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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/12/2012LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 1 of 4 June 12, 2012 Mayor Dains called the City Council meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Councilors present: Mary Gaasch, Roxanne Grove, Denise Hawkinson, Lara Mac Lean, and Mayor Jeff Dains. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator; and Kevin Kelly, Deputy City Clerk. Mayor Dains asked for changes to the meeting agenda. The Council offered no changes to the agenda. Mayor Dains added an item to the work session regarding city proclamations. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the agenda as amended. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the May 22, 2012, City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Hawkinson moved approval of the claims totaling $109,976.93. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. The Council removed the PCIC Minutes and Music under the Trees from the consent agenda. Councilor Mac Lean moved the remaining consent agenda items approving 2012 business licenses and park use applications. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Cor Wilson, Executive Director of the North Suburban Cable Commission (NSCC), addressed the Council with information regarding CTV and the cable franchise renewal with Comcast. The NSCC had a technical audit of Comcast's equipment since Wilson's last appearance before the Council. The technical audit found 300 electrical code violations that Comcast must fix within 45 days. The Cable Commission continues to work towards an October 2013 cable franchise renewal. Jerry Hromatka, President of Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS), addressed the Council. Hromatka said Lauderdale was one of NYFS's founding communities over 30 years ago. NYFS continues to provide services to residents of Lauderdale and served 13 households in 2010 and 17 households in 2011. Services are assured for residents in the communities which are part of the collaborative. The Council said they would reconsider the city's sponsorship of NYFS during the 2013 budget discussion. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 4 The Council took a break at 8:26 p.m. The meeting resumed at 8:37 p.m. Discussion Items: Butkowski stated the tables and chairs, which are available to residents at no charge, are beginning to wear out. She suggested a fee be charged in order to begin replacing damaged tables and chairs. The Council agreed there is a need for a fee for renting social room items along with a damage deposit. Staff will research a fee amount which is reasonable and will provide funds to begin equipment replacement. Butkowski asked the Council to address policy questions for the rental housing ordinance update. First, the rental housing ordinance allows for three incidents at rental properties in a three month span before revocation of a license can begin. The Council discussed that this is too lenient and suggested changing the ordinance to three incidents within a license year to allow the City to respond in a more efficient manner to properties with problem tenants. Butkowski added that Brandychase Condominiums board members discussed whether they should be included in the city's rental licensing program. Initially, some owners asked to be excluded. The Council agreed this is a good idea as it will bring consistency to rental properties throughout the City. The August 14 council meeting corresponds with the 2012 Primary Election. The Council tentatively agreed to change the date to August 15 at 7:30 p.m. The date change of this meeting will be finalized at the June 26 meeting. Items removed from the Consent Agenda: Bownik presented on the two music events this summer at Community Park. They are scheduled for Monday June 25 and Monday July 23 at 7:30 p.m. Bownik stated the performers won't play copywrited music as the City has not paid for music performance licenses. Bownik also stated that Hamline Auto Body sponsored the music again this year. Schwan's will also be present at the event selling their products as well as offering treats to the park goers. If Schwan's sells $750.00 or more of their products at the park, 10% of the proceeds will be donated to the Community Events Fund. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the Music Under the Trees agenda item. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 4 The Council addressed the Park and Community Involvement Committee (PCIC) meeting minutes from June 4. Hawkinson was concerned about the number of committee members currently attending the meetings. Further discussion was in regard to the City pursuing ways to encourage residents to volunteer. Bownik made an example of the City of Winsted. Winsted received a grant to send residents to a leadership academy. Some of those individuals identified community needs and initiated community building events without city staff or resources. Councilors liked this idea and suggested other ways to find volunteers. Councilor Hawkinson moved to acknowledge the PCIC meeting minutes from June 4. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Agenda items for the June 24 council meeting include a discussion with Chief Ohl regarding future police contracts and a presentation by the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization. Mayor Dains explained the Council was moving into the work session. Work sessions are a continuation of the meeting but not aired on community television. The Mayor asked if anyone present wished to address the Council. Natalie Micheal of 1786 Walnut Street addressed the Council. She has owned her home for two years and said rain water is getting into her basement. She believes the alley drainage pattern is contributing to her water problems. She discussed adding a berm along the alley to divert water with her driveway contractor. Mayor Dains stated any work by the City on the alley could be considered a public improvement and homeowners in the area would be assessed for the work. The Council directed staff to contact the city engineer for guidance on options. Butkowski explained that each spring growth into alleys becomes a problem. Public works staff have trimmed problem areas and residents have come to expect the City will do this work. Last year the City received a complaint by someone whose plants were trimmed. Butkowski brought it to the council's attention as the City is only legally allowed to trim growth which grows over city property (the paved portion of the alley). Mayor Dains suggested sending letters to the property owners with overgrown plants and give them two weeks to trim the growth. If the home owner didn't take care of the growth, city staff can trim the portion hanging over the alley. Mayor Dains said he was asked to prepare a proclamation for an event this weekend. Mayor Dains said the City hasn't issued proclamations in the past but wanted Council input. Gaasch suggested the City study other cities' policies and practices in this area. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 4 of 4 There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Hawkinson moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:41 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Kel y Deputy City Clerk