HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/24/2006LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES '-
JANUARY 24, 2006
7:30 P.M. CITY HALL
Members present: council member Karen Gill -Gerbig; council member Karen Doherty;
council member Denise Hawkinson; council member Clay Christensen; Mayor Jeff Dains.
Staff Present: Dave Hinrichs, Public Works coordinator; Heather Butkowski, Deputy City
Clerk; Jim Bownik, Assistant to the City Administrator; Brian Bakken Heck, City
Administrator.
Council member. Doherty moved and Gill -Gerbig seconded the approval of the agenda with
items 6 A — Snow'comotion update and 11 B — Nuisance Trees at 1840 Eustis Street. Motion
carried.
Council member Christensen moved and Hawkinson seconded approval of the January 10,
2006 City Council meeting minutes with the following additions, page 3 committee and
commission list add "Park and Community Involvement Committee designee Karen Doherty
alternate Denise Hawkinson" and Page 3, last paragraph insert "tree" between "the" and
"commission." Motion carried.
Council member Gill -Gerbig moved and Hawkinson seconded the payment of claims totaling
$35,148.39. Motion carried.
Council member Gill -Gerbig moved and Christensen seconded a motion to approve the
consent agenda approving 2006 mechanical contractor's licenses, approving compensation
increase for the City Administrator as provided in the agreement and acknowledging the
upgrade of the city's phone system. Motion carried.
Council member Doherty provided an update on the Snow'comotion city winter celebration.
She said the event will take place on Saturday, January 28, from 3 to 6 p.m. with events at the
community park and city hall. She said there will be a horse and carriage going between the
park and city hall sponsored by the Falcon Heights / Lauderdale Lion's Club. There is also a
book sale to raise funds for future community events.
Mayor Dains introduced the public hearing item and administrator Bakken Heck stated the
purpose of the public hearing is to give the homeowner at 1842 Eustis an opportunity to
respond to the situation involving a diseased tree on the owner's premises. Bakken Heck
informed the council the city tree inspector marked the tree as diseased in July and the owner
was given until August to abate the nuisance. The owners failed to abate the nuisance thus
the city is now faced with acting on the removal.
The public hearing opened at 7:43 p.m. Homeowner Sandra Brown, 1842 Eustis- Street,
addressed the council. She stated that she is not going to pay someone to remove the tree nor
is she going to pay the city to have the tree removed. She continued to tell the council she
Will remove the tree in the spring when the weather gets warmer. She stated her neighbor has
two (2) diseased trees that have been standing for two (2) years and the city has not taken
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LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 24, 2006
7:30 P.M. CITY HALL
action to remove them. She wants the same consideration given to her that was given to her
neighbor.
There being no further comments from the public, the mayor closed the hearing at 7:46 p.m.
Council member Gill -Gerbig said that she felt the city provided the homeowner adequate
time to remove the tree. She commented on the timeline stating the homeowner received the
initial notice of the problem on July 25, 2005 and was given until August 20, 2005 to remove
the tree. She felt the city provided a reasonable time for them to remove the tree and concurs
with staff recommendation to continue the abatement process.
Mayor Dains asked Dave Hinrichs when the tree needs to be removed to prevent any disease
from spreading. Hinrichs stated before April.
Gill -Gerbig moved to give the owners until March 19, 2006 to remove the tree and if it is not
removed by that date, staff is to arrange for its removal as soon as practicable on the 20'h of
March. Doherty seconded the motion and it carried on a roll call vote with council members
Gill -Gerbig, Doherty, Hawkinson, Christensen and Mayor Dains all voting yes.
Bownik presented the tractor mower item to the council for consideration. He stated the city
requested quotes for the purchase of a larger mower with added attachments including a
brush and cab. John Deere and Toro submitted quotes and the low quote was submitted by
John Deere at just under $28,000. Bownik informed the council the city's purchasing policy
requires sealed bids for purchases exceeding $25,000. He said one option is for the council
to waive the requirement in this case and authorize the purchase.
Council member Christensen moved to purchase the John Deere tractor mower with the
stated attachments and to waive the requirements for sealed bids in this case. Motion was
seconded by Hawkinson and carried with council members Gill -Gerbig, Doherty,
Hawkinson, Christensen and Mayor Dains all voting yes.
Council member Gill -Gerbig took up the issue of the trees located at 1840 Eustis Street. She
stated that this past fall, a public hearing was held on these trees and the homeowner
appeared before the council requesting time to remove the bark from the trees. It was
decided by the council at that meeting to give the homeowner until December 31, 2005 to
remove the bark from the trees. As of this date, the bark is still on the trees and the
homeowner has not made an attempt to contact the city regarding issues relating to this
subject. Based on this, she suggests the city have the trees removed.
Mayor Dains felt the city already addressed this issue and is not sure why this issue is back
before the council.
Bakken Heck stated there is a question of what should be done, have the city remove the bark
or remove the tree trunks all together.
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LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
JANUARY 24, 2006
7:30 P.M. CITY HALL
Mayor Dains suggested staff contact the city attorney and inquire if there is any legal
problem with the city removing the tree trunks based on the action that was taken at the
public hearing. If there is no legal issue, remove the trees, otherwise have them debarked.
Moved by Gill -Gerbig to have the tree trunks removed unless there are legal issues that
prevent this in which case the trunks are to be debarked. Motion seconded by Hawkinson
and carried with council members Gill -Gerbig, Doherty, Hawkinson, Christensen and Mayor
Dains all voting yes.
There being no further business to present before the Council, the council entered their work
session at 8:16 p.m.
WORK SESSION:
Bakken Heck provided some background on the rental housing license ordinance. The
council members then began to go through the draft ordinance with comments and questions.
Following this process, Mayor Dains asked if there is still the consideration for a public
meeting on the ordinance. Bakken Heck said staff recommends the council hold a public
informational meeting at an upcoming council meeting. He said the ordinance draft needs to
be reviewed by the city's attorney and put in proper form but he felt it could be ready for the
second meeting in February. Mayor Dains suggested the first meeting in March.
Heather Butkowski presented information and background on the comprehensive plan
project. She went over the aspects of the comprehensive plan that are included in the
Metropolitan Council plan. She then took the council briefly through the items that make up
the entire plan and provided the council with a draft outline for consideration.
The council will talk to possible residents who may be interested in serving on a task force or
committee to look at the comprehensive plan update.
Motion by Christensen, Second by Gill -Gerbig to adjourn and carried. Meeting adjourned at
9:28 p.m.
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