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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/08/2009LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Pagel of 3 December 8, 2009 The Mayor called the City Council meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilors present: Clay Christensen, Denise Hawkinson, and Mayor Jeff Dains. Councilors absent: Karen Doherty and Lara Mac Lean. Staff present: Heather Butkowski, City Administrator; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator. Mayor Dains asked for changes to the meeting agenda. The Mayor added a staff appreciation day to the agenda, Councilor Christensen moved to approve the agenda as amended. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Christensen moved to approve the November 24, 2009, City Council meeting minutes. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Councilor Hawkinson moved approval of the claims totaling $81,169.44. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Mayor Dains asked if members of the public wished to address the Council. No one present wished to do so. Mayor Dains asked if councilors wished to remove items from the consent agenda. There being none, Councilor Christensen moved the consent agenda items including: 2010 rental housing licenses, deputy clerk step increase, and city administrator step increase. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Butkowski provided a brief presentation on the proposed 2010 budget and levy. She said funding and the budget had been the focus of the City Council since the first unallotment in December 2008. In total, the City had $167,825 in local government aid (LGA) unallotted for the 2008-2010 budget years. In response to the cuts, the city council cut staff, increased some fees, eliminated budget transfers to save for future infrastructure improvements, and changed the way it does business in many instances. The 2010 general fund budget is 4.3% or about $51,000 smaller than the 2009 budget due to the LGA loss. The City also had the lowest proposed property tax increase in Ramsey County at 2.4%. Due to the cost saving measures, staff anticipates a general fund balance at year end that will allow the city to recover from the lost 2008 LGA and maintain an adequate fund balance. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 2 of 3 Mayor Dains announced the public hearing for the 2010 budget and levy. Mayor Dains opened the public hearing at 7:36 p.m. No one present wished to address the Council. The public hearing closed at 7:37 p.m. Councilor Hawkinson moved to adopt the 2010 city budget and resolution 120809A — a resolution levying taxes for 2009 payable in 2010 in the amount of $571,738. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. At the last meeting, the Council heard presentations from Bonestroo, Cuningham Group, and SEH. Butkowski mentioned the biggest difference between the firms was price and the time they planned to devote to soliciting public participation. The Council discussed the pros and cons of the various presentations. They felt each firm had assets, but the Council felt Bonestroo seemed the most practical in the approach presented. Butkowski said she would notify the firm selected and draft an agreement that refined and defined the expectations of the project. The final agreement will be brought to the next meeting for Council approval. Councilor Hawkinson moved to select Bonestroo as the zoning code update consulting firm. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Bownik said the City received nine applicants after posting the rink, attendant job in the city newsletter. He initially thought only two of the three attendants from last year would be returning so he solicited more information from the applicants. He had since learned that all three attendants were able to return for another season so he asked the Council to approve the proposed staffing, updated job description, and the hourly rate of $9.00. Mayor Dains asked how the City generally hires the attendants. Bownik replied that the City uses a call-back system. The Council suggested changing the "Essential Physical Requirements" of the job description to read: The employee must frequently lift (above shoulder height) and/or move up to 40 pounds." The proposed language read 30 pounds but the suggestion reflects the physical nature of the job with regard to shoveling snow and moving warming house furniture. Councilor Christensen moved to approve the amended job description, the hourly rate of $9.00, and call back previous rink attendants. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Lauderdale City Hall 1891 Walnut Street Lauderdale, MN 55113 Page 3 of 3 Bownik said the City was denied a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded by the American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) last year because park equipment was not an allowable expense. It is an allowable expense for the CDBG grant funding available in a few weeks. In order to apply, the City must know whether the new equipment recommended by the Park and Community Involvement Committee (PLIC) fits within the playground area and meets safety, ADA, and use zone requirements. Since the capital improvement plan called to replace the large playground structure in 2011, the PCIC also suggested seeking CDBG money for the entire playground area. The Council asked questions to clarify the scope and reason for the work. Bownik said the design services were needed to determine what equipment could fit safely within the playground area. The firm selected would use AutoCAD to layout the playground and overlay it with the equipment. The playground equipment vendors provide the CAD drawings for their product. Staff received design service quotes from the city engineer and Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground. Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground was asked to provide a quote because they are the local GameTime distributor and the City currently has GameTime equipment. GameTime has a generous trade-in program which means the City would likely purchase GameTime equipment again. Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground said the design fee would be credited back to the City if they were selected as the equipment vendor. Councilor Hawkinson moved to approve the design services proposal from Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground for playground improvements in an amount not to exceed $1,500. Councilor Christensen seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Butkowski reviewed the preliminary agenda for the next meeting, which included: a reception for new and retiring council members; PCIC minutes; 2010 City Council Meeting Schedule; 2010 Fee Schedule; 2010 Depository and Investment Institutions; 2010 Investment Policy; 2010 Committee Appointments; 2010 Designation of Official Newspaper; 2010 Business Licenses; and 2010 Mayor Pro Tem. There being no further business on the council agenda, Councilor Christensen moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilor Hawkinson seconded the motion and it carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.m. espectfully submitted, WM Heather Butkowski City Administrator