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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/26/2014LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 3 August 26, 2014 Mayor Dains called the City Council meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. Councilors present: Mary Gaasch, Roxanne Grove, Lara Mac Lean, Denise Hawkinson, and Mayor Jeff Dains. 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. Mayor Dains added the Day in the Park event to the agenda. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the agenda. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the August 12, 2014 City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Hawkinson moved approval of the claims totaling $37,932.70. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mayor Dains asked if any Councilors wished to remove items from the Consent Agenda; none did. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the Consent Agenda thereby approving Agreement PW2014-31 with Ramsey County for the Larpenteur Avenue Sidewalk Project and the sale of donated items. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Informational Presentations: Day in the Park Mayor Dains thanked all the PCIC members and citizen volunteers who helped out at Day in the Park on August 16. The Council agreed and stated a good time was had by all that attended the event. Discussion Items: Revisions to the Larpenteur Avenue Improvement Project Butkowski explained that Darren Amundsen, the City Engineer, and the Rice Creek Watershed District interpreted the Watershed District's rules differently for the Larpenteur Avenue sidewalk project. Ultimately, the impact to the project is the addition of a five foot boulevard in the area of the Brandychase Condominiums in order to meet watershed district rules. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 3 August 26, 2014 Agenda items for the September 9 Council Meeting may include a discussion of the 2015 budget, review of the Luther Seminary preliminary plat, the Eureka Recycling Contract, the Public Hearing on the issuance of conduit debt, and the July Financial Report. 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. Luther Seminary Re plat Ron Batty, the City Attorney, addressed the Council regarding the re -plat of the Luther Seminary property. Batty stated the land was previously going to be divided into four lots, but for simplicity, the land now was going to be divided into two parcels. The Seminary will be retaining the conservation land and selling the parcel with the multi -family housing. Batty stated the area being retained by Luther Seminary is zoned for conservation. The buyer and seller are discussing whether easements providing for water and sanitary sewer utilities should be provided for the conservation lot. The City Council is also being asked to weigh in. After discussing the matter, the Council decided not to require easements for water and sanitary sewer to be platted as the City Council does not plan to change the conservation zoning. Ron Batty stated Ramsey County is reviewing the plat. Butkowski stated that a public hearing on the preliminary and/or final plat may be held at the next Council Meeting on September 9, if the County had completed their review. Agreement with the owners of 1773 Fulham for a retaining wall and fence Butkowski introduced a draft license agreement for a replacement retaining wall and fence at 1773 Fulham Street. The Council agreed that the preliminary agreement looked acceptable. Butkowski stated she will send the draft to the owners' for their review. 2015 Budget Butkowski explained that the assessed values of residential property have increased in Ramsey County including Lauderdale. The median valued home for 2015 is $175,000 or seven percent higher than in 2014. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 3 August 26, 2014 Butkowski stated that Local Government Aid to the City was increasing slightly and the fiscal disparities funding was increasing by $8,142 in 2015. The largest increase in expenditures will be for police services which are increasing by $17,305. The City budget is expected to increase by 1.48% or $18,173. Butkowski explained the data she provided to the Council regarding the costs to households for different levy increases. Butkowski said a 2.3% levy increase was needed to balance the budget but the increase felt by the local tax payers was 1.28% due to the fiscal disparities funding increase. The Council asked staff to draft a budget with no increase in the levy for discussion at the next meeting. The City has until the end of September to adopt the 2015 preliminary levy. There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Gaasch moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kev*Ke Deputy City Clerk