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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-02-2008 CCMLAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2008 1 MINUTES APPROVED: September 16, 2008 City of Lake Elmo City Council Minutes September 2, 2008 Mayor Johnston called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Mayor Johnston and Council Members DeLapp, Johnson, Park and Smith Also present: City Administrator Hoyt, Planning Director Klatt, City Engineer Griffin, City Attorney Filla, Finance Director Bouthilet, KDV auditor Joe Rigdon and City Clerk Lumby. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to approve the September 2, 2008 agenda as presented. Council Member Smith seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. ORDER OF BUSINESS; GROUND RULES: APPROVE MINUTES: The minutes of August 19, 2008 were approved by consensus. PUBLIC COMMENTS/INQUIRIES: Susan Dunn, 11018 Upper 33rd St., inquired again if the City would discuss its debt reduction schedule and when and who would update the City’s comprehensive plan. She said she did not get these questions answered from the prior council meeting. CONSENT AGENDA: MOTION: Council Member DeLapp moved to approve the consent agenda as presented. Council Member Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. • Approval of disbursements in the amount of $70,643.86. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2008 2 PUBLIC HEARING: Hold public hearing and consider two grading permit applications from the Valley Branch Watershed District to repair eroding ravines and to prevent sediment from washing into Goose Lake and Goetschel Pond, Resolution No. 2008-041, Resolution No. 2008-042 Jeff Weiss, Valley Branch Watershed District, presented the two grading permit requests submitted by the Valley Branch Watershed District to repair eroding ravines and to prevent sediment from washing into Goose Lake and Goetschel Pond. The projects will take place at the private property of 9200 10th Street North and the second site is located on five private properties in the Fields of St. Croix subdivision. The VBWD is seeking temporary project easements on all private properties to obtain access to do the work. Mayor Johnston called the public hearing to order at 7:25 p.m. Susan Dunn, 11018 Upper 33rd Street, supported the City Council working with the Valley Branch Watershed District and to approve the two grading permits. Mayor Johnston closed the public hearing at 7:26 p.m. MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to approve Resolution No. 2008-041 and 2008-042 approving grading permits submitted by the Valley Branch Watershed District to restore ravines and to prevent sediment from washing into Goose Lake and Goetshel Pond. Council Member Park seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. REGULAR AGENDA: Donation from Rasmussen College Jason Rudnick, Rasmussen College, presented a donation of $157.00 made in the name of the Lake Elmo Fire Department to Second Harvest in recognition of the department’s valuable contributions to the Teddy Bear Drive on July 26, 2008. Accept donation of Polaris vehicle and authorize use of capital funds and/or donations for ancillary equipment Fire Chief Greg Malmquist asked the City Council to accept the donation of the Polaris fire rescue unit that was applied for through a grant application and awarded to the City because it provides a public safety benefit for off road fire suppression, rescue operations and patient transport from remote locations and to authorize the purchase of equipment for the vehicle at a cost of $13,750 from the City’s 2008 capital improvement plan and from funds raised outside of the CIP, if possible. This request was recommended by the Maintenance Advisory Commission. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2008 3 MOTION: Council Member DeLapp moved to accept the donation of a Polaris Fire Rescue Unit valued at $12,500 and apply for grants to fund some or all of the ancillary equipment; and, if grants and donations do not cover the $13,750 (maximum) equipment costs, authorize the administrator to approve the use of capital funds according to the following amounts and priority: 1) the remaining balance in the laptop (estimated $700), 2) turnout gear budget savings (est. $4,500) and 3) from savings in station 1 and station 2 remodeling projects (est. $8,550). Council Member Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Consider adoption of a preliminary 2009 property tax levy of $2,332,130 City Administrator, Susan Hoyt asked the City Council to approve a preliminary property tax levy which could be reduced but not increased before becoming final. Joe Rigdon, Finance Consultant, summarized the property tax levy of $2,332,130 to fund a proposed 2009 general fund operating budget of $2,892,060. The preliminary property tax levy adopted by the City Council represents the maximum levy permitted. The final tax levy and budget are scheduled for a public hearing on December 1, 2008, 7 PM and adoption of the final levy and budget are planned for December 9, 2008. Administrator Hoyt explained that the capital improvement plan and the enterprise funds would be budgeted in the coming months of October and November and this would be the time that a report on the status of the City’s debt funds would be addressed. MOTION: Council Member Johnson moved to approve Resolution No. 2008-043 adopting a preliminary 2009 tax levy of $2,708,203. Council Member Park seconded the motion. Mayor Johnston and Council Members Johnson, Smith and Park voted for the motion and Council Member DeLapp voted against the motion. Direct the Planning Commission to discuss structures for domesticated animals and pets Council Member Smith asked the City Council to direct the planning commission to consider changing the code as it pertains to such structures for the maximum square footage allowed before the City is asked to enforce many potential violations. Council Member Park agreed with Smith that the Planning Commission should be directed to review this item and recommend if the Council should look at changing the code. Council Member Johnson didn’t see requests for variances for this kind of thing coming forward from multiple directions and, therefore, found no reason to move ahead with revisiting the city code related to one individual’s non compliance issue. Mayor Johnston shared Johnson’s concern especially when City staff said they saw no significant problems with the ordinance as written. LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2008 4 Planning Commission Chair Todd Ptacek said the Council should be responsive to the citizens, but it is important to avoid asking the planning commission to consider items when they arise due to one property owner when commissioners are volunteers and are very conscientious in their consideration of any code amendments. MOTION: Council Member Smith moved to refer considering changing the code as it pertains to structures for domesticated animals and pets to the planning commission. Council Member Park seconded the motion. Council Members Smith and Park voted for the motion and Mayor Johnston and Council Members Johnson and DeLapp voted against the motion. The motion failed. The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted by Sharon Lumby, City Clerk Resolution no. 2008-041 and 2008-042 approve grading permits submitted by the Valley Branch Watershed District Resolution no. 2008-043 adopt preliminary 2009 tax levy of $2,708,203.