 46 to the City. 47 • • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 Community Development Director Grochala advised the biggest challenges so far are 2 transportation and landscaping issues. 3 4 Economic Development Assistant Divine advised the facility will be open from 7:00 a.m. 5 to 7:00 p.m. There are different working shifts. It is anticipated that there will be an 6 average of 43 trucks in and out of the facility per week. 7 8 Mayor Bergeson noted the site is in a light industrial area. 9 10 Mr. Pat Pelstring, Pelstring Capital, stated he put together the application for the TIF 11 District noting the emphasis on economic development. He provided a background on 12 Panatonni noting they will be passing on the TIF savings to Distribution Alternatives. He 13 reviewed the costs of the project noting the project will generate approximately $290,000 14 of revenue for the City. Panatonni believes that TIF is a way for the company to offset 15 larger costs and level the playing field. He distributed a list of current employees and 16 average salaries. He also distributed an outline of employee benefits provided by 17 Distribution Alternatives. 18 19 Economic Development Assistant Divine advised staff is working to complete the 20 analysis of the TIF district and development agreement. A public hearing has been 21 scheduled on September 22, 2003. Springsted is also doing an analysis of the TIF and 22 will be providing that information at the next Council work session. 23 24 MILLER'S CROSSROADS (BRUGGEMAN DEVELOPMENT), JEFF SMYSER 25 26 City Planner Smyser advised the outstanding issue regarding this project is the park 27 dedication. A memo was distributed to the Council last week. City Planner Smyser 28 reviewed the memo that included a staff recommendation regarding the amount of credit 29 that should be given to the developer for providing private recreation facilities vs. a 30 public park area. 31 32 Mayor Bergeson indicated he the park plan does not look like it should be a public area. 33 34 Councilmember O'Donnell stated he agrees that the park area should remain private. 35 36 Councilmember Reinert stated he also feels the park area should remain private. 37 38 Councilmember Carlson stated she has an issue with the park area being private and the 39 City funding the park. She stated she is concerned about the financial aspect for the City. 40 41 City Planner Smyser advised the Council would determine the amount of credit, if any, 42 that will be given to the developer for the park area. 43 44 Councilmember Dahl stated the idea of the park being private bothers her. She stated it 45 does not make sense that the City would give credit for the playground equipment but not 46 the trails. The playground equipment is private as well as the trails within the project. 47 • • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 Councilmember Carlson stated she is concerned about residents saying that the City is 2 paying for private parks. The density is also a concern. Having the park there will 3 increase the costs of the units with no real benefit to the City. 4 5 Mayor Bergeson inquired about the legal question of the park area remaining in place 6 forever. City Planner Smyser stated anything that is built needs City approval. The City 7 will have to have a mechanism written into the by-laws that specifies that dollars will go 8 into the park maintenance. 9 10 City Planner Smyser added other issues relating to this project include the PUD, garage 11 size and stonework. 12 13 Councilmember O'Donnell inquired about traffic signals at Ware Road and Hodgson 14 Street. He stated he does have concerns that this project will bring the City 17% over the 15 Growth Management controls. 16 17 City Planner Smyser advised the Bruggeman site is within MUSA and should be at the 18 top of the priority list for development. However, the City cannot predict what 19 development will come in. The City will be reviewing the Growth Management Policy to 20 make possible revisions so the City can stay on target. 21 22 This item will appear on the regular Council agenda Monday, September 8, 2003, 6:30 23 p.m. 24 25 MOUNTAIN MACHINE, MICHAEL GROCHALA, MARY ALICE DIVINE 26 27 Economic Development Director Divine advised Mountain Machine would like to 28 expand their building. The problem is that the area they are in is designated for future 29 commercial land use. The question of relocation was discussed at the last Council work 30 session. Mr. Berg has indicated he has to expand his facilities. He also indicated he has 31 looked for other space within the City. He is open to moving within the City but finances 32 are an issue and City financial assistance would be necessary. 33 34 Economic Development Director Divine advised there are two possible relocation sites in 35 the Apollo Business Park. A new TIF District would have to be developed. Staff is not 36 making a recommendation but would like Council direction. 37 38 Councilmember O'Donnell stated the City needs to investigate the possibility of 39 relocation and financial assistance from the City. 40 41 Council directed staff to pursue the possibility of relocation for Mountain Machine within 42 the City. 43 44 45 REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, SEPTEMBER 8, 2003 46 Approval of Minutes of August 6, 2003 Council Work Session - City Administrator 47 Waite Smith advised Councilmember Carlson requested the August 6 Council Work • • CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 Session minutes be removed from the agenda at the last Council meeting. She indicated 2 City Clerk Blair is present to take notes on possible changes to the minutes. 3 4 Councilmember Carlson requested clarification regarding the statement on the last page 5 of the minutes "The Council did not make a determination or recommendation regarding 6 the Quad Cities Task Force proposal". She stated she listened to the tape from the 7 meeting and she referred to many emails regarding this issue. She stated she was unclear 8 about the Council direction and when a decision was made about the Quad Cities Police 9 Department. 10 11 City Clerk Blair suggested the statement be revised to read " The Council did not make a 12 new recommendation regarding the Quad Cities Task Force proposal". 13 14 Councilmember Carlson indicated she was agreeable to the suggested revision of the 15 statement. 16 17 There were no other changes to the regular agenda. 18 19 DISCUSS SEPTEMBER 17, 2003 SCHEDULE, DECEMBER MEETING 20 SCHEDULE AND SPECIAL MEETING TO DISCUSS COUNCIL'S ROLES AND 21 RESPONSIBILITIES, MAYOR BERGESON 22 23 Mayor Bergeson advised the Council will have a meeting with the County on September 24 17, 2003, 7:00 p.m. A regular Council work session is also scheduled that evening. He 25 asked if the Council would like to schedule another Council work session on September 26 16 or September 18 to ensure the Council completes the meeting. He asked 27 Councilmembers to check their schedules and advise staff on their availability at the 28 regular Council meeting on Monday. 29 30 Mayor Bergeson advised the City typically has an accelerated meeting schedule in the 31 month of December. He asked if the Councilmember's are agreeable to an accelerated 32 meeting schedule. This will also coincide with the Truth in Taxation meetings. 33 34 Council determined the City will have an accelerated meeting schedule in the month of 35 December. 36 37 COUNCIL RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, JEFF O'DONNELL 38 39 Councilmember O'Donnell recommended the Council schedule a special meeting to 40 discuss Council Rules and Responsibilities. He distributed draft guidelines and 41 recommendations. He asked the Council to review the information and discuss it further 42 at a special meeting. 43 44 Council directed staff to reschedule the City's regular agenda items and anyone needing 45 to make presentations there from the September 17, 2003 Council work session to 46 Thursday, September 18, 2003. The Council Rules and Responsibilities will be discussed 47 on September 17, 2003, 5:30 p.m., prior to the meeting with the County. The Council 48 will then adjourn to the County meeting. If Council Rules and Responsibilities need CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 APPROVED 1 additional discussion, a special meeting will be scheduled at some point in the future. 2 Mayor Bergeson requested Councilmembers to contact the City Clerk if they are 3 unavailable for the September 18 Council work session. 4 5 The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m. 6 7 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on 8 September 22, 2003. 9 10 11 12 13 Ann Blai City Clerk J Ber son, ayor 14 15 16 17 Transcribed by: 18 Kim Points 19 TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. 20 21 • • 8