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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/23/2006LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2006 Mayor Dains called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. and asked administrator Bakken Heck to call roll. Council members present: Karen Gill -Gerbig, Denise Hawkinson, Karen Doherty, Clay Christensen and Mayor Jeffrey Dains. Staff present: Jim Bownik and Heather Butkowski. Mayor Dains asked for additions or deletions to the agenda. Heck requested to add the authorization to advertise bid for the sale of the old Chevrolet pick-up truck with a minimum bid of $500.00. Council member Christensen moved and Doherty seconded the agenda as amended. The motion carried. Mayor Dains asked for any additions or corrections to the minutes of May 9, 2006. There being none, council member Hawkinson moved and council member Gill -Gerbig seconded the minutes as presented and the motion carried. Mayor Dains asked for questions on the claim. There being none, council member Gill - Gerbig moved and Hawkinson seconded approval of the claims in the amount of $30,404.08 and the motion carried. Mayor Dains stated this is the time for members of the audience to address the council on items not on the agenda. There was no one in attendance who wished to address the council. The consent agenda authorizing bidding for the sale of the old Chevrolet pick-up truck carried on a motion by council member Christensen and a second by Hawkinson. Butkowski addressed the council and reported on the first comprehensive plan committee meeting. She stated the purpose of the meeting was to get members acquainted and give them an opportunity to describe what they feel are the strengths of the community and what concerns them. She listed some of the top responses. Sources of pride were location, small town feel and low crime. Opportunities included the city's central location (280), local educational opportunities (university/colleges) and police and fire. Some worries identified were the condition of the south corner of 280 and Larpenteur, housing stock upkeep / lack of truth in housing and no commercial center/hub. Threats are Highway 280, loss of Local Government Aide and the future of county roads. Butkowski stated the committee will begin to work on a vision statement and elect a chair and vice chair at the next meeting. Mayor Dains brought up the issue of parking in the park parking lots as they are being used by construction workers at the condo development. Christensen stated he was at the park last Friday and noticed the construction workers using the parking lot as a staging area and for the loading and unloading of equipment. Mayor Dains would like to see signage indicating the park parking lots are for park purposes only. We may have to alter the ordinance relating to Page 1 of 2 LAUDERDALE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2006 use of the park parking lots. Enforcement is an issue as well as reference to the snow emergency parking. Council member Christensen moved to have staff erect a sign prohibiting the use of the park parking lots for non -park purposes with the exception of snow emergencies. Seconded by Doherty and carried on a roll call vote with all voting yes. Butkowski discussed new election equipment to be used for the next election and how such equipment will assist the voter in voting. Council member Hawkinson moved Resolution #052306A authorizing the use of the AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminal in elections. Resolution seconded by council member Christensen and carried with all members voting yes. The council set the agenda for the next meeting to include preliminary budget discussion, visits by Rep. Grieling, tennis courts and administrator evaluation. The council moved into the work session at 8:00 p.m. Bownik presented the council with additional information on the construction of the tennis courts. He wanted to get more direction from the council on what their expectations are regarding the rehabilitation. Bownik discussed two possible options regarding the tennis courts. He indicated the council needs to order plans and specifications for the tennis courts. Mayor Dains and Council member Hawkinson both opted to move the construction of the tennis courts to spring of 2007. Council member Doherty moved to obtain specifications and plans for the tennis courts with an alternate to improve the basketball court and to move forward with the bidding of the project so the project is completed by June 1, 2007. The specifications are to include lighting. Motion second by council member Gill -Gerbig Council member Hawkinson moved to adjourn to closed session, second by Doherty and carried. The Council went into closed session at 8:30 p.m. to discuss the ongoing litigation regarding the park property. Bob Alsop, attorney assigned to the case, provided the council with a chronology of the case to bring the council up to date. The council reconvened in open session at 9:00 p.m. to discuss the nuisance property on Eustis. There was an incident on Friday where a person was outside in the afternoon using foul language. Citizens are getting more upset with the situation and want the city to take some action. Heck stated staff will contact the county, other inspectors, and the fire marshal to conduct additional inspections and to follow up on condemnation proceedings on the Eustis property as well as the vacant building on Walnut. Administrator evaluation was discussed by the council. There being no further items for discussion, the meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m. on a motion by Hawkinson and second by Christensen. Page 2 of 2