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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/09/2012LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Pagel of 3 October 9, 2012 Mayor Dains called the City Council meeting to order at 7:34 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 added a discussion of rental properties and council compensation to the agenda. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the amended agenda. Councilor Gaasch seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the September 25, 2012, City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Mac Lean moved approval of the claims totaling $88,848.83. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Gaasch moved to approve the consent agenda approving the August finances, the collateral pledge by North Star Bank, rental housing licenses and the appointment of additional election judges. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Informational Presentations/Reports: The Council discussed the Community Meeting held on Thursday, October 4 regarding the potentially related fires in Lauderdale. Mayor Dains thanked residents for attending the meeting and the input from the Falcon Heights Fire Department and St. Anthony Police Department (SAPD). Mayor Dains said SAPD is investigating as though the fires were suspicious even through there is no definitive evidence that the fires were arson. Councilor Gaasch added that residents planning to start a patrol should contact the City for safety vests. Councilor Gaasch also mentioned that evidence is being tested by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to determine if arson occurred. She noted that arson is often difficult to investigate because evidence is incinerated. Councilor Gaasch reiterated that the police need Lauderdale residents to be their eyes and ears. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 3 Discussion Items: Retaining Wall Agreement for 1843 Malvern Street October 9, 2012 The concerns of the owners of 1843 Malvern Street were discussed at previous council meetings. Staff has worked with the owners and the city attorney on a draft agreement to compensate the owners for a retaining wall. Hawkinson suggested adding language to the agreement in which the City agrees to pay no more than the $1,620.00 identified in the agreement. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the retaining wall agreement for 1843 Malvern Street as amended. Councilor Mac Lean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Grant Application to Correct Issues Related to Inflow and Infiltration The city engineer is assisting staff in the preparation of a grant application to line sanitary sewer sections within the City. The sewers due for sewer lining are under Fulham Street, Eustis Street, and TH280. The cost of the project will be approximately $300,000. $50,000 would come from the grant and $250,000 from tax increment funds. TIF Fund Project Options If the Council agrees to complete the sewer lining project, there will be approximately $400,000 remaining in the TIF fund for projects which are designated in the TIF plan. The Council discussed project ideas touched on at the September 25 city council meeting. One idea was to add a sidewalk along Eustis Street south of Larpenteur Avenue to improve pedestrian safety. Other project ideas include the tear down of distressed residential properties, creation of a home improvement loan program, or sidewalk and lighting improvements along Larpenteur Avenue. The City may also return the money to the County; 25% would be returned to the City without conditions. Councilor Mac Lean noted her meeting with Butkowski, city consultant Paul Bilotta, and County Engineer Joe Lux on improving the Larpenteur Avenue corridor and designing a sidewalk for Eustis Street. Mac Lean and Butkowski discussed that the Larpenteur Avenue plan would incorporate green space and signage to set a design standard for the business corridor. The improvements would cost at least $80,000 for each side of Larpenteur Avenue. Butkowski reviewed the preliminary agenda for the next meeting, which included the city logo and open burning ordinance revision. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 3 October 9, 2012 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. No one present addressed the Council. Winter Parking on Eustis Street The Council discussed placing posts in the ground along Eustis Street in order to be prepared to post "No Parking" signs if there is a heavy snow season. The Council discussed placing the posts only along the east side of Eustis Street and directed staff to install the posts on the east side before the ground freezes. Butkowski will look into whether the County will install the posts as Eustis Street is a county road. Councilor Mac Lean moved to approve the placing of posts on the east side of Eustis Street. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Rental Housing Ordinance The ordinance is in the final stages of being redrafted. Butkowski explained there have been two incidents at 1954 Malvern Street since the first hearing to consider rescinding the rental housing license of that property. Staff will continue to monitor calls to the property. City Council Compensation Councilors noted that there has not been a pay increase since January of 2002. Butkowski explained the Council would need to amend the ordinance around council compensation before the November 6 election. The compensation increase would go into effect in January of 2013. Council asked staff to prepare a salary survey of other cities of similar size in the metro area. There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Hawkinson moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Grove seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kevin Kelly Deputy City Clerk