Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/12/2006MINUTES OF THE LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2006 7.30 p.m. Lauderdale City Hall, 1891 Walnut Street Mayor Dains called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. and asked City Administrator Heck to call the roll. Council members present: Karen Gill -Gerbig, Denise Hawkinson, Karen Doherty, Clay Christensen and Mayor Jeff Dains. Also present for the meeting: Assistant to the City Administrator, Jim Bownik and Heather Butkowski, Deputy City Clerk. Mayor Dains asked if there were additions or deletions to the agenda. Council member Gill -Gerbig requested an item on the Livable Communities Act be added. Mayor Dains requested the addition of employee recognition and rental housing status. Council member Christensen moved to approve the agenda as amended. The motion was seconded by council member Hawkinson and carried. Mayor Dains asked if there were any comments or changes to the council meeting minutes of November 28, 2006. Council member Doherty requested the removal of the question pertaining to the claim paid to 1922 Malvern as the question was asked at the November 14 meeting. Council member Christensen moved approval of the minutes as amended and council member Doherty seconded. The motion carried. Mayor Dains asked if there were any comments or changes to the Truth in Taxation meeting minutes of December 4, 2006. Council member Gill -Gerbig moved approval of the minutes as presented. Council member Hawkinson provided the second and the motion carried. Mayor Dains asked if there were any questions on the claims. Council member Hawkinson asked about the rat poison and wanted to know where it was placed. Staff indicated they were not sure, but would find out. Council member Hawkinson moved approval of the claims in the amount of $36,403.12 Council member Doherty seconded the motion and it carried. The mayor stated this was the time established for members of the public to address the council with issues not present on the agenda. There was no one present to address the council. The mayor asked if the.Council wished to remove items from the consent agenda. - 1 - Council member Christensen moved approval of the consent agenda approving tier one rental housing licenses and pay request #1 of the park improvement project to Nadeau Excavating Inc. in the amount of $66,917.29. Motion seconded by council member Gill -Gerbig and carried. Deputy Clerk Butkowski presented information on certifying special assessments to the property tax on identified parcels. She stated there is only one parcel where a special assessment is requested. Mayor Dains opened the public hearing at 7:44 p.m. There being no one present wishing to address the council, the mayor closed the hearing at 7:45 p.m. Butkowski next presented the proposed 2007 fees schedule. She stated none of the fees are proposed to increase. Mayor Dains opened the public hearing at 7:45 p.m. There being no one present wishing to address the council on the issue, the mayor closed the hearing at 7:46 p.m. Heck introduced Mr. Steve Oberaigner and Mr. Paul Molinberg owner/operators of the BP gas station located on the northwest corner of Larpenteur and Eustis. Mr. Oberaigner stated he will be the new operator of the gas station. He told the council about the plans to remodel the existing store and service bay areas into a larger and more modern convenience store. He also stated improvements to the exterior will be completed. Finally, he plans to add a 75' carwash to the west side of the building. He told the council he has over 25 years in the business and will be an active participant in the business. Mr. Molinberg told the council he represents Croix Oil, the owners of the station. He said Croix Oil is a family owned local wholesaler of oil and petroleum products. They are excited to be in the city. Mayor Dains thanked them for their presentation and told them a bit about what is happening on the street in the way of potential development. He also stated he is glad to hear of the improvements they propose. Council member Hawkinson asked if they will still be selling gas. Mr. Oberaigner stated they pump arrangement will stay the same. They will not be doing any vehicle repairs. The council thanked Mr. Oberaigner and Molinberg. Butkowski presented a status report on the work of the comprehensive planning task force. She said the group continued to discuss housing as it looked at the Metropolitan Council's housing requirements. Butkowski said the group discussed vacant houses and the group felt this was not a significant issue. The group felt a better approach is to work -2- on the nuisance ordinance and the issue of "unfinished" building permits. The committee prefers to offer more carrots to get compliance than sticks. Butkowski said they plan to hold a future meeting at City Gables and to discuss transit. Council member Gill -Gerbig moved Resolution No. 121206A — A Resolution Certifying Special Assessments to Property Taxes. Council member Christensen seconded the motion and the motion carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Council member Christensen moved adoption of the 2007 fee schedule as proposed. Council member Doherty seconded the motion and it carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Bownik presented information on wages for the warming house attendants. He stated all the attendants from last year are returning. Bownik recommended setting the wage at $8.25 per hour for new attendants, which is the same as last year, and setting the wage at $9.00 per hour for experienced attendants which is an increase of $.25 per hour. Council member Hawkinson asked several questions about the attached position description and warming house attendant manual. Council member Gill -Gerbig moved adoption of the wage as proposed and the description as amended. Council member Hawkinson provided the second and the motion carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Butkowski presented information on compensation for election judges. She said that after research, the city is a bit lower in pay than other metro area cities. Butkowski recommends an increase of $1.00 per hour for the election judges and the head election judge. She said this will bring the compensation for the election judges up to what other cities pay. Council member Hawkinson moved adoption of the compensation for election judges at $8.00 per hour and $9.00 per hour for the head judge. Council member Christensen seconded the motion and it carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Butkowski then presented information on designating the depository for 2007. She stated the list of investment brokers will remain the same as will the city's bank. Council member Gill -Gerbig moved adoption of Resolution No. 121206B — Designating Official Depository and Investment Institutions. Resolution seconded by council member Hawkinson and carried on a roll call vote with members Gill - Gerbig, Hawkinson, Christensen and Dains voting yes, council member Doherty abstained. -3- Heck presented the claim for work done on the storm water pond located at Luther Seminary. Heck said the work was completed and looked good. He recommended payment of the claim. Council member Christensen moved to approve payment of the claim to Paul Johnson in the amount of $8,006.10 as recommended by the engineer. Council member Doherty seconded the motion and it carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Council member Gill -Gerbig provided a summary on her request for the council to consider a resolution in support of continued funding of the Livable Communities Act at present levels by the Metropolitan Council. She stated the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities identified this issue and is encouraging cities who participate in the program to voice support for continued funding at present levels. Council member Gill -Gerbig offered Resolution No. 121206C — A Resolution Supporting Continued Metropolitan Council Funding of the Livable Communities Property Tax Levy. Council member Christensen seconded the motion and it passed on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. Mayor Dains brought up the issue of recognition of employees for the work done on behalf of the council and the residents of Lauderdale. He said it was the general practice to award staff a day off to be used during the holiday period with the approval of the Administrator. Council member Hawkinson made a motion to provide staff with one day off to be used between 12/12/06 and 1/2/07 with the approval of the Administrator. Council Christensen provided the second and the motion carried on a roll call vote with all members voting yes. The council entered the work session at 8:38 p.m. Heck addressed the request for proposals for audit services. He suggested the council appoint a couple members to work with staff on reviewing and recommending an audit firm at the first meeting in January. The council appointed council members Doherty and Christensen to review the proposals and work with staff on a recommendation. Heck and Butkowski provided an update on the cooperative effort to increase alternative transit opportunities in the city and improve connectivity to other trail and pathway systems in Ramsey and Hennepin counties and St. Paul and Minneapolis. They stated another meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 14, 2006. Heck stated the council may be presented with a request to participate in a grant application and/or project as a result of this effort. Mayor Dains asked a few questions about the rental housing ordinance and whether or not the Council needs to consider amending the ordinance based on some of the situations staff encountered during implementation. Butkowski said she spoke to Mary Tietjen and there are some areas in the ordinance we will want to consider revising. Staff is to work with Mary on developing options to tighten up the ordinance and have Mary attend the first meeting in January to discuss options with the council. Heck provided the council with a brief list of council accomplishments over the past year or so as well as other projects that are underway. The Council entered closed session at 9:14 p.m. to discuss the labor contract. The Council came back into open session and Council member Doherty moved to adjourn the meeting. Council member Gill -Gerbig seconded the motion and the meeting adjourned at 9:48 p.m. -5-