HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/15/2004 Council Minutes•
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 15, 2004
APPROVED
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2
3 CITY OF LINO LAKES
4 MINUTES
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6 DATE : December 15, 2004
7 TIME STARTED : 5:40 p.m.
8 TIME ENDED : 8:12 p.m.
9 MEMBERS PRESENT : Councilmember Carlson, Dahl, Reinert,
10 Stoltz (5:50 p.m.) and Mayor Bergeson
11 MEMBERS ABSENT : None
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13 Staff members present: City Administrator, Gordon Heitke; Community Development
14 Director, Mike Grochala; City Engineer, Jim Studenski; City Planner, Jeff Smyser (part);
15 Planning Coordinator, Mary Divine (part); Finance Director, Al Rolek (part); and Chief
16 of Police, Dave Pecchia (part)
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18 WEBSITE UPDATE, LISA HOGSTAD
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20 City Administrator Heitke advised staff would like to show the Council the updated City
21 website. He noted the website is a work -in -progress and additional information as well as
22 department information will be added.
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24 Lisa Hogstad, Administration Secretary, stated she has been working on the new website
25 for quite some time. The new site includes information from the old site as well as new
26 information. She reviewed the new website as well as the new items that have been
27 added.
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29 The Council suggested State Representatives for Lino Lakes as well as state Legislature
30 information should also be posted on the website.
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32 Councilmember Stoltz arrived at the meeting at 5:50 p.m.
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34 Administration Secretary Hogstad asked the Council to let her know if there are any other
35 suggestions for the new website.
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37 City Administrator Heitke noted the new website may be up and running by Monday.
38 The new site will be advertised on cable television and possibly the City newsletter.
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40 LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUEST, POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF PECCHIA
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42 Chief Pecchia advised Officer Dale Hager is requesting a leave of absence from his
43 position as a Lino Lakes Police Officer in order that he might participate in a Department
44 of Justice/International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP).
45 This program entails training Iraqi law enforcement officers in both Iraq and Jordan.
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47 Officer Hager is requesting a thirteen -month unpaid leave of absence. The City Council
48 needs to approve any leave of absence over ninety days. The Council would also have to
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 15, 2004
APPROVED
1 agree to an exception to the policy of a leave of absence longer than one year. Chief
2 Pecchia advised he and City Administrator Heitke are recommending the request be
3 granted.
4
5 Chief Pecchia advised it is staff's intention to replace Officer Hager should this leave be
6 granted. The department would reincorporate Officer Hager back into the department
7 when he returns, given a vacancy exists. Officer Hager understands however, there are
8 no guarantees.
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10 This item will appear on the regular Council agenda Monday, December 20, 2004, 6:00
11 p.m.
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13 FUND TRANSFERS, AL ROLEK
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15 Finance Director Rolek advised there are four items (items 1B through 1 E) on the consent
16 agenda that are routine fund transfers from the Area and Unit Fund to the 1996A G.O.
17 Improvement Bond Debt Service Fund.
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19 Finance Director Rolek advised Item 1F, Authorizing the Closing of 1996A Improvement
20 Bonds Debt Service is also on the consent agenda. The City established the 1996A
21 Improvement Bonds Debt Service Fund (Fund 314) to account for debt service payments
22 on the G.O. Improvement Bonds Series 1996A. The G.O. Improvement Bonds Series
23 1996A have been refinanced with the G.O. Improvement and Refunding Bonds, Series
24 2003A. The final payment has been made on the original bond issue and no further
25 activity is anticipated in these funds.
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27 Finance Director Rolek stated it is standard accounting practice to close refunded debt
28 service funds to the new debt service fund of the refunding issue in accordance with
29 generally accepted accounting principals. In this case, the Improvement and Refunding
30 Bond 2003A Debt Service Fund is the appropriate fund into which this debt service fund
31 should be closed. Therefore, staff is recommending that the City Council adopt
32 Resolution 04 —188, authorizing the closing of this fund and the residual equity transfer
33 resulting from the closure.
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35 Finance Director Rolek advised in 1997 and 1998 the City Council approved
36 improvement projects and awarded contracts for the realignment of Otter Lake Road and
37 Service Road, Lakes Addition Street and Utilities, Lake Drive Trunk Utilities, Apollo
38 Drive Phase III and 21' Avenue Utilities. The improvement projects have since been
39 completed and contracts have been finalized.
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41 Finance Director Rolek stated funding for these projects was to have come from a variety
42 of sources including bonds, general property taxes, Anoka County, transfers from the
43 Area and Unit Fund and the Stormwater Management Fund, and future special
44 assessments. However, the transfers from the Area and Unit Fund and the Stormwater
45 Management Fund for these projects have not been made to date.
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47 Finance Director Rolek stated that during the course of planning and final approval of the
48 projects, there were changes in project scope and other factors, such as easement
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 15, 2004
APPROVED
1 acquisition, that affected the total cost of the projects. Because of this and because the
2 transfers from the Area and Unit Fund and the Stormwater Management Fund were not
3 made at the time, deficits remain in the 1997 and 1998 Construction Funds.
4
5 Finance Director Rolek advised it is in the best interest of the City, and sound financial
6 management, to make transfers to the construction funds to eliminate the deficits and to
7 close the funds for these completed projects. Therefore, staff recommends Council adopt
8 Resolution 04 — 194, which authorizes the fund transfers and closes the 1997 and 1998
9 construction funds.
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11 Finance Director Rolek noted all the fund transfers will lower the amount of the Area and
12 Unit Fund to approximately $3.4 million. Staff will be monitoring this fund very
13 carefully and the lower fund balance will not change the financial standing of the City.
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15 The Fund Transfers will appear on the Council agenda Monday, December 20, 2004, 6:00
16 p.m.
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18 2004 BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AL ROLEK
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20 Finance Director Rolek advised during the year, the City Council receives certain
21 revenues and approves certain expenditures that were not included in the adopted general
22 operating budget. In 2004, the City was awarded a federal COPS Fast Grant for three
23 new officers, a state grant for a volunteer coordinator and received a rebate from the
24 Anoka County 800 MHz radio program. The new police positions were filled during the
25 year and the radio rebate was used for related police equipment. In addition, team
26 building and goal setting sessions were held by the City Council, and tax abatements
27 were distributed which were not budgeted.
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29 Finance Director Rolek stated it is standard management and accounting practice to
30 amend the general operating budget to reflect such unbudgeted revenues and
31 expenditures. Staff has from time to time in the past brought such amendments before
32 the City Council for formal action. Staff is recommending the City Council approve
33 Resolution 04 — 194, amending the 2004 General Operating Budget.
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35 Council suggested staff prepare a summary of the increases included in the 2005 budget
36 for residents and have those increases be explained at the Council meeting Monday night.
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38 2005 BUDGET, LEVY, AL ROLEK
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40 Finance Director Rolek advised Minnesota State Statutes require the City to adopt and
41 certify a final 2005 operating budget on or before December 28, 2004. The City is also
42 required to adopt and certify a final 2004 tax levy, collectible in 2005.
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44 Finance Director Rolek stated a Truth -in -Taxation public hearing was held on the tax
45 levy and budget on December 13. A summary of the proposed budget and tax levy
46 information was presented and discussed during the public hearing and public testimony
47 was taken. No changes have been made to the proposed budget since it was adopted on
48 September 13, and no recommendations for changes were made in ensuing work sessions.
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 15, 2004
APPROVED
1
• 2 Finance Director Rolek distributed and reviewed a graph relating to the City of Lino
3 Lakes Fund Balance to Annual Budget. The graph outlined how the fund balances
4 compare to the City's annual budget from 1998 to 2005. He noted carrying fund balances
5 helps the City's ability to borrow funds. Finance Director Rolek also distributed an
6 example of the City's Cash Flow Policy, per Resolution 91 — 03, noting the total "excess
7 revenue" is $39,236.
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9 The 2005 General Fund Operating Budget and Final 2004 Tax Levy, Collectible in 2005,
10 will appear on the regular Council agenda Monday, December 20, 2004, 6:00 p.m.
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12 REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
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14 Economic Development Coordinator Divine noted Approval of Subordination Papers as
15 well as the Subdivision Agreement may be added to the Economic Development
16 Authority agenda.
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18 There were no other changes to the agenda.
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20 CODE UPDATE, GORDON HEITKE
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22 City Administrator Heitke advised in 2003, the City entered into a contract with
23 American Legal Publishing Corporation for codifying the various City ordinances into a
24 current City code book. American Legal was given the previous City code and all
• 25 subsequent ordinances. As part of the contract, the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC)
26 provides a legal review to ensure that the existing code and subsequent ordinances are
27 consistent with state statues. Upon receiving the draft code from American Legal and
28 comments from the LMC attorney, staff has reviewed the draft code and has proposed
29 some additional changes. There is still some remaining work to be done by staff in
30 certain areas of the code.
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32 City Administrator Heitke indicated staff wishes to review the significant code changes
33 with the Council prior to submitting the final revisions to American Legal for preparation
34 of the final printing. The Council then needs to adopt the updated code.
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36 City Administrator Heitke reviewed a proposed schedule for review and adoption of the
37 updated code. The changes would be reviewed at the January Council work sessions and
38 the first Council work session in February. A special Council work session may be
39 scheduled on February 2 to allow additional review time. Staff is proposing all revisions
40 be submitted to American Legal for final printing (under terms of existing contract) by
41 February 11, 2005.
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43 City Administrator Heitke noted this code update does not include the review and
44 updating of the Zoning Ordinances and Subdivision Ordinance. The review of these
45 ordinances will entail a different process, including extensive involvement of the
46 Planning and Zoning Board.
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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DECEMBER 15, 2004
APPROVED
1 The Council indicated staff should move forward with the proposed schedule for updating
• 2 the City code.
3
4 CITY HALL HVAC SYSTEM, GORDON HEITKE
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6 City Administrator Heitke stated there are some extreme temperature changes within the
7 new City Hall building. He indicated that he believes that to cut costs during
8 construction of the building, some components of the HVAC system were eliminated. He
9 stated the HVAC system is not working properly and would like the company to submit a
10 cost estimate to fix the system.
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12 Council agreed staff could request a cost estimate for the HVAC system repairs.
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14 The meeting was adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
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16 These minutes were considered, corrected and approved at the regular Council meeting held on
17 January 10, 2005.
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22 Ann B1 , City Clerk John % erges n, : yor
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24 Transcri i ed by:
• 25 Kim Points
26 TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.
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