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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/2014LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 5 December 9, 2014 Mayor Pro Tem Gaasch called the City Council meeting to order at 7:34 p.m. Councilors present: Roxanne Grove, Denise Hawkinson, Lara Mac Lean, and Mayor Pro Tem Mary Gaasch. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant City Administrator; and Kevin Kelly, Deputy City Clerk. Mayor Dains asked for changes to the meeting agenda. Councilor Mac Lean added parking on Eustis Street to the agenda. Councilor Grove moved to approve the amended agenda. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the November 25, 2014 City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Mac Lean moved approval of the claims totaling $84,998.83. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. There mere no items on the Consent Agenda. Discussion Items: 2015 Budget and Levy Butkowski presented information to the Council regarding the proposed budget and levy and how it would affect property owners. The City is scheduled to receive $624,357.00 in Local Government Aid and $129,076 in Fiscal Disparities. The preliminary levy was set at $495,281, the same as for 2014. The final levy cannot be higher than that. The median home value increased seven percent for 2015, pushing it to $175,000.00. Due to flat commercial property values relative to the rising home values, more of the property tax burden will be paid by residential properties. Butkowski stated the largest expense in 2015 continues to be public safety which makes up 54% of the budget followed by Administration at 15%, Public Works at 8%, and Parks and Recreation at 6%. Butkowski stated the final debt payment from the street improvement projects will be made in February 2015. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 5 December 9, 2014 Mayor Pro Tem Gaasch opened the Truth in Taxation public hearing on the 2015 City Budget and Levy at 7:43 p.m. No one addressed the Council. Mayor Pro Tem Gaasch closed the public hearing at 7:44 p.m. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the 2015 Lauderdale City Budget and Resolution 120914A — A Resolution Levying Taxes for 2014 Payable in 2015 in the amount of $624, 357. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The City Council thanked Butkowski for her presentation and work on the city budget. Mayor Dains joined the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Variance Request — 2345 Summer Street The variance request was tabled at the last Council Meeting to allow staff to draft conditions that would address the neighbors' concerns. In summary, Bownik stated the conditions are to upgrade the driveway to asphalt or concrete per city code, to have a dumpster on site during construction, obtain a building permit within six months of approval of the resolution granting the variance, and complete the project within one year of the building permit being issued. If the project is not completed, a new building permit will be required for the uncompleted portion of the project. The Council felt these conditions were reasonable and addressed the neighbors' concerns. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the variance with conditions and directed staff to draft a resolution of approval with findings of facts for the next City Council meeting. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Fence Permit Application —1924 Walnut Street Bownik explained that William Silverman built a wire fence in the ROW without applying for a fence permit. The fence did not meet the city code due to it being built in the right-of-way. He is requesting that the Council allow him to keep it. Butkowski said the Council can deny his request or approve it with or without conditions. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the fence permit with the condition that the fence cannot be replaced in the same location without Council approval. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Phased Retirement Agreement with Joe Hughes Butkowski stated that Hughes could return to work as a part-time employee if the Council entered into a Phased Retirement Agreement with him. Butkowski suggested this option as a LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 5 December 9, 2014 stop -gap measure until a new employee to replace Joe is hired and trained. The agreement as presented would hire him back at his current hourly rate of pay without any other benefits. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the Phased Retirement Agreement as presented. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Seasonal Public Works Staff Butkowski stated an individual who is a City resident expressed interest in working part-time and would be available for snow plowing and flooding the ice rink among other duties which Joe Hughes is gone. As another person expressed interest in the position, the Council directed staff to post the position through Friday December 12 and interview the candidates. The Council will hold a special meeting to choose the recommended candidate on December 16. Cleaning Service Contract As part of the staffing changes in public works, staff requested the Council consider a weekly cleaning service for City Hall with staff doing the mid -week cleanings. Bownik stated he received two bids for cleaning services. Both vendors came with strong recommendations. The bids were from Compton Cleaning Services at $645 and $446 for Vanguard. These are monthly fees which include extra cleaning services such as an annual window, wall, and carpet cleaning. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the hiring of Vanguard Services to provide cleaning services at City Hall. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. City Hall Staffing — December 26 Based on the holiday schedule this year, Butkowski asked the Council whether City Hall could be closed on December 26. Public works staff would work if there was a snow event or if City Hall needed cleaning after holiday gatherings. After discussion, the Council closed City Hall on December 26 and granted staff an additional staff appreciation day. Councilor Mac Lean moved to authorize staff to close City Hall on December 26 and granted staff an additional day of leave. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Additional Items: Parking on Eustis Street Councilor Mac Lean stated she has had residents ask about one side parking on Eustis Street, during the winter. Butkowski stated that Ramsey County has scheduled a mill and overlay for 2015 and the road could be restriped with a full -width parking lane on one side and a walk/bike lane on the other. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 4 of 5 December 9, 2014 The Council has discussed parking on Eustis in the past and how to improve safety. During the winter months, staff can post temporary no parking signs if needed. Councilor Gaasch moved to authorize staff to use their discretion to post no parking signs on Eustis Street during the winter. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The agenda for the next meeting may include the 2015 Council Schedule, Fee Schedule, and Council Appointments, in addition to fund transfers, No Fault Sewer Insurance policy, and a discussion with the owner of SuperUSA regarding 2430 Laipenteur. Work Session: Mayor Dains explained that the Council was moving into the Work Session. Work Sessions are a continuation of the meeting but not aired on community television. Mayor Dains asked if anyone wished to address the Council. No one came forward. Car2Go Josh Johnson, from Car2Go (C2G), addressed the Council. Johnson explained that C2G is a car sharing business in which members use vehicles for generally short durations and are charged per minute. C2G currently only is in use in Minneapolis and St. Paul. A Lauderdale resident expressed interest in using the service in Lauderdale and Johnson stated there is enough density in Lauderdale to allow for the service. C2G has also contacted Falcon Heights about expanding their service there. The Council asked Johnson about parking in winter which Johnson stated Car2Go has staff which are able to move cars in a snow emergency. Johnson estimated that there could be five to possibly ten cars being used or parked in Lauderdale. Cars do not stay in the same place for very long as the company needs them to be producing revenue. Councilor Gaasch stated that Car2Go would be valuable to residents of Lauderdale to give them more and better transit options. Johnson stated if the Council approved C2G to be in the City they would need an agreement to get started. Johnson also stated that C2G will market and promote their service to elicit interest from residents. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 5 of 5 December 9, 2014 Community Development Update Stacy Kvilvang, from Ehlers, the City's financial advisor is back to work and can be a part of the tour staff is setting up with the Twin Cities Chinese Christian Church as they will be selling their building soon. Kvilvang may be able to help connect them to buyers that would use the building or land for a use the City Council would like to see. Butkowski stated that the owners of Finn Sisu and the SuperUSA will attend the next two meetings. There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Hawkinson moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Kelly Deputy City Clerk