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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES March 1, 2011 4 MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to delay action on this agenda item for sufficient time for Council review and until there is a full Council at the March 8th Council Meeting. Council Member Pearson seconded the motion. The motion passed 4- 0. Clarification on Surface Water Utility – Ag Properties The 2010 Budget/Finance Subcommittee recommended the City Administrator be authorized to prepare for consideration of an amendment to the City’s Storm Water Management Utility Ordinance to address the calculation of the utility factor for parcels classified as Agriculture. The existing ordinance language defines a utility factor of 6 applied to each identified parcel, while current and past billing practice has been to utilize a utility factor of 3 applied to each parcel, based upon a per-acre calculation. Historical research identifies the latter practice of per acre charges to be more proportionate to smaller agricultural parcels. The Sub-committee recommended that an amendment to the Ordinance be prepared to codify the current utilization of the per-acre calculation. In doing so, the Council will also be afforded with options to leave the current utility factor at 3 (via amendment), revert to the existing Ordinance provision of 6, or structure a graduated increase from 3 to 6. The City Administrator noted that mailing of annual storm water bills for 2010 of this classification are being held, pending Council direction. The 2009 storm water bills were sent out in December 2009. MOTION: Council Member Emmons moved to authorize the City Administrator to prepare for consideration an amendment to the City’s Storm Water Management Utility Ordinance to address the calculation of the utility factor for parcels classified as agriculture, as identified by the Budget/Finance Subcommittee. Council Member Smith seconded the motion. The motion passed 4-0. Update on the Early Childhood Family Center City Administrator Messelt reported that School District changes to the Joint Powers Agreements last week went beyond the scope of authority vested by the City Council to the Mayor, Administrator and Attorney. As a result, the School District did not take action on either proposed JPAs at its February 24th meeting. Lake Elmo Staff met with the School District staff on Monday, February 28th, at which time significant progress was made. It is currently proposed that, if feasible, a consensus JPA document would be completed and presented for Council discussion/action on March 8th and School District discussion/action on March 10th. The proposed project timeline would be amended accordingly, though the Public Hearing with the Planning Commission regarding the proposed re-zoning would proceed on March 7th, as advertized. This City Council meeting was recessed at 8:43 p.m. until March 8, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.