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Home My WebLink About11/28/2017LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 4 November 28, 2017 Roll Call Mayor Gaasch called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilors present: Jeff Dains, Kelly Dolphin, Roxanne Grove, Andi Moffatt, and Mayor Mary Gaasch. Councilors absent: None. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator; and Miles Cline, Deputy. City Clerk. Approvals Mayor Gaasch asked if there were any changes to the meeting agenda. There being none, Councilor Grove moved and seconded by Councilor Dains to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Gaasch asked if there were any changes to the meeting minutes. There being none, Councilor Moffatt moved and seconded by Councilor Grove to approve the minutes of the November 14, 2017, City Council Meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Councilor Dains moved and seconded by Councilor Grove to approve the claims totaling $41,706.65. Motion carried unanimously. Consent Councilor Dains moved and seconded by Councilor Dolphin to approve the Consent Agenda thereby acknowledging the October Financial Report. Informational Presentations/Reports A. Ramsey County Sheriff Jack Serier Ramsey County Sheriff Serier provided the Council his 2017 departmental update. He stated that the Sheriff's department hired 90 new employees this year between the jail and the patrol divisions. They are currently updating their jail management software to improve inmate monitoring as well. Finally, they found great success this year with community events such as Coffee with a Cop, Hot Dog with a Deputy, and the Halloween Fright Farm. B. City Council Updates Councilors Grove and Dolphin and Mayor Gaasch discussed their visit to the Eureka Recycling Plant on November 28 and shared some of the insight they gathered from their tour. Public Hearings A. Ordinance Amendment 17-05 Relating to Rental Housing License Provisions LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 4 November 28, 2017 As discussed in previous meetings, staff plan to bring forward changes to the rental housing ordinance to improve administrative efficiency. As a first step, staff propose extending the expiration dates of current licenses until June 30, 2018 to initiate the new mid -year licensing period. Additional changes to the ordinance will be brought forward in a few months. Mayor Gaasch opened the floor to anyone in attendance that wanted to address the Council at 7:59 p.m. There being no interested parties to speak, Mayor Gaasch closed the floor at 8:00 p.m. Councilor Grove moved to adopt Ordinance 17-05 - An Ordinance Amending Title 9, Chapter 11 of the Code of Ordinances Regarding Rental Housing License Provisions. The motion was seconded by Councilor Moffatt and carried unanimously. Discussion/Action Items A. Resolution 112817A — In Support of Minnesota Citizens for Clean Elections Lauderdale resident Jim Herrick approached the Council asking them to support Minnesota Citizens for Clean Elections' effort to change the Supreme Court decision that gave corporations the same legal rights as individuals to participate in the democratic process. After discussion, Councilor Moffatt moved to adopt Resolution 112817A — A Resolution Requesting that Congress Clarify that the Rights Protected under the Constitution are the Rights of Natural Persons and not the Rights of Artificial Entities and that Spending Money to Influence Elections is not Speech under the First Amendment; Asking that Congress Propose a Constitutional Amendment to Provide such Clarification. The motion was seconded by Councilor Grove and approved unanimously. B. Offer to Purchase 1795 Eustis Street At the November 14 City Council meeting, the Council met in closed session to develop and consider offers for the purchase of real property at 1795 Eustis Street. Based on the Council's decision, the City's financial advisor relayed the offer to the owners of 1795 Eustis Street and the offer was accepted. Since the motion was made in a closed session, the City Council must make the motion in open session. Stacie Kvilvang of Ehlers and Associates approached the Council to answer any final questions they had about the purchase. After discussion, Councilor Dolphin moved to direct the City Administrator to make an offer to purchase the property located at 1795 Eustis Street for $1.1 million and further authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to enter into a purchase agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion was seconded by Councilor Moffatt and carried unanimously. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 4 November 28, 2017 C. Proposal to Prepare TIF District Analysis The Chinese Christian Church accepted the City's offer to purchase 1795 Eustis Street. The financing will be generated through the creation of a redevelopment tax increment financing (TIF) district. In order to establish the TIF district, the building needs to be evaluated for coverage, blighted buildings, and reasonable distribution. LHB Corporation can provide the analysis to determine whether the site meets the requirements to create a TIF district at a cost not to exceed $4,400. Councilor Moffatt moved to contract with LHB Corporation to conduct the necessary TIF analysis in conjunction with the City's proposed purchase of 1795 Eustis Street. The motion was seconded by Councilor Grove and carried unanimously. D. Resolution 112817B — Calling for a Public Hearing on Modifications to the Development Program and the Creation of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District The Council will be taking necessary steps to judiciously move forward in the closing of 1795 Eustis Street. The first step is to adopt a resolution calling for a public hearing on January 23, 2018 regarding modifications to the Development Program for Development District No. 1 and the creation of Tax Increment Financing District No. 1-2. Councilor Grove moved and seconded by Councilor Dains to adopt Resolution 112817B — A Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing by the City Council on the Proposed Modification to the Development Program for Development District No. 1 and the Proposed Establishment of Tax Increment Financing District No. 1-2 therein and the Adoption of the Tax Increment Financing Plan Therefor. Motion carried unanimously. E. Recycling, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Sewer Rate Analysis Butkowski addressed the Council on proposed rate increases following the rate analysis that was conducted. The changes would include a 1.7% increase for both residential and commercial sanitary sewer charges ($3.68/year), a 1.4% increase for storm water charges ($0.88/year), and a 5.0% increase for recycling collection charges ($1.68/year). The Council supported the rates, so staff will bring a resolution establishing the 2018 rates to the next council meeting. F. Review of Proposed 2018 Levy and Budget Butkowski went through various parts of the 2018 budgets and levy with the Council. This included a complete draft of the 2018 General Fund and Special Revenue Fund budgets, and an updated draft of the 2018-2027 Capital Improvement Plan. Staff will prepare resolutions for the adoption of the 2018 budgets and levy at the December 12 council meeting. G. Personnel Policy Revisions and Non -Union Staff Compensation In order to extend the health care savings plan benefit agreed to in the union contract to non- union staff, the language needed to be added to the Personnel Policy. Staff prepared language for LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 4 of 4 November 28, 2017 Council consideration. Additionally, staff asked the Council to consider extending the other benefits of the union contract to non-union staff. Councilor Dolphin motioned and seconded by Councilor Dains to extend the benefits of the union agreement to non-union staff effective January 1, 2018 and approve amendments to the Personnel Policy as provided. Motion carried unanimously. Set Agenda for Next Meeting Administrator Butkowski stated that the next council meeting may include the truth -in -taxation public hearing, adoption of the 2018 budget and levy, setting of recycling, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer rates, and a Eustis Street update. Work Session A. Opportunity for the Public to Address the City Council Mayor Gaasch opened the floor to anyone in attendance that wanted to address the Council. There being no interested parties to speak, Mayor Gaasch closed the floor. B. Community Development Update Butkowski informed the Council that the next meeting with Ramsey County regarding the transfer of Eustis Street is scheduled for December 6 and the city attorney is working on a purchase agreement for 1795 Eustis Street. Closed Session A. City Administrator Performance Evaluation Councilor Dolphin made a motion at 8:40 p.m. to enter into a closed session to discuss the City Administrator's performance. The motion was seconded by Councilor Moffatt and carried unanimously. Councilor Moffatt moved and seconded by Councilor Grove to come out of the closed session at 9:08 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Adj ournment Councilor Dolphin moved and seconded by Councilor Grove to adjourn the meeting at 9:09 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Miles Cline Deputy City Clerk